The Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is back in action!

Research, contemporary artistic creation and educational and social initiatives: these are the missions to which the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is committed. All the projects supported were already part of the 2022 vintage. This year, the declared aim is to go even further in their missions.

The Endowment Fund, which is sensitive to the art of dance, is continuing its support for The What Dance Can Do Project, Compagnie Shonen and Orchestre Ostinato in 2023. They all share a desire to use dance as a means of intercultural dialogue and creating social links.

In 2023, The What Dance Can Do Project association is creating an artistic residency for 45 young people from the Collège Romain Rolland, to build on last year's learning.

Following the success of their show _p/\rc___ launched at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Shonen company is developing its creation and touring France. The towns of Morlaix, Marseille and Paris will have the chance thus to discover this "recreation" where children are supported by professional dancers to compensate for their disabilities.

The year 2023-2024 also marks the 3rd edition of the "Music for more humanity" project. The Ostinato orchestra brings together prisoners from the Melun and Fleury-Mérogis prisons and young people from Secours Populaire and the Salvation Army for dance, singing and percussion workshops. The orchestra will take over the Musée d'Orsay to present this collective work in november 2024.

The aim of these projects is to overcome the barrier of 'difference' and unite around the same language, that of artistic creation.

Following on from La Mouette and Platonov, the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund is renewing its support for the Collectif MxM for a project to research and develop theatrical tools. Cyril Teste wants to develop his work in two areas: transmission and video research.

Research is also the key word for Rualité this year. Bintou Dembélé has set up a cultural resource center, housed at the Maison de l'Écologie Populaire in Bagnolet. Its aim is to promote minority cultures and highlight their stories, by offering documentary resources (books, CDs, films, etc.) to transmit to the youngest, but not only, the richness of these courses.

We Came From supports the idea of putting the spotlight on migrants by using embroidery as a means of forging links and promoting social integration. This year, the association is putting the emphasis on transmission. On the one hand, it will be setting up an in-depth embroidery training course (3 months) for two refugees; on the other, it will be increasing the number of introductory embroidery workshops in schools and in their studio with public.

By supporting these projects, the fund aims to open up access to the arts for all, particularly for audiences who are far removed from culture, such as young people or people from or vulnerable people, by offering new opportunities in the cultural and social space.

To find out more about the 2023 vintage projects of the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund, click here. We invite you to follow all the latest project news on our website www.fondsfranciskurkdjian.org by subscribing to our newsletter here.