Art and manners, the association that gives power to artists and others

LDoes popular education mean something to you? It is from this movement that the association L’Art et les manners, born in Rochefort in September 2022, belongs. It has shown its nose on several occasions by launching Open Mics, offering concerts and supporting artists. Most often with the accompaniment of Lampli. But what is the philosophy of this newcomer to the local art scene?

Seize your rights

At the initiative of all this, we find Annick Le Puil and François Dubreuil, young retirees who have practiced popular education all their lives. Him in his job as a specialized teacher; her, as a specialized educator. “I created, for example, neighborhood collectives or orientation systems so that people understand the system. Because popular education means allowing citizens to access information, on institutions in particular, to seize their rights,” explains the woman who has a Marxist vision of society.

So obviously when she retired to Rochefort, the native of Jonzac did not “stay knitting! “. Annick Le Puil got involved in La France insoumise, in the legislative campaign by supporting Nordine Raymond, then in the presidential campaign. “At the beginning, we were two young people at LFI Rochefort; in one year, we created connections, gave meaning to politics, listened to people and we reached 80! »

It must be said that Annick Le Puil has a long history of activism for the right to abortion, family planning and the Communist Party, which she left in the 1990s. She was also a journalist in communist media or even responsible for of communication for Waïpa Saberty, musician and arranger of Alpha Blondy. She focused a lot on developing the deciphering of information “to explain how to distinguish facts from comments and understand how we receive information and what we retain from it”. So many principles that she always applies.

In particular at L’Art et les manners, an association which wants to support artistic, creative and popular education projects. First action: launch crowdfunding for the film by director Fourasin, Nicolas Dattilesi, “Nordine [Raymond, NDLR], the friend of the people.” But the idea is above all to encourage meetings between local musicians and help them access venues, in particular.

This is how in September 2023, thanks to the meeting with a young guitarist, the Open mics were born. “The town hall agreed to make La Poudrière available to us twice a month and Lampli, an association which supports us fully, lent us its equipment and technical know-how. It is a complementary and collaborative project. » And it’s success! On stage, there are employed musicians who find the opportunity to play with others. “From September to this month, we reached an audience that we don’t necessarily usually see. We experienced some truly moving moments and discovered talents,” say Annick Le Puil and François Dubreuil.

Meetings

We start talking about Art and manners in the city. This is how Maël Cageron alias Flyah Horns, musician and composer, presents to the association his project around reggae that he has been carrying out for six months with Daniel Jean, alias General Eclectik, musician passionate about computer-assisted music. Together, they seek to conclude with a show. Art and Manners says banco, with Lampli always. Big success on May 11, 2024 and even more so when, spontaneously, the Jamaican Eco Minott took the stage with the duo.

We will continue to draw the thread from this adventure since this Tuesday June 25 at Petit-Marseille, and Friday June 28 at Gélinerie, the duo will perform as part of HLM innovation week. “Free reggae at the foot of the towers, that’s popular education,” rejoices Annick Le Puil, also part of the Buzz’art radio team, a platform created by Jérôme de la Bigaille in Marennes and Lampli and which offers podcasts about local artists. “We are at the crossroads between art, creation, citizenship and politics. »

Our proposals correspond to a need around collaborative work

This is how a concert for peace is being prepared in Rochefort, with reference to the fate of Palestine. “Six groups are already candidates and we have even received the support of a local entertainment entrepreneur, Jean-François Marais of “Imagine the scene”. The team is strengthening because our proposals correspond to a need around collaborative work. » Art and manners prove that with great ideas and small means, you can go far. And maybe change (a little) the world.