Two years at Stéhélin Nursery School – Project supported by the city of Bordeaux
From autumn 2025 to summer 2027, Pygmalion is developing a residency at Stéhélin Nursery School. For two years, pupils in the school’s six classes will live to the rhythm of music: concerts, meetings with Pygmalion artists, open rehearsals and regular singing workshops with soprano Marie Planinsek. The programme is being developed in collaboration with the teaching staff and is built around Pygmalion’s events in Bordeaux: Kiosque, the Pulsations festival, and concerts at the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
The pupils attend every Kiosque programme in Bordeaux, either off campus (at Station Ausone or Pierre Veilletet Library, for example) or within the school grounds. Half-hour mini-concerts are followed by a meeting with the artists and introductions to various instruments. The children also have the opportunity to meet the artists from Pyg’chounes (programmes designed for little ones up to the age of 3).
The Pulsations 2027 festival will be the climax of the residency. The school will be invited to rehearsals, concerts, and workshops, and a public performance will mark the end of these two years of sharing and discovery.
Pygmalion works hand in hand with:
L’Académie de Bordeaux
As part of its cultural activities, Pygmalion works closely with the Académie de Bordeaux and offers workshops to schoolchildren of all ages, either on a one-off basis or over a longer period: participatory projects, artistic residencies within schools, mentoring projects (in conjunction with Bordeaux’s city council), and more. Students are also invited to participate in the Kiosques and in rehearsals and concerts for the Pulsations festival.
Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens
This specialist centre cares for people suffering from mental-health issues. We work hand in hand with the care team to develop programmes that give them access to beauty and enhanced sensory experiences.
This partnership, which began in 2021, consists of long-term projects as well as workshops and concerts organized as part of the Kiosque programme. Patients are invited to these concerts performed in the chapel at the heart of the hospital, which are also open to the general public. Our artists also visit closed wards to bring music to those who cannot come to us. Others are invited to Pygmalion’s rehearsals in the auditorium and to performances at the Pulsations festival.
Fondation John Bost in La Force
Created in the 19th century by a Dutch pastor, this foundation welcomes people suffering from severe ailments of all kinds. The motto of this foundation, located in La Force near Bergerac, is to heal through beauty, without barriers. A partnership with the foundation’s choir, made up of residents and external volunteers, was initiated in 2021. As part of the Kiosque programme, music is the foundation for rich moments shared by Pygmalion artists and members of this choir, offering a voice to those who sometimes do not have the words to express themselves.
The Cypressat residential care home for adults with disabilities in Cenon
The Cypressat care home welcomes 60 people with mental and/or psychological disabilities every day and organizes activities to support personal development, independence, and social inclusion. Since 2022 the centre has been opening its doors to Pygmalion artists as part of its kiosk programme; workshops involving around 20 patients are followed by concerts for all ages within the centre’s walls.
Centre départemental de l’enfance et de la famille (CDEF) in Eysines
Gironde’s CDEF welcomes to its site in Eysines children aged between 8 days and 21 years old who have been placed in the care of the department by social services. Pygmalion artists regularly offer Pyg’chounes workshops to children to 3 years old at the centre’s nursery. These sessions provide an opportunity for real discovery and help to make culture accessible to this very young audience.
Association Promofemmes
Located in Bordeaux, Association Promofemmes has been supporting immigrant women for nearly 30 years, helping them to find employment and rich integration into society. Beneficiaries come from approximately 60 different countries and live in the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
Since 2019, the women of the association have regularly attended Pygmalion concerts in Bordeaux, notably the concerts held near Station Ausone in the Mollat bookshop. This initiative has brought Pygmalion artists to the association itself for more intimate concerts.
Independent living facilities in the city of Bordeaux
Independent living facilities offer accommodations suited to seniors, allowing them to live by themselves in a secure environment. An alternative to traditional housing and nursing homes, they provide an environment where independence goes hand in hand with peace of mind. Artists from Pygmalion regularly visit residents for concerts and discussions as part of the kiosk programme.