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| École européenne supérieure de l'image (EESI) | |
|---|---|
| Name | École européenne supérieure de l'image |
| Established | 1995 |
| Type | Public art school |
| City | Angoulême, Poitiers |
| Country | France |
École européenne supérieure de l'image (EESI)
École européenne supérieure de l'image (EESI) is a French higher education institution specializing in animation, comics, and visual narrative located in western France, associated with national and European cultural networks. The school operates on multiple campuses and maintains collaborations with film festivals, cultural institutions, and industry partners to train practitioners in illustration, screenplay, and digital production. EESI combines studio-based pedagogy with research initiatives, exhibition programs, and partnerships across France and Europe.
EESI was founded in 1995 amid regional cultural development initiatives involving Ministry of Culture (France), Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and municipal actors in Angoulême, linking to the long-standing presence of the Angoulême International Comics Festival and the heritage of the Musée de la Bande Dessinée. Early institutional consolidation drew on networks including Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, Fédération des festivals internationaux and partnerships with École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris models. Through the 2000s EESI expanded under influences from European programs such as Erasmus Programme, Creative Europe, and cross-border cultural policies reflected in European Cultural Foundation frameworks. The 2010s saw strategic growth in research and production tied to events like Festival d'Angoulême and collaborations with media producers such as Studio Ghibli-adjacent practitioners and independent studios represented at venues like Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
EESI maintains campuses in Angoulême and Poitiers with satellite facilities in former industrial buildings and heritage sites adjacent to institutions like Musée de la Bande Dessinée and municipal cultural centers. Facilities include animation labs equipped with hardware and software used in productions showcased at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, drawing technical residencies from studios represented at Cannes Film Festival and exhibition exchanges with collections from Centre Pompidou. The campuses host workshops, projection rooms, and print studios used in residencies supported by networks such as Réseau Canopé and cultural spaces like Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Hardware and maker spaces have been updated with equipment common to productions screened at Venice International Film Festival and referenced in partnerships with companies present at SIGGRAPH conferences.
EESI offers undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas and professional cycles in comics, animation, illustration, and visual narrative, aligning curricular outcomes with standards akin to those at École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and exchange modules under Erasmus Programme. Programs emphasize storyboard practice, character design, 2D and 3D animation pipelines, and sequential art taught by practitioners connected to publishers like Glénat and studios that participate in markets such as Annecy Marche du Film. The school provides workshop series, masterclasses, and project mentorship often led by visiting faculty associated with institutions such as Royal College of Art, Savannah College of Art and Design, and filmmakers who exhibit at Locarno Film Festival and Berlinale. Degree projects are frequently presented in circuits including Angoulême International Comics Festival, Japan Media Arts Festival, and curated shows at galleries like Galerie du Jeu de Paume.
Admissions combine portfolio review, interviews, and selection procedures comparable to processes at École des Beaux-Arts networks and international exchange criteria from Erasmus Mundus consortia. Students come from across Europe and beyond, participating in residency programs and student exchanges with partners including KU Leuven, Universität der Künste Berlin, and Sorbonne Université departments. Student life is integrated with local cultural calendars tied to events like Angoulême International Comics Festival and regional platforms supported by Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine; extracurricular activities include collaborative publications, fanzine fairs, and screenings showcased at venues such as La Rochelle Film Festival and community centers linked to Maison des Sciences de l'Homme networks.
EESI engages in research on narrative forms, digital storytelling, and visual culture through projects funded by agencies including Agence Nationale de la Recherche and European instruments related to Horizon 2020. Collaborative projects involve partnerships with media labs at Université de Poitiers, cultural organizations like Centre Pompidou, and industry partners appearing at trade events such as SIGGRAPH and Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The school hosts residencies and co-productions with publishers and broadcasters including France Télévisions, international publishers like Dargaud and research centers involved in conferences such as ACM SIGGRAPH. Cross-disciplinary exchanges involve museums and archives like Bibliothèque nationale de France and conservation departments linked to exhibitions at Musée d'Orsay.
Faculty and visiting lecturers have included practitioners and scholars who present work at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Angoulême International Comics Festival, and international biennials; alumni have proceeded to careers with publishers like Casterman, studios represented at Cannes Film Festival, and research roles at institutions such as Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Graduates have been contributors to anthologies and film programs that circulate through Locarno Film Festival, Berlinale, and galleries associated with Centre Pompidou exhibitions. Faculty networks connect with curators and theorists active at Biennale di Venezia and critics publishing in outlets tied to Cahiers du Cinéma and specialist journals.
Student and faculty projects from EESI have been exhibited and awarded at festivals and fairs including Angoulême International Comics Festival, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Festival d'Avignon program crossovers, and international showcases such as Biennale Internationale d'Art Contemporain de Lyon. Awards and recognitions have come from juries associated with bodies like CNC prizes, festival awards at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and grants from foundations including Fondation de France and European cultural funds connected to Creative Europe. Exhibitions of student work are regularly held in galleries and festival venues across networks such as Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine and municipal cultural institutions in Angoulême and Poitiers.
Category:Art schools in France Category:Educational institutions established in 1995