Hi, I am setting up a Non-Profit Association in France for a small arts foundation. We are hoping to find out if there are any national/local sources of grant funding for the project or for individual artists. We are well versed in doing this in Scotland from a large number of sources from Lottery to Creative Scotland and local authorities but have no knowledge of the French scene.
Any guidance help would be greatly appreciated.
We already have a gallery space that needs considerable renovation work and are also looking for what might be available for that work as capital grant funding.
I’m a trained grants researcher; masters degree in information and library science, years of serving as a librarian and instructor for prospect research and grantsmanship, in the United States. I would like to be of assistance if appropriate. I am an artist and currently seek to be just that. And yet, I do have all of this training… Let me know if I can provide more info. I’ll be in London November 15 through 17, and in Paris November 18 through December 3 if it would be appropriate to meet. I’d be happy to do research for any endeavour toward support of artists.
Hello Ross,
I have similar qualifications to Mary, and also a strong interest in the
Arts.
I’ve lived in France for more than 20 years thus I’m fully bilingual. I’m
not far from Montparnasse.
I also have French colleagues who are artists (including those who are
ArtPrice Cotation).
Should my research and writing services be of any help to you, please send
me a private message.
Thank you,
Anna
One thing that you may need to take into account is that professional artists in France are required to be registered with the appropriate body (Maison des Artistes or AGESSA). From what I recall and I don’t imagine it’s changed, in the UK any artist, amateur or professional, can exhibit paintings at an exhibition or put on a paid public performance, and Arts England funding for instance is open to anyone who writes / paints / sculpts/ performs /whatever, I imagine the same goes for Lottery funding. France, typically, makes a clear distinction and only professional artists are allowed to exhibit or perform or make money from their art; for instance, every exhibition organiser will check that would-be exhibitors are registered with MdA. A bit like the UK’s Equity card for actors, but here it applies to all sectors of the arts. If you’re aware of all this already then just ignore me, and in any case I’m not sure how it impacts on your question, but I suspect a slightly different approach may be needed if grant funding for individual artists is presumably targeted exclusively at registered professionals, since amateur/unregistered artists are not allowed to make a single cent from their work. France does invest a lot in cultural events - festivals, theatre etc - and with good results, certainly the festival scene and the art galleries etc are just wonderful, but my impression is, it’s a bit of a closed shop and it might be quite hard to break into it. Which is echoed by this article http://www.exponaute.com/magazine/2011/09/05/lieux-d’art-prives-en-france-suivez-le-guide/
Here’s another article that gives a clear explanation of the distinction between amateur and professional in the art world http://www.amylee.fr/2015/04/artiste-amateur/
Sorry if all this sounds a bit pessimistic, I hope I’m wrong, and I wish you every success.
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M[quote=“MaryW, post:2, topic:17882, full:true”]
I’m a trained grants researcher; masters degree in information and library science, years of serving as a librarian and instructor for prospect research and grantsmanship, in the United States. I would like to be of assistance if appropriate. I am an artist and currently seek to be just that. And yet, I do have all of this training… Let me know if I can provide more info. I’ll be in London November 15 through 17, and in Paris November 18 through December 3 if it would be appropriate to meet. I’d be happy to do research for any endeavour toward support of artists.
[/quote]
Mary,
Thank you for replying.
I myself plan to be in France, Narbonne from 28th Oct to Nov 9th assessing the current state of the property having not had the chance to be there for 14 months work commitments here in Edinburgh.
Your offer of assistance is greatly appreciated and after discussions with my colleagues will definitely get back in touch with you.
We are currently writing an Indiegogo crowdfunding proposal with a view to it going live for December and January.
I am exploring the possibility of bringing some colleagues to France who all have significant building experience for some weeks early next year to undertake roof works and some internal works.
Funding for artists for the year beginning April 2018 and for the festival proposal of July 2018 is where our main interests are at the moment.
Where are you based?
My email is rmcewan@ecossedoc.eu.
The gallery has a website under construction www.ecossedoc.eu.
Please do keep in touch with us.
Ross
Anna,
Thank you for your response and i will contact you directly shortly.
My personal email is rmcewan@ecossedoc.eu.
The gallery is having a new website constructed and regularly updated at www.ecossedoc.eu.
Ross
Hi Ross.
In response to your enquiry;;;; we’d be very interested if you discover any sourses for grants.
We have been running a small private arts centre in central france for the past five seasons. We have two small galleries, a studio, workshops for printing, wood, and metal; a residency apartment, and courtyards for outdoor displays. Promotion has been by word of mouth, selection is by invitation or submission. We are not limited to painting and sculpture, and have supported actors, musicians, writers and filmmakers over the years.;
As a private setup we have full control, which we believe helps maintain a good quality , but we neither asked for or recieved any support.; the key to that seems to be setting up an association (rather lke an english charity), but with that comes the potential to lose control, and see the vision undermined with falling standards, a risk we didn’t want to take.
I’m a professional multi media artist (ex Leeds College of Art student), and retired Head of Art and Design.The facility here was originally set up for my own use, but we had more than enough space, and considered letting the apartment, selling gallery use, printing for other artists, running events and courses etc, etc,
However joining the appropriate organisation for each activity and filling in the paperwork and tax returns seemed like a nightmare, with, in our rural setting, little likelyhood of a commercial return, so we decided to abandon the idea and give the space away. We take no rent for the apartment, no percentage from the galleries, or concerts etc and freely assist with organisation, graphics, and promotion.
It may seem absurd but these have been the happiest days of our life. The inspirational company we share, the many friendships we have fostered, and the success of many professional artists we have supported and shared, is a life I wouldnt exchange for any amount of financial success.
Undoubtably the fact that my french wife works, that my art seles and pension underwrite my activity, makes it all possible, But we never saw it as a commercial endevear; just a personal indulgence that we could easily curtail if the going got onerous;
Of course we’d love funding suport to expand our activities;;;;I’d love to set up 3D printing for sculptors, and im interested in projection mapping for theatre and film… but I’m busy enough and happy enough not to let thiese minor frustrations get in the way.
We contribute a lot to our small town, and are probably the only enterprise that never asked the town hall for support.
If you ever want to visit, you’re most welcome.
Richard and isabelle Dubieniec, The arthouse Chantelle;
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Hi Ross,
I am based in the US, in Vermont.
Please keep me posted.
Best,
Mary