Category Archives: Events

Refractions: Paris Postgraduate Festival 2023 Full Programme

In a world of sensory stimulants, art is the prism through which we refract our experiences. This year’s Paris Postgraduate Festival takes on the theme of Refractions. Taking place from 5th-9th June, these 5 free events will disperse the prismatic visions of artists across multiple Parisian venues. Please see the festival website to sign up and RSVP. 

Pop-up Exhibition. Agora.

Monday June 5, 2023: Festival launch and Pop-up Exhibition

The 2023 festival will launch with a pop-up exhibition featuring artworks, sounds, and, of course, wine. Visit us in the 11th district of Paris where we will exhibit the work of a range of emerging artists, based in Paris, accompanied by audio inspirations.

WHEN + WHERE: 5:30-9:30 PM, Mon Pop-up Paris, 14 rue Jean Mace, 75011 

 

Peniche Cinema – La Baruda. Time Out.

Tuesday June 6, 2023: Sounds & Visions 

We present an experimental event incorporating live jazz music from Antoine Karacostas, accompanied by a programme of exceptional short films. Experience a new form of silent cinema, an amalgamation of contemporary and archive.

WHEN + WHERE: 5:30 PM at La Péniche Cinéma – Le Baruda in La Villette, 75019 Paris

RSVP 

 

Wednesday June 7, 2023: Featured Author – Rebecca Watson

We invite you to join Featured Author Rebecca Watson in an afternoon of literary discussion and workshops. Experience an experimental writing workshop and an exclusive reading from Rebecca’s debut novel little scratch.

WHEN + WHERE:  2 PM at The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop, 11 rue de Médicis No. 9, 75006 Paris

Space is limited – please sign up 

Thursday June 8, 2023: The Menteur Launch Party

Join us in celebrating the launch of Voyager, the 2023 edition of The Menteur, the Paris School of Art’s annual literary magazine. Come get your free copy of the magazine, listen to readings by featured authors, and clink a glass to celebrate! 

WHEN + WHERE: 1 PM at Rosa Bonheur Buttes Chaumont, 2 Av. de la Cascade, 75019 Paris

RSVP 

Parc des Buttes Chaumont.

Friday June 9, 2023: The Art of Communications

We close the festival with a workshop that will awaken all your senses; the writing and reading of poetry informed by olfactory exploration. This poetry and perfumery workshop will take place in the beautiful hills of Buttes Chaumont.

WHEN + WHERE: 6:30 PM at Parc Des Buttes-Chaumont, 1 Rue Botzaris, 75019 Paris.

Precise location will be provided to participants prior to the event.

Space is limited – please sign up 

Paris Open Event on Saturday, 12 November – come meet us!

We’re delighted to be able to welcome you to Paris and our Paris School of Arts and Culture.

Discover more about the courses we offer here in Europe at our Paris and Brussels centres, and at our Canterbury and Medway campuses in the UK.

At Kent, you’ll get the support you need to achieve the career you want. Whatever your interests, whatever your goals, you’ll find your place at Kent.

Complete the form at this link to book your place. 

Dates and times

Sat 12 November 2022
12:00 – 14:00

Where

Paris School of Arts and Culture at Reid Hall 4, rue de Chevreuse 75006 Paris
France

Open to

Prospective undergraduate, postgraduates and their families and supporters

Who to contact

Recruitment and Events Team
information@kent.ac.uk

Save the Date for our Annual Paris Postgraduate Arts Festival

Our Paris School’s Five-day Postgraduate Arts Festival – 7-11 June 2022

We often fear change, but the disruption of truths, ideals, and the status quo have produced some of the most transformative movements in history.

The University of Kent Postgraduate Arts Festival is proud to present this year’s theme of Chaos and Order, with a series of free creative events in Paris that will challenge normalcy — bringing chaos into order and order out of chaos.

 

Watch Paris come alive with five days of curated film screenings, writing workshops, and art curations, hosted by creative professionals attuned to the arts’ impact on our ever-changing society. The Festival will also feature the launch of our postgraduate arts magazine, THE MENTEUR.

