AEMCSchool of Management
for Culture and the Arts

The atelier

Learn.
Make. Move forward.

You bring experience, an ambition, a project. In the atelier, we give it the means to develop: a budget, a team, a timetable and a route to its audience.

Illustrative view of a worktable with exhibition plans

Start with a project.
Learn by doing.

An exhibition to develop, a performance to produce, resources to bring together or audiences to reach: each situation connects an artistic intention with practical decisions.

A personal idea or a case study runs through your work. Each module adds to a professional project portfolio: context, artistic vision, budget, timetable and audience engagement.

  1. Understand

    Explore the sector, the local context and the ways people engage. Ground your assumptions in evidence.

  2. Develop

    Define your intention, audiences and objectives. Assess the resources you will need.

  3. Manage

    Organise the team and the timetable. Prepare for difficult decisions and the unexpected.

  4. Connect

    Develop distribution, interpretation and communication. Evaluate the results.

Four situations.
Real decisions.

Develop an exhibition.

Starting with a group of works or a theme, shape a curatorial vision and imagine the visitor’s journey. Connect your choice of works with the space, display requirements and intended audiences.

Questions to explore: what story does the exhibition tell? What resources will it need? How can the works and their contexts be made accessible?

What you produce: a curatorial statement, an annotated selection of works, a display plan and a preparation timetable. Art Market & Exhibitions ↗

Set the stage.

Give a concert or performance a workable structure: define its format, identify a venue and organise the artistic, staffing and technical requirements. Bring the project’s ambition into line with what it takes to make it happen.

Questions to explore: who is responsible for what? Which stages depend on others? How can the production adapt when plans change?

What you produce: a production brief, a draft budget, a schedule working back from the event and a clear allocation of responsibilities. Live Performance Production ↗ Music Project Management ↗

Build the resources.

Turn a cultural ambition into a financial plan. Identify costs, estimate income and prepare a proposal tailored to a potential funder or philanthropic supporter.

Questions to explore: what assumptions underpin the budget? How could income sources be diversified? What needs to change if funding falls short?

What you produce: a budget with supporting assumptions, a funding plan, a cash-flow forecast and a project proposal. Cultural Funding & Philanthropy ↗

Bring art and audiences together.

Develop an audience engagement activity and a communication plan around a cultural project. Understand people’s habits, expectations and barriers to participation to create a welcoming experience.

Questions to explore: who is the project for? How can you connect with these audiences? What feedback would help improve the experience?

What you produce: an audience analysis, an engagement proposal, a communication plan and an evaluation framework. Audiences & Cultural Communication ↗

A portfolio that develops with you.

Make your decisions clear

Keep a record of your sources, explain your assumptions and organise your documents. A useful portfolio helps someone else understand the project, its resources and the decisions still to be made.

Revisit, refine, make your case

Present an initial version, compare the options and respond to feedback. The work develops through successive drafts towards a coherent, well-supported proposal.

Project portfolios, practical tools and oral presentations make progress visible. Constructive feedback helps you refine your proposals at every stage.

Planning your next step

Funding your studies.

A study plan needs a budget too. Training funding can help cover tuition fees; social support may help with housing and everyday costs. The following organisations can advise you according to your circumstances.

France Travail and regional authorities — looking for work

Regional programmes and France Travail fund places on selected training courses. If you are registered with France Travail, individual training assistance (Aide individuelle à la formation, AIF) may also cover some or all of the tuition fees for another course, after your adviser has assessed your plans and the fee quotation. Programmes and criteria vary by region.

Read about AIF · Understand public funding · Training in Île-de-France

Compte personnel de formation — using your training entitlement

The training entitlement built up during your working life can fund eligible courses listed on Mon Compte Formation. Check the exact course, its provider and any amount you would need to pay on the official platform before making arrangements.

Choose a course on Mon Compte Formation

Transitions Pro — changing careers

The Projet de transition professionnelle supports private-sector employees seeking a career change through training leading to a qualification. Depending on your employment history, chosen course and the regional committee’s decision, it may cover training costs and provide income support during your studies.

Explore the Projet de transition professionnelle

Afdas — cultural and creative professionals

Employees in the relevant sectors, performers and technicians working under France’s intermittent employment arrangements, and artists and authors have different routes to training support. Contact Afdas to identify the criteria for your activity, eligible training and potential funding, subject to available budgets.

Explore Afdas training resources

Crous — grants and financial hardship

Means-tested student grants depend on your circumstances and enrolment on a course authorised to accept grant holders. Applications are made through the Dossier social étudiant. In cases of serious financial hardship, students may also request one-off assistance from the Crous social service, including those who do not receive a grant, following an assessment of their circumstances.

Find out about student grants · Contact the Crous social service

CAF and Visale — planning your housing

CAF housing assistance may reduce your rental costs, depending on your circumstances and accommodation: begin with an eligibility estimate. For people aged 18 to 30, Visale offers a free rental guarantee, subject to conditions. The Visale eligibility certificate and guarantee must be arranged before signing the tenancy agreement. This is a guarantee, not money paid towards your studies.

Estimate housing assistance · Understand the Visale guarantee

Agefiph — support for disabled learners

Disabled people working towards employment who face serious financial difficulties may qualify for help with certain essential expenses, such as travel to training. Applications are submitted by the France Travail, Cap emploi or Mission locale adviser supporting them.

Read about support towards employment

Three steps to move forward

  1. Set out your budget. Include tuition, travel, accommodation and everyday living costs.
  2. Find the right advisers. Review your status, entitlements and intended course with the relevant organisation.
  3. Confirm the funding. Obtain the funder’s decision and establish what you will need to pay before making a commitment.

These resources describe general support schemes. Their inclusion here does not confirm that an AEMC programme is eligible: eligibility depends on the course, your circumstances and the relevant organisation’s approval. Check the applicable conditions before enrolling or incurring costs.

Which idea would you
like to put into practice?

Tell us about your idea, your experience and the questions you would like to explore.

Your project

What would you like to take further?

A practice to develop, an idea to test or a new direction to explore: write to us at aemc@aemc-culture.com.