Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

02 April 2024

There were quite some excitement in March 2024, when the selected artists and mentors (which we commonly decided to rename "local facilitators") arrived in Nantes on Wednesday 13th. After a first meeting and the discovery of several French cheeses to break the ice, the group was ready to start this 10-days training program.

  • Slash Transition
Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

There were quite some excitement at the beginning of Slash Transition project's second year, when the selected artists and mentors (which we commonly decided to rename "local facilitators") arrived in Nantes on Wednesday 13th March. After a first meeting and the discovery of several French cheeses to break the ice, the group was ready to start this 10-days training program.

Thursday 14 March / Day 2: Introduction and narrative

At 9am, the five artists – Fanch, Ursula, Larie, Amal, Giorgi – and the five local facilitators – Thomas, Ketevani, Mafalda, Benjemy, Chris – arrived in Trempo for a breakfast with the team. All of them were given a first short introduction of the links between urbanism and artists by Bien Urbaines, the urban counseling duo composed by Emmanuelle Gangloff and Hélène Morteau, who co-programmed the first three days of the workshop. 

In the afternoon, the group met Jérôme Fihey from Le crabe fantôme company, who presented his work as a sound scenographer and writer for public or private entities such as museums, events and co. He invited the group to work as duos and to pick randomly two words. Then, each duo had to imagine and write the first script of a soundwalk based on the two-words topic.

Finally, the day ended with a cocktail in Trempo with the group and other local cultural actors of the metropolis of Nantes. It was a nice transition before the concert programmed in Trempo that night: Vincent Moon, Craze and Faustine Audebert.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Friday 15 March / Day 3: Transitions and sensible approaches

The second day started with an online meeting with Raphaël Besson, expert in urban socio-economics and doctor in territorial sciences. Raphaël introduced his research on the role of artists in transitioning territories.

The day continued with Gabriel Um, dancer and choreographer (1.5 company) that invited the group for a sensitive workshop under a former shipyard hangar in the city.

Finally, the groupe had an exchange with Lucie Mesuret. The radio producer and socio-urban planner presented her work of participatory urbanism with Les Eclisses, as well as her advices on the do’s and don’ts when you try to interview or record someone.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

SATURDAY 16 MARCH / DAY 4: CARTOGRAPHY AND PARTICIPATORY CREATION

Change of scenery on Saturday. Artists and local facilitators met the geographer Frédéric Barbe in Pol’N. Frédéric developed approaches that are both critical and sometimes even participatory. The group discovered the various maps he edited with its organization à la criée. He suggested a creative exercice: inventing imaginary maps. 

After lunch, Virgine Frappart presented her organization Alice company, that creates events and artistic projects with inhabitants and ethnic minorities. It was quite interesting to discuss with her on the notion of “hospitality” of a city.

And it was already the end of this three-days workshop. Many thanks to Bien Urbaines for coordinating this enriching moments.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Sunday 17 March / Rest day

For the last day with the local facilitators, the group gathered in the artists’ rented house for a big French brunch. It was also the opportunity to discuss the residencies with the artists and the local facilitators and to take some individual and group photos thanks to the presence of Margaux Martin’s.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Monday 18 March / Day 6: Immersive sound and beginning of the creative workshop

On Monday, it was already time to say goodbye to Chris, Benjemy, Mafalda and Ketevani, the local facilitators from Innsbruck, Tunis, Lisbon and Tbilisi. Meanwhile, the five remaining artists met La FabSonic. The collective showed their studio in Trempo and introduced to Giorgi, Amal, Larie, Fanch and Usrula their tools to create immersive sound installation.

In the afternoon, it’s finally time for creation!

The creative workshop started and each artist selected a random topic that would become their basis for the their work during the week. Each topic was linked to a transitioning place in Nantes (Trempo, Ecocentre, Wattignies, Village des 5 Ponts, île de Nantes). The aim of the exercice was to answer a problematics by offering a suggested sound installation or creation.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Tuesday 19 March / Day 7: How to create a soundwalk & creative workshop

After a first evening in Trempo’s studios, enjoying the possibility to play together, the five artists woke up to spend two hours with Thomas Cochini (local facilitator from Nantes, France). Thomas presented his work with bruit vert organization and gave tips and tools to create soundwalks.

The rest of the day was dedicated to the creative workshop. Larie went to Village des 5Ponts, Amal to the ecocentre, Fanch spent time at the Wattignies, Giorgi took Fanch’s bike to have a look at the different neighbourhoods in île de Nantes while Ursula stayed in Trempo.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Wednesday & Thursday 20&21 March / Day 8&9: Magic Carpets residency and creative workshop

On Wednesday, the group met Clara Baudry (artist and filmmaker) and Josselin Couteau (programmer of Trempo) who introduced Magic Carpets – another European project. Clara, who is currently in a one-month-residency process here in Nantes, explained her approach and the way she prepared her residency.

From Wednesday afternoon, the group coud now focus completely on the creative workshop exercise. All along the week, a facilitator was there in case they had any questions or if they wanted to exchange on their ideas. For the first part of the week, Grégoire Vaillant was there and he was then replaced by Eva Ménard.

 

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Friday 22 March / Day 10: Restitution and last goodbye

Friday… final day!
After some last adjustments to their work, the whole group gathered in the comfiest studio in Trempo to finally share the artists’ ideas and creations. It was quite a unique moment of creative emulation to get into each one’s universe and to listen to everyone.

After a last beer in Trempo’s terrace to finish this intense but rich training, the group walked to Chloé’s place – Musiques and Transitions manager in Trempo – to meet a delicious meal and spend one last evening together.

Training program in Nantes (France): daily report

Photos:
©Margaux Martin’s

Links:
Trempo
Bien Urbaines – Hélène Morteau and Emmanuelle Gangloff
Jérôme Fihey from Le crabe fantôme
Raphaël Besson
Gabriel Um
Les Eclisses – Lucie Mesuret

Pol’N
à la criée – Frédéric Barbe
Compagnie Alice – Virginie Frappart
La FabSonic
bruit vert – Thomas Cochini
Magic Carpets

Grégoire Vaillant and Eva Ménard