At the Nef in Angoulême, current Music at the heart of a cultural and social mission

The SMAC MACHINE program immerses us in the world of current Music at La Nef, in Angoulême. On the program: Sosu Inn, Dirty Shades, and Flo/So, broadcast Wednesday December 18 at 11:55 p.m. on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Between concerts and artist testimonies, La Nef opens its doors to us. Conducive to musical creation, this cultural place reveals emerging talents from New Aquitaine such as Sosu Inn, Dirty Shadeset Flo/So.

But what does the label mean?SMAC“, pour Current Music Scene ? And why do these structures play a central role in cultural diversity and the emergence of artists? To answer these questions, we met Guillaume Mangierdirector of La Nef, and Charly Maîtrein charge of support. Together, they detail the missions of this structure and its impact, between cultural action, support for artists and local roots.

Guillaume Mangier : A SMAC, or Scène de Musiques Actuelles, is a room certified by the Ministry of Culture. Unlike a classic concert hall, it respects specific specifications which include several missions. There are less than a hundred “SMACs” in France, generally one per department. La Nef, in Angoulême, is the only SMAC in Charente.

The missions of the SMACs are divided into three main components:

• Creation and distribution which includes hosting artists in residence and programming that represents various musical styles, with attention paid to the quality of the artists. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the artist who rents the room, the programming is part of a cultural project designed by the team of the SMAC-labeled room.
• Cultural action by establishing a link between music and the population through partnerships. For example, the Nef collaborates with the Théodore Rancy college in Chalais to offer writing and composition workshops led by a musician. This can also be done with social centers.
• Support for musical practices in offering recording and rehearsal studios, as well as support for amateurs or artists wishing to become professional. This support concerns technical, artistic and administrative aspects such as contracts, copyright or relations with production companies.

Guillaume Mangier : La Nef was founded in 1993 by the Dingo association in a former 19th century powder magazine. Initially, the goal was to organize concerts and manage a cultural venue. In 2005, a first renovation of the room was carried out.

In 2012, the management of the place passed from the association to a public establishment of Greater Angoulême, giving it a mission of general interest and public service. In 2018, the Nef was awarded the SMAC label, recognition of the work carried out over the years.

The programming aims to be diverse while respecting the musical history of the place, where rock has always held an important place. Between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons, 46 artists in the process of becoming professional have benefited from the Nef’s support system. This program allowed them to develop essential technical, artistic and administrative skills.

The SMACs, essential places for music and artistic discovery.

Charly Maître (responsible for support): The SMAC values ​​musical diversity while preserving the historical identity of the place. Among the groups that we find in the program SMAC MACHINE at La NEF, all three are local groups:

• Dirty Shades, group trained at the departmental music school and which continues its path towards professionalization.
• Sosu Inn, composed of two musicians identified by the Nef who found, through the support of the team, a favorable framework to develop.
• Flo/sooriginally from Charente and despite spending 10 years in the United Kingdom, he has been based in Angoulême again for several years and is anchored in the nightlife scene with his DJ collective, La Ferveur.

Each year, the Nef receives 50 to 60 applications for less than 10 places in its system. The objective is to offer artists the keys to understanding the current music sector – communication, release strategy, copyright, etc. – while working on their artistic project.

Charly Maître: The selection is based on several criteria: artistic quality, originality, and consistency with the values ​​of the SMAC. For the accompanied artists, the objective is to meet their audiences and create interactions between similar musical universes. For example, Sosu Inn and Dirty Shades benefited from support over two years to refine their project and release an album or an EP.

Guillaume Mangier : La Nef offers structuring support with two main axes:

1. Artistic work: Access to recording studios, stage residencies, and technical advice.
2. Project management: Organization of thematic workshops and professional meetings to develop skills in communication, copyright, financing strategy and intermittent status.

Guillaume Mangier : Today, access to music is no longer a problem thanks to streaming platforms and media. But discovery and direct experience remain essential. Attending a concert allows for a unique connection with the music and the artists, which SMACs make possible. These general interest structures offer an accessible pricing policy, promoting the emergence and discovery of talents that would not necessarily be found elsewhere.

The program SMAC (like current music scenes) MACHINE offers an immersive experience in a current music scene in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region: a collection of concerts, enriched with interviews and moments of immersion during a residency period.

The opportunity to discover musical projects carried out by the Scènes des Musiques Actuelles and their programmers, on stage, but also behind the scenes.

SMAC MACHINE – La Nef in Angoulême with three groups on this SMAC-labeled stage: Sosu Inn, Dirty Shades and Flo/so.

“SMAC MACHINE at the Nef in Angoulême” broadcast Wednesday December 18 at 11:05 p.m. on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine and available for 30 days on the france.tv platform.

Production : Maison Libellus and France Télévisions

Production and artistic direction: Mateo Monteiro

Realization : Kevin Guyomard

Duration: 90 mins

To be (re)watched on the france.tv platform after the broadcast on Wednesday December 18 at 11:55 p.m. on France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine.