ARTCHEVAL 2024

ARTCHEVAL celebrated its 31st anniversary in October 2023, and its 4th in the form of residency. This artistic project was first created in 1993 by Jean-Paul Hugot, the mayor of Saumur at the time, but organized but the Comité Équestre de Saumur. This annual exhibition of Contemporary Art themed around the equestrian environment has the objectives to :

• Strengthen the position of Saumur as the world capital of equestrian arts, following the UNESCO’s Lists of Intagible Heritage since 2011.
• Provide artists with creative space centered on the theme of horses.
• Offer artists an annual point of reference, a place of exchange, a collaborative goal of creation, an exhibition and promotion of their art.
• Present the publIc with the opportunity to explore contemporary art.
• Extend the discovery of contemporary art to students through framed creative workspaces.

At the initiative of its organizer, the Equestrian Committee of Saumur, ARTCHEVAL took on a new form in 2020 by offering an artistic residency. The objective was to enable artists to immerse themselves in the culture of horse riding practiced in Saumur and its surroundings, notably through the observation of horses, the men, women, and children who live and breathe this work and passion.
A diptych exhibition in Saumur in autumn 2024, from mid-October to early January 2025, at the Bouvet Ladubay Contemporary Art Center and the Le Dôme Theatre will conclude the project, showcasing the works created during the residency.
The residency locations: in early 2024, Bouvet Ladubay in Saumur and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud will host the three selected artists for several weeks. They will settle in to create pieces that present their unique perspective on horses and the Saumur region.
They are invited to produce original, previously unseen works specifically for these two exhibition venues. The artworks will be designed to be displayed within the Bouvet Ladubay Art Center and in the Loire Gallery of Le Dôme Theatre. In this second exhibition venue, the selected works will interact with the creative work of children envisioned by the artists prior to the project.

The project unfolds across 7 phases, between February 2024 and January 2025:
Phase 1 - February 2024 - Discovery and Immersion: 2 to 3 on-site days for the 3 artists, familiarization with the exhibition venue, immersion, meetings with partners, and the local community.
Phase 2 - Between 11th March and 7th April - Defining Artistic Direction: Two weeks to define
the artistic direction of the ARTCHEVAL project and ARTCHEVAL for schoolchildren. Mandatory
presence in the territory on the 4th or 5th of April for the presentation of the project to the Artistic
Director and project teams.
Phase 3 - 15th April to 31st July - In Residence: Immersive production within the territory. Working on the ARTCHEVAL project for schoolchildren. A duration of 3 to 5 weeks maximum, totaling 25 days
of work (in a maximum of 3 sessions), following a schedule defined by the Equestrian Committee,
the artists, and the residency locations. Accommodation options include the Bouvet Ladubay
Contemporary Art Center from the 15th april to 15th June or/and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud
from the 15th June to 31st July. Mandatory presence in the territory from 1st to 15th July. The artists
will be accommodated either at the Art Center or at the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud depending on
the chosen dates.
Phase 4 - End of July - Residency Output: Visuals and communication texts for promotion and
mediation.
Phase 5 - September - School Workshops: Meetings and workshops in classrooms with students
for the ARTCHEVAL project for schoolchildren.
Phase 6 - October 2024 to January 2025 - Exhibition: From the 14th to 17th of October: Installation of
artworks at the Bouvet Ladubay Contemporary Art Center during the week of the vernissage. The
vernissage will take place on Friday 18th October 2024 (subject to change). Installation of artworks
at the Théâtre le Dôme in Saumur.
Phase 7 - 15th to 19th January 2025 - Dismantling: Removal of artworks from the Bouvet Ladubay
Contemporary Art Center (subject to change).

The selected artists will receive a grant of 8,500 euros (6,500 euros for the ARTCHEVAL residency and 2,000 euros for the ARTCHEVAL des écoliers project). These amounts are distributed as follows:

• Travel expenses to and from the venue will be reimbursed upon presentation of invoices for a maximum of three return trips within a 1,000 euros budget.
• The specific material for creations will be reimbursed upon presentation of invoices within a maximum of 2 500 euros production budget.

Each artist will receive a grant of 3,000 euros, encompassing fees as well as personal needs. An
additional grant of 2,000 euros (inclusive of travel and production expenses) will be provided by the
Saumur Val de Loire Agglomeration (separate agreement) as part of the ARTCHEVAL des écoliers
project, in partnership with the Théâtre le Dôme de Saumur.

This project is open to all French and international artists who speak French or English fluently.
There is no age limit to apply for this project. A valid driving license is required as well as a vehicle
in order for the artists to travel between the infrastructures they visit in Saumur. Overall, 80% of the
residency time will be dedicated to the artist’s creative space and 20% of the time for the project
with the schoolchildren with whom the artists will collaborate to present an exhibition.

The application dossier must be sent by email, exclusively in PDF format (.pdf), to:
[email protected], with deadline 18th January 2024. Applications that do not comply with this condition will be automatically rejected. The application must include :

• A cover letter (maximum 1 page)
• A biography/curriculum vitae (maximum 1 page)
• A concise presentation of the artistic approach and a selection of previous works and professional artistic experiences in the form of a portfolio with visuals and texts (maximum 3 pages)
• A portfolio with a minimum of 10 pages (featuring staged scenes)
• A statement of intent (maximum 1 page)
• A creation budget
• Administrative and financial contact details
• Please include in your application dossier images (minimum 10 photos with staging).

For more information, you can contact them via email at [email protected]. Or on their website: www.saumur.org / social media accounts, Instagram: @comite.equestre.saumur and Facebook: @Le Comité Equestre de Saumur.