about us

Due to war, racial, ethnic, sexual and gender discrimination, or religious, economic and political marginalization, every day many people are forced to leave their homeland. Amongst them, some are artists often involved in a continuous fight against the authorities of their countries. Since it is the duty of art to be the voice of the oppressed and to reveal the underlying issues in the society, the creative sector in Europe must be particularly mindful of the matter and provide
the infrastructures to better accommodate these artists. Artists must be able to continue to practice their art, not only as individuals, but also as custodians of their culture. It is through art that the culture of a people whose autonomy is threatened, will continue to live on.

The mission of the agency of artists in exile (aa-e) is to identify artists in exile of all origins and disciplines, to support them according to their situation and needs, to offer them work space and to put them in contact with professionals (French and European networks), in order to provide them with the necessary means to restructure and continue their practice. According to the demands of project and programs, the aa-e creates its own events, including the “Party in exile” and the multidisciplinary festival, Visions of Exile, in cooperation with its partners.

our mission

a dedicated space for the aa-e at 6 rue d’Aboukir 75002 Paris

The agency of artists in exile proposes:

a reception and advisory office where artists are individually received and where their needs are identified;
a convivial space where artists can spend time, have the use of computers with internet access, meet in small numbers and arrange appointments;
spaces for artistic practice where artists can come to work occasionally or in the form of residencies punctuated by presentations by professionals, or workshops on artistic practice for an amateur public.

you are an artist in exile…

You were a professional artist in your country, you had an artistic activity in your country, you wish to restart or develop your practice, the aa-e can:

evaluate your situation;
make meeting and work places available;
find equipped workspaces;
arrange meetings with professionals;
organise moments of public presentation;
establish links with other artists for exchanges or to complete a project;
help you write a CV or an artistic application;
display your profile and projects on its website;
support the construction of your project;
set up classes and training courses;
provide information about the French cultural system;
facilitate administrative procedures;
provide advice and point you to the right contacts for legal and social security questions;
propose opportunities to run workshops.

you are a professional…

You are an artist, a company, an ensemble or a collective, you work for a cultural institution or a festival, an educational institution or a school, a local authority, an association or a private company. You are looking for exiled artists for a project, you want to programme artists in exile and help them restructure their careers through residencies, programming or financial support, the aa-e can:

organise meetings with artists in exile and make connections with artists present in your territory;
organise artistic showcases;
help artists you may have spotted;
publish information about your work with exiled artists on its website.

you are an individual…

you are an individual sensitive to cause of artists in exile, you can:

financially support the aa-e;
become a volunteer for the aa-e by investing in some its actions;
contribute your professional skills;
propose space or accommodation;
accompany an artist in exile by sponsoring him/her.

you are a foundation, a company, an institution…

If you have financial support, you can:

subsidise the aa-e;
offer materials or scholarships for artists in exile.

you are an NGO, an association, a collective, a specialised service or body, a care facility, a French school…

You are involved in welcoming and assisting newcomers to France, you can:

direct artists to the aa-e;
contact the aa-e to set up artistic workshops.

team

The agency of artists in exile was founded by Judith Depaule and Ariel Cypel on 5 January 2017.

Board of directors
president: Renan Benyamina
secretary: Jérôme Pantalacci
treasurer: Romain Bonnin
& members: Agathe Nadimi, Ariane Hoareau (deputy: Anastasiaa Rodionova), Jacques Pornon, Morgan Labar, Véronique Breyer, Zaef (deputy Cheriff Bakala)

Management
general manager: Judith Depaule

Administration
administrator

Creative department
head of music
head of visual arts: Louise Morin
works inventory manager: Zama Phakathi
performing arts manager : Judith Depaule

Training Department
coordinator of the ‘Learning French through Art’ programme: Imen Amiri
teachers: Imen Amiri, Agnès Disset, Jade Mroueh, Hélène Innusa, Juliette de Laroque, Marie Levy, Alice Voisin, Xiomara Ahumada Quito, Sonia Djoudi, Hana Levy
head of cultural action

Emergency and Solidarity Department
emergency coordinator
legal and social support officers: Adèle Costa, Lucie Delage
ukrainian artists coordinator

Reception and logistics
stage manager: Andrii Vatrych
receptionists: Cindie Chams, Kaveh Kavoosi
caretaker
housekeeper

Communication
graphics and website design: Studio des formes
press officer: Philippe Boulet
translation into Arabic: Omar Haydar
translation into Farsi : Younes Faghi
translation into Spanish: Santiago Londoño
translation into Russian: Ariane Hoareau

Marseille/PACA branch

Thank you to all our volunteers, interns and service civic volunteers