Ramonville-Saint-Agne. Behind the scenes of the Street Festival artists’ accommodation
The Ramonville Street Festival is renowned not only for the quality of its shows, but also for welcoming local artists.
You may not know it, but all the artists who take part in the shows at the Ramonville street festival are housed with locals. A feature that is greatly appreciated in the environment. It even becomes a trademark. So ARTO decided to organize a Kawa “Special hosts” evening to explain everything. Thursday, May 25 at the Kiwi, from 6:30 p.m., the ARTO team and Pierre Boisson, its artistic director, will welcome hosts and the curious. A warm welcome, petit fours and bubbles. The highlights of the 2023 Festival (36th edition, September 15-17) will be presented with all the answers to questions about artist accommodation. The 2022 Festival saw 28 homes host artists for a total of 165 overnight stays. 2023, which is emerging as a great vintage (large guest companies), is counting on a need for 255 nights.
So what does being a host mean? Briag, who organizes the reception of artists, answers us: “It’s a state of mind. If artists like to come back to Ramonville, that’s one of the reasons. The proximity that it brings with the Ramonvillois (and surroundings…) makes them happy. Being with a family and having breakfast with them after a good night’s sleep, artists love it… and hosts too. All you need is a room or a welcoming (private) space and comfortable. Everyone is free to choose the number of people they want to accommodate, for how long, if they provide sheets and towels.”
hosted hosts
This operation makes it possible to create a privileged relationship and to break the symbolic barrier between the artist and the spectator. Sharing a coffee in the morning with the family and finding them on stage generally creates a bond. Making a room available and offering them breakfast means taking an active part in the organization of the festival. In addition, this approach allows them to stay close to the festival and reduce the carbon emissions of travel. Yes, this specificity often gives rise to great encounters between artists and hosts that sometimes go beyond the framework of the festival. Indeed, it has happened that some hosts are invited and then hosted in turn by artists. Each year, companies returning to the festival ask to stay with the families they were with the last time.
In addition to the economic aspect, it is the values of ARTO that are defended: creating encounters, creating social ties, but also reducing CO2 emissions by offering local accommodation. So yes, despite the constraints that this choice implies, ARTO claims this form of reception reserved for artists. Hosting an artist is an enriching experience for everyone, promoting creativity, cultural diversity and social ties. A unique experience to live!
