A cultural maker place
October 2019
INTERVIEW
Where did the idea come from ? Who are the project holders ?
3 artists from the Toulon School of Fine Arts shared needs that pushed them to work in a maker
place dedicated to help artistic projects. Their affinities and taste for artistic support were confirmed
during their collaboration at the Minoterie 21 residence (France), where they provided help by
building artistic huts in flood-prone areas. Following this and in order to be able to continue their
artistic works, they decided, in 2017, to create the association "Le NEZ" and settled in the heart of
Toulon.
What do they do ? What’s the project about ?
The main idea of the project is to offer at a local level efficient and easily accessible production tools
within a cultural maker place for artists and creators allowing them to move from the design phase of
a project to its implementation. By combining artistic, technical, theoretical and artisanal skills, the
aim is to reach the requirements of contemporary creators. In addition, Le NEZ offers support
services during the design phase, by providing a reflection on the relevance and feasibility of the
project during the whole process of its setting-up
Why did they create it ? What kind of impact (social, artistic, innovative,) does the project have?
The multi-skills of the team is one of the important strength of this project and the project holders
who seek to offset the very notion of subcontracting by preferring collaboration and support. By
concentrating in the same place and making as many tools as possible accessible, the aim is to offer
an alternative to the expatriation of artists by making locations more attractive for the creation and
dissemination of plastic works. The association seeks to promote the autonomy of artists by offering
them a space for creation and exchanges around artistic practices.
How does the SMATH Project help them? What are the next steps?
As part of the Toulon-Var Creative Nest, the support will focus on finding financing and setting-up a
marketing plan.