Stay tuned for the full program of events, which will be announced on our website. And be sure to follow our social media accounts for the latest news and guest announcements.

From 7 – 11 June, we invite you to join us in embracing chaos as an opportunity for personal, artistic and social growth.

 

We can’t wait to see you there!

University of Kent Paris Festival Team

International Women’s Day 2022 in Paris

Tuesday 8th March marks International Women’s Day: a day to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

The history of the day is rooted in the women’s suffrage and labour movements of North America and Europe in the early 20th century, who wanted a day to recognise women’s achievements and rights. After the 1917 revolution, Russia chose 8th March as their Women’s Day and other communist countries followed suit. By the 1960s, the day was adopted by global feminist movements and it became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.

Here are some events happening around Paris to celebrate the day and shed light onto issues facing women here in France and across the world:

H24: 24 Hours, 24 Women, 24 Stories

Columbia Global Centers, the Columbia Institute for Ideas and Imagination and Lost in Frenchlation have teamed up to bring you a multilingual film screening in honour of International Women’s Day. H24 is a series of 24 short films by 24 female writers performed by 24 actresses, all based on the real life experiences of women dealing with sexism, harassment and violence. The screening will be followed by a discussion in English with producers Justine Henochsberg and Julie Guesnon Amarante.

Ce que les Afghanes à nous dire. Mairie du 10e arrondissement.

Ce que les Afghanes ont à nous dire

The Town Hall of the 10th Arrondissement is hosting a photography exhibition by recently exiled Afghan artists, allowing them to express themselves on the subject of their and their country’s situation after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The exhibition will run until 17th March with a special musical performance on Tuesday 8th March at 6pm for International Women’s Day.

PLURI’elles 2. Sine Nomine Collectif.

PLURI’elles #2

Following the success of last years exhibition despite Covid-19 related restrictions, Sine Nomine Collectif are back, bringing you a week of art, debates, theatrical performances, round table discussions, music and more at the Espace Voltaire. Find the full programme of events running from 8th to 14th March on Facebook.

Festival Films de Femmes

The Festival Films de Femmes is an international film festival in Créteil. The festival’s 44th edition, from 11th to 20th March, will feature short films, documentaries and feature films, as well as a retrospective on Susan Sontag’s work and a feature on Chinese cinema. The screenings will take place across three locations: the Maison des Arts et de Culture and the Lucarne cinema in Créteil, and Les 7 Parnassiens cinema in Paris.

Women are not afraid. Pauline Makoveitchoux.

Women are not afraid

On the fences around the Town Hall of the 1st Arrondissement, Pauline Makoveitchoux presents her photography exhibition: Women are not afraid. This photo series focuses on women defiantly reclaiming their right to exist in public and urban spaces. The public will be able to view this open air exhibition until Thursday 31st March.

Featured image: International Women’s Day 2015 demonstration. Boris Horvat/AFP.

Our Guide to Paris Christmas Markets

December has finally arrived and Christmas celebrations are in full swing here in Paris.

You may have already seen the ferris wheel and other rides lighting up the Paris skyline from the Christmas market in the Jardin des Tuileries. But you may not know about the many other markets around the city this month.

Whether you are on the hunt for the perfect gift or simply wanting to soak up some of the Christmas cheer with a cup of vin chaud, there is a Paris Christmas market that has something you’re looking for.

There is likely to be one or two in your arrondissement to enjoy locally.

 

 

Here is our list of top picks:

 

Marché de Noël Notre Dame

Square René Viviani. Marché de Noël Notre Dame.

A classic French christmas market in Square René Viviani in the 5th arrondissement with regional foods like foie gras, macarons and warm chestnuts, local crafts, and artisan gifts.

The market will run from Friday 10th to Sunday 26th December.

 

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Village de Noël Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Paris Info.

Grab a cup of vin chaud after class at the Village de Noël at Place Saint-Germain-de-Prés. This is the closest market to Reid Hall and is running from Monday 20 November to Sunday 26 December. The stalls range from souvenirs to soaps, truffles to Tibetan clothing.

 

Station F

Station F. Melinda Davan-Soulas. LCI.fr

Station F is the hub of start ups in Paris and this year they will be hosting their own Christmas market to showcase local small businesses. The market will feature local products crafts, food, beauty and fashion sold by the makers themselves on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December.

 

Le Hasard Ludique

Marché de Noël du Hasard Ludique. Paris Secret.

La Hasard Ludique is a creative space in an abandonned train station and rail track on Avenue de Saint-Ouen. This December, they are hosting 3 themed Christmas markets over the course of the month:

Honorable Mentions:

Marché de l’Hôtel de Ville

Marché de la Tour Eiffel

Cite fertile

La Recyclerie

Les Canaux

Chéries-Chéris: Paris’s International LGBT+ Film Festival

The Chéries-Chéris International LGBTQI+ Film Festival is back for its 27th edition from 20 to 30 November 2021 hosted in the mk2 cinemas Beaubourg, Bibliothèque and Quai de Seine.

The festival was started in 1994 by a group of four French film makers, ciritics and activists as a response to the lack of LGBT+ narratives represented in mainstream French media.

Originally named Festival de films gays et lesbien de Paris (FFGLP), it was renamed Chéries-Chéris in 2009 as an hommage to the famous expression “Chéri, chéri” of actress Alice Sapritch, which was imortalised in the famous sketch by Thierry le Luron in 1980 and later by Alice Sapritch herself in her 1986 song Slowez-moi.

The festival presents a Grand Prix and a Jury award in each of its three categories: feature films, documentaries, and short films. They also present an award for best performance to an actor in a feautre-length film.

All the films will be shown in the original language with French subtitles.

Our recommendations:

After Blue. Bertrand Mandico.

Feature Film:

After Blue, Paradis Sale is a French science fiction film set in the distant future on a planet inhabitted only by women. The story follows the lonely teenager Roxy, who is banished from her community alongside her mother for freeing a criminal buried in the sand. Sentenced to track down the killer, they begin roaming the fantastical planet they call home.

 

Documentaries:

Ultraviolette. Robin Hunzinger.

Ultraviolette is a French documentary of the story of a first love that marked two teenage girls forever, Marcelle and Emma. It starts at the moment of their separation, when great love turns into absolute love, as absence makes the heart grow fonder. Claudie and Robin Hunzinger retell this true story through magnificent archival photographs and numerous letters that Marcelle sent to Emma which the latter lovingly preserved through the years.

 

Acts of Love. Isidore Bethel & Francis Leplay.

Acts of Love is a documentary which follows a filmmaker who relocates to Chicago, when his older boyfriend loses interest in him, and uses dating apps to cast new lovers in an amorphous project about romantic attraction, compatibility, and attachment that his mother hates.

Short Films:

There are screenings of groups of 5 to 6 short films throughout the festival. Full details can be found on the Chéries-Chéris website.

 

My Darling. Phil Connel.

Other Screenings:

Cheries-Cheris is also screening a number of other feature length films and documentaries that are not shortlisted for awards this year as they were released in previous years.

My Darling (Jump, Darling) is a Canadian drama film following Russell, a rookie drag queen who escapes to the countryside after a breakup. He stays with his grandmother who in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.

 

Author Sophie Mackintosh

“Speculative Futures and Thinking” – an Event with Author Sophie Mackintosh

The University of Kent Paris School of Arts and Culture and the American University of Paris are pleased to welcome Sophie Mackintosh as our Paris Writer in Residence 2021. The Paris School of Arts and Culture will be welcoming students and guests for a presentation and Q&A with Sophie on Wednesday, 6 October from 7-8:30 pm.

Entitled “Speculative Futures and Thinking”, Sophie’s talk will explore what’s beyond what we know of as ‘speculative’, and how we can use that kind of imaginative zone as a way to think and develop our writing across all modes and genres.

Born in South Wales in 1988, Sophie is currently based in London. Her fiction, essays and poetry have been published by Granta, The White Review, The New York Times and The Stinging Fly, among others. Her debut novel The Water Cure was published by Hamish Hamilton in the UK in Spring 2018 and by Doubleday in the US in early 2019, and was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Her second novel Blue Ticket was published in Summer 2020 to critical acclaim.

To attend this free event, please RSVP at this link by 5pm, Tuesday, 5 October. You must reserve your place for admittance.  A French “pass sanitaire” will be required upon entry.

The Menteur 2021

Launch of The Menteur 2021

We are very pleased to announce the upcoming release of the latest edition of The Menteur, our literary and arts magazine. Founded in 2012, the magazine is edited and produced annually by postgraduate students at the University of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture.

During these challenging times, we have seen art, literature, music, and drama come to life in unexpected ways and into our lives via new channels. For many over the last year, virtual gallery tours, performances, and live readings have offered a sanctuary, providing either a moment of enjoyable solitude, or the ability to share an experience with others.

It therefore seemed fitting that this year’s edition of Le Menteur would come to encompass this culturally shifting landscape. For our theme, Art Re-wired, we asked our contributors to reflect on how the nature of connection and collaboration, along with our sources of inspiration, have been redirected after being so abruptly uprooted when social contact went out the window.

In the this year’s edition you will find stories that highlight the absurdity and the joys of the human condition. Peaks of isolation are correspondingly met with consolation, and the deepest sorrows serve to heighten the eventual celebrations. Our theme, Art Rewired, features work that engages or challenges ideas/dichotomies of solitude and interconnectivity felt during the pandemic. How is a world pushing against social contact rewiring our definition of connection and collaboration? The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition.

Sneak peek of ‘Abicere’ – Rebecca Rayner

The Menteur Launch

The Menteur‘s launch will be taking place on Saturday, 5 June, 2021 at 7 pm (CET – Paris Time) and is the closing event of our annual Postgraduate Festival taking place from 1-5 June (see more about the other events in the festival here). The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition. Please see the programme overview below and you can join at this link.

A digital version of the magazine is also now available on Issu here.

Sneak peek of  ‘The Bigger Picture’ – Wendy Kirkwood

The Menteur Launch Programme

  • Introduction by Professor Frances Guerin
  • Menteur Team Q+A
  • A Touch of Pink by the group Realma with introduction by its singer/songwriter Ariadna
  • Lockdown, Disability, and Creativity – an Interview with Ayesha Chouglay conducted by Jessica Rose.
  • Inhale/Exhale – film screening with Introduction by filmmaker Michèle Saint Michel
  • Renga – video poem with an introduction by poet David Dykes
  • Reading by poet Allison Wittenberg

Join via Zoom here. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

A Door Behind A Door

Creative Writing Lecturer Yelena Moskovich Publishes New Book

We are very pleased to share the news of the publication of the new book of Yelena Moskovich, author, playwright and lecturer in our Creative Writing Master’s Programme in Paris. Released on 18 May, 2021,  A Door Behind a Door follows Yelena’s debut novel, The Natashas, which received much critical praise, and her second book, Virtuoso, which was longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize.

“Moskovich mystifies with this vivid story of a pair of estranged siblings who immigrated to Milwaukee from the Soviet Union as children in 1991… The dynamic style and psychological depth make this an engaging mind bender.” – Publishers Weekly

A Door Behind a Door tells the story of Olga, an émigré from the former Soviet Union whose stable life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is overturned after she receives a surprising phone call from a figure of her past. This sparks haunting childhood memories revolving around an unexplained murder, a supernatural stray dog, and the mystery over the disappearance of her brother. As Olga attempts to reconcile with these, she must also evade the underground Midwestern Russian mafia, in pursuit of a series of stabbings.

There are two upcoming opportunities to hear Yelena speak about A Door Behind a Door. On Wednesday, 26 May at 2 pm (Central Time, 10 PM Paris time) Yelena will be discussing her new book with author Kate Zambreno during a Boswell Books virtual event. More on the event and registration at this link. Yelena will also be the guest of the author event during our upcoming Postgraduate Festival. On Friday, 4 June at 6 pm (Paris time), Yelena will be in conversation with our Creative Writing students Emily Nicholson and Neda Popova. Register for this free event here and learn more about the festival on its website.

A Door Behind a Door is available directly from her publisher, Two Dollar Radio, at Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris or ask for it at your local independent bookstore.

Paris-Postgraduate-festival-2021

Escapism: Paris Postgraduate Festival 2021 Programme

Students at the Paris School of Arts and Culture are excited to present this year’s edition of our postgraduate festival, taking place virtually from 1-5 June 2021.

This year the theme is Escapism and you can find a taster of what is planned below. You can also see the full programme on the festival website by clicking on the button below. Please note that all times are Paris local time (CEST) and are free to attend, although advance registration is required via the links below.

Further details about the programme on the festival website or stay up to date by following the festival’s social media accounts: Facebook / Instagram.

Paris Postgraduate Festival Programme: 1-5 June 2021

Drag and Escapism: Tuesday, 1 June at 6:30 pm

Does drag provide a way for artists to inhabit another persona and escape from outdated gender roles? Or is it an outward embodiment of a true self? We are delighted to present a discussion on escapism and drag with Charity Kase and Rosie Zinfandel as the kick off to this year’s festival.

Charity Kase is a London based artist and performer with a punk aesthetic and taste for nightmarish beauty. Charity first garner attention in 2017 when they completed a 365-day drag challenge, creating a new character look every day of the year. Rosie Zinfandel made headlines in 2019 by being crowned one of the three queens in the UK’s first ever drag queen pageant. This rousing conversation will be followed by a Q&A session with Charity and Rosie.

Register for the event here.

A Conversation with Artist Scout Roll: Wednesday, 2 June at 5:00 pm

Join us for a conversation with Scout Gibbons Roll. Scout is an American artist, painter and illustrator. For their work, they use crypto currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in order to create a unique value and identity for each artwork they produce. Our conversation will explore the ways in which an artist can escape through their work, as well as how art itself can escape its traditional confines through the transition into a digital form.

Register for the event here.

Film Screening and Director Q&A: Paris Stalingrad by Hind Meddeb: Thursday, 3 June at 8:00 pm

The festival is proudly partnering with Lost in Frenchlation, organisers of French film screenings with English subtitles, for the screening of Paris-Stalingrad, a documentary by Hind Meddeb. The film documents the plight of refugees camping in the Stalingrad district of Paris while waiting to regularise their situation. It offers powerful insight into modern day immigration and the hardships faced by those seeking to escape their circumstances and find refuge in Paris. In keeping with the festival’s theme of Escapism, the film provides multifaceted view into the human rights struggles that exist for disenfranchised peoples on a global scale. Learn more about the film and watch the trailer at this link.

Free tickets limited to the first 50 sign-ups. Register here.

A Conversation with Yelena Moskovich: Friday, 4 June at 6:00 pm

We are thrilled to host a conversation with Paris-based writer Yelena Moskovich. Yelena was born in Ukraine (former USSR) and immigrated to Wisconsin with her family as Jewish refugees in 1991. She studied theatre at Emerson College, Boston, and in France at the Lecoq School of Physical Theatre and Université Paris 8. She is the author of The Natashas and Virtuoso, which was longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize.

This discussion will include a reading from her upcoming book A Door Behind a Door (to be released in the US on 18 May) and will touch upon personal forms of escapism and ways to keep creative during lockdown. It will be followed by a Q&A about life, writing, and literature. It isn’t necessary to have read Yelena’s books to participate, however, if you’re interested, they can be purchased directly from her publisher, at Shakespeare and Company in Paris or at your local independent bookstore.

Register for the event here.

The Menteur Launch: Saturday, 5 June at 7:00 pm

Come and discover what the students have been working on all year! The Menteur is a literary and arts magazine, founded in 2012, edited and produced annually by postgraduate students at the University of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture.

This year’s edition, Art Rewired, features work that engages or challenges ideas/dichotomies of solitude and interconnectivity felt during the pandemic. How is a world pushing against social contact rewiring our definition of connection and collaboration? The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition.

Register for the event here.

We are warmly inviting you to our online escape and look forward to welcoming you at the festival events.

Stay safe,
University of Kent Paris Festival Team