A prize for creating business in the culture industry shows the vigour of French culture companies

The Forum Entreprendre dans la Culture (Forum for Business Creation in Culture) was held from 4 to 6 of July in Paris. The free and open forum was organised by the ministry of culture over three days including multiple training and meeting sessions, which were times dedicated to sharing and discussing, and led to gather entrepreneurs, artists authors, creators, experts, institutional players, project leaders, young graduates and students.

Subjects at the heart of the culture scene

For this 2023 edition, specific subjects were at the heart of current affairs for culture professionals, such as:

• ecological transition;
• diversity and inclusion;
• artificial intelligence;
• exporting the cultural and creative industries.

The IFCIC[1] - Entreprendre dans la culture prize was awarded during the Forum, in line with these subjects and as a highlight of cultural entrepreneurship. This prize rewards “companies or associations that have developed a remarkable, innovative, original, responsible and/or sustainable business model or form of organisation in the cultural sector”. Its aim is to highlight “creative entrepreneurial approaches by players in the cultural sector, and to support and develop these initiatives”.

Illustrations of the vigour of culture industries

In the 157 applications received for this prize, reaching a total of 30,000 euros, the jury chose five winning projects that will benefit from a tailor-made follow-up and support for one year.

The five laureates, “outstanding companies or associations” stand out with their original initiatives covering in fact all aspects of culture, and which, by the organisers’ view “show the unwavering vigour of cultural industries and their capacity to overcome all challenges”. They are:

• AJ - Atelier des Cuivres. This workshop has expanded its business of manufacturing and repairing instruments and “renewed the French trumpet and its specific sound” by resurrecting “forgotten techniques with modernity”;
• Ecoprod, a “benchmark association dealing with ecological issues in the film and audiovisual sectors”, recognised both for its features and ability to bring together players in the sector;
• Foliascope, a “sustainable volume animation” studio, one of the largest animation studios in Europe, which “combines the highest technical and artistic standards with the quest for the least environmental and climatic impact”;
• La Ressourcerie Culturelle, which offers “logistical and technical solutions based on re-use” in the cultural and creative fields, pooling dozens of tonnes of equipment every year;
•  Reelax Tickets, a start-up created to “fight the black market in ticketing” by offering festivals, venues and show producers “a web platform that facilitates and secures the resale of tickets between individuals”. It now has over 150 partners and 300,000 users.

More information

- on the Forum Entreprendre dans la culture forum
- on the IFCIC – Entreprendre dans culture Prize:
- on the IFCIC

[1] The IFCI, Institut pour le financement du cinéma et des industries culturelles (Institute for the funding of cinema and cultural industries),  a credit institution providing funding solutions and financial expertise to culture companies.