We had the chance and the pleasure of meeting the choreographer artist Blanca Li, the new president of La Villette. In this exclusive interview, she reveals her vision for this emblematic place. Dynamic and passionate, Blanca Li wants to make La Villette an even more festive, cultural space accessible to all. It emphasizes diversity, the importance of families and the richness of cultural programming. She also tells us about her flagship projects: the creation of a House of Urban Arts, the development of Micro-Folies and the organization of new events. A committed artist, she will continue to create while breathing her energy and creativity into La Villette. A fascinating interview to discover to better understand the ambitions of this essential figure in the artistic world for La Villette.
Can you introduce yourself as an artist and also as the new president of the La Villette public establishment?
My name is Blanca Li, I am the new president of La Villette and also a choreographic artist.
Can you introduce us to La Villette and its park?
Parc de la Villette is a large cultural park, perhaps one of the only ones in the world to offer not only magnificent green spaces, but also cultural institutions offering incredible and varied projects. What I like about La Villette is this diversity: you can attend a concert, visit the Cité des Sciences, the Philharmonie, the Conservatory, see a circus show, have a picnic, go to the cinema… I particularly appreciate the artistic, cultural and friendly side of La Villette. It is a place open to allwith particular attention paid to children and families. The park is open 24 hours a day and offers many activities for all ages. We also work in collaboration with many schools who regularly come to participate in our activities.
You began your mandate with Paris 2024 and the Parc des Nations. What emotions did you have? What has this meant to you this summer?
My arrival was intense, coinciding with the start of the Olympic Games. We welcomed the Park of Nations with 15 countries celebrating their athletes. The Grande Halle de la Villette housed the Club France, offering sporting and cultural activities, concerts, dance shows and broadcasts of the events. The atmosphere was friendly, joyful and family. I was particularly touched by the multiculturality of the park, with people from all over the world, each celebrating in their own way. For me, La Villette is a place of meetings, experiences, sharing and intercultural discovery.
Parisians and Ile-de-France residents are nostalgic for this period. Are you going to try to extend this party?
This experience has been incredible, with almost 100,000 people per day. My goal is to create festive, cultural and popular events, offering unique experiences. I want La Villette to be a place where you can experience things that are impossible to do elsewhere in Paris. We will continue to offer a rich and varied cultural program, with dance, theater, music and circus shows.highlighting great artists and emerging talents.
We will create the House of Urban Arts in La Villettea place dedicated to street artistic expressions: sport, street art, graffiti, music, dance. We want to create residency spaces for artists. We will also develop sports areas for park users and organize sporting events.
The Micro-Folie project, a traveling digital museum, is also important. We have already created 500 points in France and abroad and we are going to enrich these Micro-Folies with new content. We will also work on the biodiversity of parks, by making spaces more welcoming and raising public awareness of nature. We will continue to organize outdoor cinema in the summer.
For Christmas we organize a party for families and childrenwith artists, activities, chalets, from November 30 to January 2. This “Winter Party” will be open free of charge every day.
For the summer, we are preparing a festival dedicated to French-language textsrevisited by artists from different backgrounds. This will be an opportunity to rediscover classic texts in the park.
You are also an artist, will you continue to create during your mandate?
We never stop being artists. I want to use my artistic vision to develop projects and give new impetus to La Villette. I will continue my artistic work with my company, independently. I can't stop creating, but I can also use my creativity to develop projects at La Villette in collaboration with other artists. My company is based in Romainville, at the Fiminco Foundation, a place currently under construction which will welcome many artists.
How are you going to reshape the traffic axis along the canal, which links Pantin to La Villette?
This is an important crossing point. Cohabitation between cyclists and pedestrians is an important issue. We want to guarantee the safety of pedestrians, particularly children, from cyclists and electric vehicles which sometimes travel quickly. We are carrying out a study with Paris City Hall and the Region to find a solution that ensures the safety of everyone.
A word of conclusion?
For those who don’t know La Villette, come visit us! There is something for everyone.
Watch the full interview on video:
