Paris, France —There were projections of art works and installations slipping into performances alternating theater, music, song, documentaries, acrobatics and unique a harpist. The show unfolded in the amphitheater of the National Bastille Opera house last November 28th and featured performances and projections by eight of the 39 young artists who benefited from a 25,000 euro grant from the regional government of the Ile-de-France or greater Paris region. The event featuring young, emerging talents working in Paris and the Paris region was being held for the sixth time. The grants are awarded from the regional funds for emerging artists whose French acronym is FoRTE to 10 visual arts projects, 10 film and audio-visual projects, 9 music projects and 10 performing arts projects. Meanwhile a collective show of the art works by the 10 visual artist grant winners is being held in the Frac art center of the greater Paris region in Romainville featuring paintings, instllations, fabric explorations, photographs and collages by the awardees. The soirée at the Bastille Opera house was introduced by the president of the greater Paris region, Valérie Pécresse.

A rhythmic harpist, a lounge lizard orchestra from the swamps beating out music reminiscent of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show and a hilarious film short featuring two « losers », were among this year’s rich offerings. Cassidy Sacré a Belgian-American author, composer and singer opened it all up with his rousing show filled with folkloric music, watery musical instruments, costumes evocative of a swamp and a giant lizard puppet. Luna Silva, who is trained as an ethno-musicologist, serenaded the audience with a new musical creation — Luna’s Cabaret: Snake’s Skin —exploring multiple identities, the shedding of childhood skin into adulthood’s and the notion of what constitutes home. While singer, harpist and choirmaster Sophye Soliveau enchanted with her RnB, soul, gospel harp imparting upon the stage a totally unique artistic approach.

Since its launch by the greater Paris region in 2018, nearly 300 artists have benefited from this unique support fund that is FoRTE. It offers a pathway to the young artists to emerge from their own world and be accompanied in their artistic endeavors not only through a financial grant but also with professional guidance and an experienced structure be it theaters, production companies, art centers, foundations or even music cafés behind them.

The FoRTE grants are open to artists of all nationalities whose only obligation is to create their work in the greater Paris region. The program gives the emerging artists, age 18 to 30, the financial and material means to create a first work in the visual arts, cinema, music or the theatrical arts. FoRTE is endowed with one million euros each year and the winners benefit from a grant of 2500 euros each month for 10 months. Calling all candidates. Applications for the 7th session of FoRTE are open until December 15th. But if you miss this deadline, there are the future FoRTEs to come. Contact for candidates: forte@iledefrance.fr. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette