Nancy. Workshop openings: twice rather than once

Artists have always been very enthusiastic about this event. A chance to meet the public is something you can't refuse! This is undoubtedly what has made the Atelier Openings so successful over the years.

Until the Tekhné association threw in the towel. Bad news... soon followed by excellent news! Since nature, especially artistic nature, is afraid of heights, others have decided to take over. And more likely to do so twice, or even four times, than once!

Not only does the event, which previously followed a biennial schedule, now adopt an annual rhythm. Better still, it doubles each year. "One opening to kick off the summer season, another to close it." So, these two weekends should be on the calendars of all art lovers, from the casually curious to the avid collector: June 6-7-8 and August 29-30-31.

Too much good can certainly not hurt. Organizers were still needed to carry out this ambitious project. In this case, these were the associations Open Space (which notably took over the La Factorine space on rue Stanislas) and NAO.

Each weekend has its own unique set of characteristics. But the basic idea remains the same: participating artists open their workspace to the public for two days in a friendly atmosphere. They may even invite one or two colleagues.

Some 29 workshops will be taking place next weekend on this itinerary, which will allow enthusiasts to discover the work of around fifty artists in total. This will cover a wide range of techniques: painting, photography, video, engraving, installation, screen printing, ceramics, and more. Everyone is free to pick out a particular address to explore.

But the 2025 proposal doesn't stop there. "For the first weekend, we wanted to add a professional component," explains Vincent Verlé of Open Space.

Five visual arts professionals invited to Nancy, curators or exhibition directors in Trier, Grenoble, Strasbourg, etc., will interact with five Nancy artists selected from among the weekend's exhibitors. In the form of a half-hour flash interview, they will have plenty of time to explain the nature of their work. "This is an opportunity to promote the artistic dynamics of Nancy and its region beyond its borders."

Also new: the opening night, scheduled at the MJC Lillebonne, will be entrusted to one of the participating artists. The artist will take the opportunity to imbue it with their own aesthetic. For the first event, on Friday the 6th (from 7 p.m. to midnight), the mission has been entrusted to the Grave collective, which will develop a performance centered around audiovisual arts.

How to plan your sightseeing itinerary? Two options: the website (ateliers-ouverts-nancy.net) or one of the 2,000 leaflets available throughout the city, particularly at the tourist office. Or rely on chance, which can also do things well!