WHAT DO WE DO ?

General Presentation

Over the last ten years, Banlieues d'Europe has organised numerous international meetings (Brussels, Strasbourg, Valencia, Roubaix, Glasgow, Berlin, Reims, Barcelona, Liège, Lyon, Bucharest, Antwerp, Belfast...), has participated in a numerous seminars and training courses, and published reference books on cultural projects in Europe. Today, Banlieues d'Europe is a real cultural and artistic innovation resource centre, in particular through the diffusion of our electronic newsletter B@nlieues d'Europe. The network consists of approximately 300 members over the whole of Europe. Banlieues d'Europe also develops professional training courses through different sessions entitled "Banlieues d'Europe Cultural University".
In 2004, and upon the initiative of one of its members, the Banlieues d'Europe'Est association was created in Bucharest, Romania. Banlieues d'Europe'Est enables new exchanges with Eastern European countries and fosters reflection in a different context.

European Cultural and Artistic Innovation Resource Centre

Banlieues d'Europe brings together artists and cultural actors working on innovative projects centre on the integration of deprived communities in Europe, replying to exchange propositions at the European level, participates in evaluation of projects and expertise on questions of cultural democracy; it is also open to various requests from artists, associations, and co-operatives at international level.

Themed Meetings and Seminars

A real platform for European exchange, the network meetings enable professionals from cultural, town policies, social, urban development and research sectors to meet up and generate in-depth reflection upon problems linked to their practices.

Electronic Newsletter

B@nlieues d'Europe is a bilingual, fortnightly publication (French/English) and gives information on the permanent news of the network's members and partners, as well as those of artists, actors and operators working in the same fields of competences. The contents include: - Network Co-ordination Diary, News of the Banlieues d'Europ'Est network, News of members and partners, Calls, and Pet Projects. Published on Mondays, every two weeks. Please send us your news.

Professional Training

The training offered by Banlieues d'Europe is addressed to professionals in the cultural and social sector, and through different theoretical and practical contributions provides for the acquisition of tools for cultural and inter-cultural mediation. Sessions alternate between university researchers, actors in the field, and officials of public policies, chosen at European level.

Research

Banlieues d'Europe participates in different research projects at European level. The network brings its support to the identification of practices at cultural institutions and with artists, and enables an interface with university research (European Commission Research Directorate, 5^th PCRD : www.citynexus.com).
Banlieues d'Europe is also invited to give its expertise in Europe: Urbact Programmes, DG Education-Culture, DG Social Affairs, etc).

Publications

• " Réenchanter la Ville " (Re-enchant the Town), by Jean Hurstel, Editions L'Harmattan, March 2006.
• " La place et le rôle des fêtes dans l'espace public " (The place and role of festivals in the public space), Editions Certu, December 2006 (book + CD-ROM).
• " L'ouverture des institutions culturelles à de nouveaux publics en Europe ", (The opening up of cultural institutions to a new public in Europe), Report of the 10th Meeting of the Banlieues d'Europe network in Reims, France, November 2003.
• " Travail artistique et Travail social en Europe "(Artistic work and Social work in Europe), Report of the meeting in Berlin, Germany, March 2003. Trilingual publication.
• " Kreuzberg en s'arrêtant, Angekommen in Kreuzberg, un quartier de Berlin " (Stopping off at Kreuzberg, a Berlin Neighbourhood). Photographic essays by Eric Vazzoler. Bilingual French/German publication, Berlin 2002.
• " Art, culture et intégration sociale en Europe " (Art, Culture and Social Integration in Europe). Report of the 9th Banlieues d'Europe network, Glasgow, United Kingdom, November 2000.

To order one of these books, please click here