• Corporate philanthropy

2021 Summer Festivals: the BNP Paribas Foundation alongside artists

Published On 13.07.2021

The BNP Paribas Foundation supports several music and dance festivals, all great highlights of the French cultural summer scene. The choreographers and companies have (finally) been able to regain the stage and their public, notably at Montpellier Danse and at the Avignon Festival. The musicians are also reinvesting the stages of festivals such as Jazz sous les pommiers in Coutances or Jazz in Vienne. A summer of reunion with the performing arts!

Contemporary dance in the spotlight

Montpellier Danse is THE unmissable event during which many choreographers present their creations to the public for the first time. The Festival is making its comeback this year until July 16, 2021.This year, choreographer Jann Gallois, supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation since 2017, was able to present her new creation Ineffable, a solo that combines hip-hop, electro and circus influences.

A performance that the choreographer was able to create and work on during the creation residencies of the Montpellier Danse festival. The BNP Paribas Foundation has been supporting the residencies since 2012. The working conditions thus allow many artists to create and show their work and to forge a long-term relationship with the festival audience. Do not miss Ineffable at the Théâtre National de Chaillot at the start of the school year.

« What I found interesting in this piece was to offer a first reflection on the theme of spirituality through the experience of music. Until now, I never thought of myself as a composer […] but on this project, I wanted to take some risks and explore unknown territories. » - Jann Gallois, source Culture First

A trilogy to raise questions and spark curiosity

The various pieces of work of choreographer Phia Ménard, created with her company Non Nova, are among those that arouse strong emotions and strong opinions. But isn't the very purpose of artistic creation: to question, disturb, arouse reactions, mark the spirits? Phia Ménard will thus be honored by the Festival d'Avignon, which will take place this year until July 25, 2021. During an evening in 3 acts, this trilogy will invite reflection on themes such as liberalism, patriarchy and the future of Europe.

Phia Ménard – La trilogie des Contes Immoraux (pour Europe) © Christophe Raynaud de Lage

Get ready for a summer of jazz

From June 25 to July 13, 2021, the Jazz à Vienne festival invites and programs major jazz figures: Ibrahim Maalouf, Avishai Cohen, Tigran Hamasyan. In the ancient theater of the city of Vienna, the Festival was able to bring together an exceptional trio: the drummer Anne Paceo, the jazzman Tigran Hamasyan, both supported at some point by the BNP Paribas Foundation, as well as the Korean singer Youn Sun Nah.

After Vienne in France, it is in Marciac in the Gers that jazz will spread its tunes from July 24 to August 4, 2021. During two evenings, the spotlight is on emerging talents with the laureates of the Jazz Migration program, of which we are a patron.

All the jazz musicians accompanied by the Foundation are happily finding their way back to summer tours and festivals. In a nutshell, Thomas Enhco, Airelle Besson and Thomas de Pourquery will perform at the festival Marseille Jazz des Cinq Continents, Paul Lay is programmed as a highlight of summer festivals like the festivals of the Parc Floral in Paris, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Laurent Coulondre will play in Nice.

« We fell very privileged to be able to play again with an audience. »Thomas Enhco at a concert at the Vieille Charité as part of the Marseille Jazz des Cinq Continents festival.

To end the summer on a high note, the Jazz sous les pommiers festival is taking place from August 25 to 29, 2021 in Coutances, France, to celebrate its 40th edition in a warm and friendly atmosphere where everyone shares the love of music. On August 26, the Festival will bring together the 10 artists who have been residents of Jazz sous pommiers, 4 of whom are part of the “Foundation artists”: Louis Winsberg, Thomas de Pourquery, Airelle Besson, Anne Paceo.

The residents of the Jazz sous pommiers festival in Coutances, France - © Sylvain Gripoix

Support for the performing arts

By maintaining all of its support to its cultural partners: artists, institutions and festivals for over a year and a half, the BNP Paribas Foundation has continued to reaffirm its support for creation and artists. The reopening of the cultural scene is the opportunity for choreographers and musicians to reconnect with the public and reconnect with this interaction, this relationship which constitutes the very essence of their art.

« I like this idea of being a sort of head hunter, searching for pioneering ideas, while contributing to facilitating access to art for. » - Isabelle Giordano, General Delegate of the BNP Paribas Foundation.

I like this idea of being a sort of head hunter, searching for pioneering ideas, while contributing to facilitating access to art for.

Photos: header © Supermelon // Ineffable by Jann Gallois © Gaelle Astier Perret

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