Our Artist-in-Residence Partner Organisations: Compagnie Auguste-Bienvenue

30.10.2026

Alongside the artists, our partner organisations will play an important role in our Artist-in-Residence Programme over the coming months. Drawing on their expertise and many years of experience, they will lead workshops and create opportunities for encounters that connect art with cultural education and social participation. One of these long-standing partners is Compagnie Auguste-Bienvenue from Burkina Faso, with whom we have had the pleasure of collaborating on several occasions over the past years.

The company brings together contemporary dance, theatre and cultural education. Since its founding, it has been committed to supporting emerging artists, with a particular focus on empowering women in professional dance. A central part of its work is Engagement Féminin, a programme launched in 2008 that has supported more than 100 women from 14 African countries, opening up new artistic and professional opportunities. Through workshops, masterclasses, artistic residencies and international performances, the programme creates opportunities for artistic development and international exchange.

Our collaboration goes back several years. Most recently, we worked together in 2023 as part of a dance residency by choreographer Salamata Kobré within the Engagement Féminin programme. With the current residency programme, we aim to further strengthen this partnership and involve the local community even more actively in our artistic activities.

At the Opera Village, Compagnie Auguste-Bienvenue will regularly offer dance and theatre workshops for women, as well as for children and young people. The workshops will focus on creative expression, building self-confidence, teamwork and social participation. Together, participants will develop artistic works that will subsequently be presented to the public. These activities create spaces for encounters, exchange and shared learning, where different perspectives can be made visible and new connections within the community can emerge.

The company’s work demonstrates how art can have an impact far beyond the stage. For women and girls in particular, artistic spaces can provide opportunities to discover their own abilities, share experiences and express their perspectives with confidence. At the same time, children and young people are encouraged to explore their creativity and actively participate in social life.

Through our collaboration with the Compagnie Auguste-Bienvenue,we bring together contemporary art, cultural education and social engagement. Together, we aim to strengthen access to culture, open up new perspectives and foster exchange between artists, local communities and international guests. We look forward to our continued collaboration and to the artistic encounters that will emerge throughout the residency programme.

The Artist-in-Residence Programme 2026–2027 is funded by