Le Bel Ordinaire

It has four main objectives: to strengthen the distribution of the visual arts in the CAPBP area; to support contemporary creation; to encourage artistic presence in the area and to ensure everyone has access to contemporary creation.
In order to achieve this, Le Bel Ordinaire organises solo, collective, thematic and guest curator-led exhibitions throughout the year; production-distribution and research art residency programmes; outreach work with guided tours, art workshops and educational activities for all audiences.

To support art professionals’ research, experimentation and creative work, every year Le Bel Ordinaire hosts artists, exhibition curators and graphic designers in residence, the durations and formats of which vary depending on the specific project.
To support artistic creation, Le Bel Ordinaire is equipped with facilities which provide artists and artistic teams with optimum working conditions during their residencies. As a result, each artist in residence benefits from a selected amount of time to work on their project, as well as from tools allowing them to experiment on, carry out or finalise their project.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

— artists are provided with a 1,000 m² space in which to work and create, including a studio with mechanical tools which are shared with other residents, a painting studio, a screen-printing studio and four independent creative studios, each measuring 50 m²;
— each artist is provided with accommodation including a bedroom with a desk, wifi and a shared kitchen;
— human resources: the permanent team provides technical assistance and support;
The creative spaces are accessible all year round and the individual studios are open 24/7. A member of Le Bel Ordinaire’s team must however be present during opening times, which are also subject to artists’ abilities to use the construction, painting and screen-printing equipment independently. 
The individual studios enable participants to carry out an artistic project within a professional framework. Each studio is equipped with the basics (a work surface, shelves, wifi and a water supply). They are adjacent to the construction studio, which is equipped with mechanical tools, and in the immediate vicinity of a paint booth.

Le Bel Ordinaire runs 6 research residencies per year and provides the following: 
A studio, including access to all the facilities at Le Bel Ordinaire, and accommodation on the premises, including a bedroom with a desk, wifi and a shared kitchen. The temporary gallery can also be used - subject to availability - for an exhibition at the end of the residency.
The entire Bel Ordinaire team (subject to availability) provides each resident with advice and feedback, technical support, help with writing texts and/or preparing applications, and networking opportunities with other artists and potential partners.
A €2,000 grant to cover all costs related to the residency (fees, food and travel, materials, etc.).
The programme can last a maximum of 4 weeks.

Le Bel Ordinaire runs 8 “coup de pouce" or “helping hand” residency programmes per year:
A studio, including access to all the facilities at Le Bel Ordinaire, and accommodation on the premises, including a bedroom with a desk, wifi and a shared kitchen. The temporary gallery can also be used - subject to availability - for an exhibition at the end of the residency.
The entire Bel Ordinaire team (subject to availability) provides each resident with advice and feedback, technical support, help with writing texts and/or preparing applications, and networking opportunities with other artists and potential partners.
A €750 grant to help cover the costs related to the residency (fees, food and travel, materials, etc.) and to supplement funding obtained elsewhere.
The programme can last a maximum of 2 weeks.

SELECTION PROCESS 

An annual call for applications is usually issued in March. 
Required documents (totaling no more than 10 pages): a cover letter, a biography and selection of previous work.
The selection committee made up of professionals from the sector and Le Bel Ordinaire’s management team decide on successful applicants at the end of June at the latest.

CONSIDERATION FOR RESIDENTS' FAMILY LIFE

Le Bel Ordinaire can accommodate spouses and children. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and according to individual needs. We do not offer additional financial support for residents with attending with their spouses or children.

RESIDENTS' COMMITMENTS

Residents are expected to work closely with Le Bel Ordinaire’s team in order to explain and promote the residency to the public. Le Bel Ordinaire publishes information about each artist’s residency on its website which is updated as the residency progresses, in particular with a video interview, as well as following the residency programme. Successful applications are expected to take part in the half-day open workshops (on the first Saturday of the month) organised during their time at Le Bel Ordinaire.

ACTIVITIES AIMED AT THE PUBLIC 

Residents participating in a programme on the first Saturday of the month are asked to open up their studios to the public, from 3pm to 6pm. At the end of the residency, artists are free to choose whether they would like to showcase their work in their studio or in the temporary gallery.