Friche la belle de mai

Founded in 1992 on the site of the former Seita factory and now a place for creation and innovation, Friche la Belle de Mai is both a workspace for 70 resident organizations (400 artists, producers, and employees work here every day), and a cross-disciplinary venue (each year, over 600 artistic events are made available to the public). Every year, 450,000 visitors come to this 45,000 square-meter public space housing five performance spaces, a community garden, a playground and athletic space, a restaurant, bookstore, daycare, some 2,400 square meters of exhibition space, an 8,000 square-meter rooftop, and a training center. In 2007, the Friche was established as a Cooperative Society of Collective Interest (SCIC), bringing together within a single, reimagined site urban transformation, artistic continuity, and strong territory anchoring. It has since positioned itself as a historically engaged actor in societal transitions.

Through the launch of the Mawjaat program, Friche la Belle de Mai seeks to create new spaces for cooperation and demonstrates that arts, culture, and research are essential levers to reflect on an inclusive and sustainable society.