Supporting cultural initiatives in social housing neighbourhoods
This sponsorship initiative consists of supporting creative workshops designed for young people and residents in social housing neighbourhoods. Its goal is to promote better integration of young people and to improve the daily life of the residents of urban neighbourhoods being restored.
It rests on the conviction that participating in a practical artistic workshop contributes to pushing one's limits, opening up to others, and better integration within the estate.
Through this initiative, sponsorship actions add a human and emotive dimension to Caisse des Dépôts social housing and urban renewal operations.
More than 1000 urban solidarity sponsorship projects were supported between 2000 and 2008.
Three main priorities
Local cultural projects supported by Caisse des Dépôts are organised around three main axes.
- Social integration and young people:
Caisse des Dépôts is supporting long term practical artistic workshops. Designed for young people (6-12 year olds, teenagers, young adults), they are lead by professional artists.
Work should culminate in a creation (show, CD, video, etc.) designed for a wide audience.
These actions contribute to giving young people structural reference points (reading, written expression, group work, discipline, sense of effort, etc.). They also facilitate their social and even professional integration.
The Oroleis project is an educational incentive based on a video film creation competition: In 2008, the project concerned 630 young people in 89 local authorities. An operation for the creation of reports was also organised during the 2009 Cannes Film Festival: 1280 young people from 70 local authorities were invited. Caisse des Dépôts is the sole sponsor of this initiative alongside the Haut Commissariat à la Jeunesse (High Commission for Youth) and the Acsé (national agency for social cohesion and equal opportunities).
Flagship project
The Sirènes company is in residence in the "Quadrilatère", Bobigny: an urban centre made up of three neighbourhoods. It is supporting the residents through the long, heavy process of urban requalification concerning more than 1700 homes. It leads creative word pooling, songwriting, lullaby, story and staging workshops with the residents: photos, sounds, videos which become key elements of collective memory. It is also organising meetings and parties in the three neighbourhoods. In this vein, the final event "les jeux-fête des manèges" (rides and roundabouts party), using a reconstitution of colourful rides and roundabouts from the world of Lewis Caroll, will took place in June 2009.
- Strengthening social links in a social housing neighbourhood
Caisse des Dépôts supports long term practical artistic workshops designed for the residents of social housing neighbourhoods (of all ages), lead by professional artists.
These convivial initiatives (neighbourhood parties, writing and theatre workshops etc.) mobilise the residents of social housing neighbourhoods sometimes leading to deep transformations. They are often based on work linked to collective memory. The objective is to improve experiences of current urban transformations (demolition, rehabilitation, reconstruction, etc.)
Fête des habitants lors du défilé de rue de la Biennale de la danse à Lyon
- L'émergence et pratiques amateur des danses urbaines
This form of expression occupies an ever growing place in the French artistic and choreographic landscape. Many young people are getting interested and putting in all their passion. Urban hip hop dance is also being carried forward by established artists.
Caisse des Dépôts' commitment is made concrete through support given to emerging companies, in order to facilitate their professionalization. Grants are allocated to associations in charge of the companies' professional follow-up (production and diffusion).
Creation grants are also allocated to companies whose shows have already been circulated in France. The objective is to help them to become known amongst a wider audience.
Finally, festivals are also supported along with amateur dance centres which contribute to the programming of productions and to hip hop dance practice in large urban centres in France.
What are the eligibility criteria for urban solidarity projects?
Typical projects: practical artistic workshops taking place at neighbourhood festivals, artists' homes and local cultural places.
All artistic disciplines are included: Dance, contemporary music, world music, street art, media, plastic arts, drama, etc.
Projects are long term ones.
Projects organised in urban zones which Caisse des Dépôts have deemed priority (National Agency for Urban Renovation (ANRU) geographical breakdown, Sensitive Urban Zones Urbaines (ZUS) or Urban Free Zones (ZFU).
Practical artistic cultural workshops are led by established professional artists.
Workshops culminate through giving something back to the public.
Projects are led by associations for the production of hip hop dance shows which are recognised by professionals, hip hop dance companies whose latest production has already been circulated or companies able to supply a press review relating to past production(s).
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