ARTCENA, National Centre for Circus, Street and Theatre Arts.
Created by the French Ministry of Culture, ARTCENA is a national rallying point that aims to strengthen the foundation and growth of circus, street and theatre arts. Keeping an open attitude and lively outlook, it works closely with sector professionals while also addressing the needs of teachers, students and researchers.
ARTCENA realises its mission along three axes:
Sharing knowledge
ARTCENA offers publications on circus, street arts and theatre on artcena.fr. Alongside sector news, the website’s magazine hosts a series of multimedia ‘dossiers’— collections of new writing, video, imagery, audio clips and archival documents gathered to explore particular themes or big ideas in artistic creation.
Through this work, ARTCENA is building an authoritative, carefully curated collection of multimedia resources that covers both the history and contemporary reality of circus, street arts and theatre. As a national centre, it is in charge of coordinating these resources on its digital platform and improving access to all material. To this end, it is working to establish deep partnerships with other organisations in France: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Les Archives du spectacle, and CNAC – Centre national des arts du cirque…
Professional support
ARTCENA develops tools and services for professionals.
- It publishes directories, news, and practical information.
- It provides advice, mainly in legal and administrative areas, and organises training programmes in the form of open days, workshops and courses.
ARTCENA helps to support dramatic authors and contemporary creation with its national programmes: Aide à la création de textes dramatiques (‘Support for Dramatic Writing’), the Grand Prix de Littérature dramatique (‘Grand Prize for Dramatic Literature’), and the Grand Prix de Littérature dramatique Jeunesse (‘Grand Prize for Dramatic Literature – Youth’).
International development of circus, street arts and theatre
ARTCENA encourages international development of these three sectors.
Among its international programmes, ARTCENA coordinates:
- Circostrada, the European Network for Circus and Street Arts. With 120 members from 35 countries, Circostrada works to develop and structure these two sectors in Europe and beyond.
- Contxto, International network for the distribution of French-language dramatic texts, a programme fostering transnational cooperation and the mobility of authors and their works.
Lastly, ARTCENA nourishes reflection and innovation by organising debates and delivering forward-looking studies, labs, and thematic projects implemented with key partners and the field at large.
To carry out its missions, ARTCENA relies on a Policy Board, composed of organisations and professional networks, and on an Executive Board.