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| Centre de la Bande Dessinée | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centre de la Bande Dessinée |
| Established | 1989 |
| Location | Angoulême, France |
| Type | Museum, cultural center |
Centre de la Bande Dessinée is a cultural institution located in Angoulême dedicated to the preservation, study, and promotion of Bande dessinée. It functions as a museum, archive, research center, and festival partner that connects creators, publishers, curators, and scholars. The institution plays a central role in the annual Angoulême International Comics Festival and collaborates with national and international organizations to advance the recognition of graphic narratives.
The institution emerged in the context of the late 20th-century recognition of comics as cultural heritage, shaped by figures such as Hergé, Franquin, Moebius, Jacques Tardi, and René Goscinny. Its foundation in 1989 followed precedents set by museums and cultural policies in Paris, Brussels, Liège, and Marseille that sought to institutionalize collections related to sequential art. Early development involved partnerships with publishers like Dargaud, Dupuis, Casterman, and Éditions Glénat, alongside support from regional authorities including Poitou-Charentes and the municipal government of Angoulême. Over subsequent decades the center expanded collection policies influenced by international precedents such as the Smithsonian Institution, British Library, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and the Stedelijk Museum while responding to debates involving scholars from Université de Bordeaux, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and curators active at the Centre Pompidou.
Housed in a renovated industrial and civic complex near the historic center of Angoulême, the complex integrates adaptive reuse practices similar to projects in Lille, Bilbao, and Rotterdam. Architectural interventions referenced restoration work by architects conversant with conservation standards promulgated by ICOM, ICOMOS, and French heritage authorities such as Monuments historiques. Facilities include climate-controlled stacks modeled on archival standards used by the Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon and exhibition spaces comparable to galleries at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Musée d'Orsay. The building contains conservation laboratories equipped to treat paper, inks, and board using protocols aligned with laboratories at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and technical services typical of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
The center curates permanent and rotating exhibitions showcasing original pages, sketches, storyboards, and publication archives by creators including Alain Saint-Ogan, Georges Remi (Hergé), André Franquin, Jean "Moebius" Giraud, Claire Bretécher, Chris Ware, Marjane Satrapi, Art Spiegelman, Joann Sfar, Manu Larcenet, Cosey, Enki Bilal, Lewis Trondheim, Edgar P. Jacobs, and Tove Jansson. Collections encompass periodicals from Tintin (magazine), Pilote (magazine), and Spirou (magazine), manuscripts donated by publishers such as Éditions Dargaud and Dupuis, and archival holdings related to festivals like Angoulême International Comics Festival and awards such as the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême and the Eisner Awards. The holdings align with cataloging practices employed by institutions such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the Library of Congress, and include conservational formats used by MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art for works on paper.
The center supports scholarly activity linked to departments at Université de Poitiers, Université de Bordeaux Montaigne, Université Paris Nanterre, and international partners including King's College London, University of Amsterdam, University of Toronto, and Columbia University. It hosts residencies for researchers working on topics such as authorship, visual narrative, publishing history, and translation studies, involving specialists from institutions like CNRS, Collège de France, Fondation Cartier, and university presses including Presses Universitaires de France. Educational outreach includes collaborations with schools in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, teacher training programs referencing curricula at the Ministry of National Education (France), and partnerships with professional networks such as the Syndicat National de l'Édition.
Programming is centered on exhibitions synchronized with the Angoulême International Comics Festival, symposiums featuring panels with creators from France, Belgium, United States, Japan, and South Korea, and public workshops led by practitioners associated with collectives like La Cafetière, L'Association (publishing house), and Les Humanoïdes Associés. Regular events include launch receptions coordinated with publishers such as Gallimard, Le Seuil, and Actes Sud, mentorship schemes paired with cultural incubators like French Tech initiatives, and biennial triennial curatorial projects sharing models with the Venice Biennale and the Documenta network.
Governance is exercised through a board with representation from municipal authorities of Angoulême, regional councils from Nouvelle-Aquitaine, cultural agencies including Ministère de la Culture (France), and stakeholders from the publishing sector such as Syndicat national de l'édition and major houses like Dargaud. Funding sources combine public subsidies from entities like Conseil départemental de la Charente, European cultural funds such as Creative Europe, project grants from foundations including Fondation de France, corporate sponsorships from media groups such as Groupe Média-Participations, and earned revenue through ticketing, merchandise, and licensing agreements with institutions like Gallica and exhibition exchanges with partners including the Musée de la Bande Dessinée de Bruxelles.
Category:Museums in Angoulême Category:Comics museums