Murals on the right bank “When the walls speak” in Brest – France – CitéCréation celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2018

Urban arts in Brest, open air art

For several decades, Brest has been undergoing metamorphosis, structure and densification. To accompany and give meaning to its urban transformation, the city places artistic creation at the centre of each of its public initiatives, particularly in terms of the artistic 1%, whether in the rehabilitation of its facilities or the development of new services. A vector of progress and social ties, art maintains a daily dialogue with the people of Brest.

The aim of the project is to boost the image of the city, to enhance the urban heritage and to create a dialogue between the city, its inhabitants and artistic expression. Geographically speaking, the area concerned is located around Anatole France street, a long artery that crosses the districts of Recouvrance and Les Quatre Moulins. Sponsored by the Brestois singer-songwriter Christophe Miossec, the project currently includes 11 mural frescoes with that of the Quatre-Moulins (with a first realization in 2004) with evocative names of the Brestois identity: the Trip, the Writings, the Arsenal, Botany, the Tavern, Oceanology, Music, Brest seen from the sky.

For the design of the works, the city has called upon the creativity of several artists and architects who have endeavoured to transcribe the history of Brest. At the same time, the Scop CitéCréation was in charge of the realization, animation and coordination of the project. Closely associated with the project, the inhabitants play a major role in the realization of the works. They are the force of proposal and decision within a consultation committee. In addition, CitéCréation, as project owner, is committed to integrating, during each realization, a young artist in integration and a young painter in training/training.

This project is being implemented with the support of: Caisse des Dépôts, the Conseil Général du Finistère as part of the Contrat Urbain de Cohésion Sociale, the Brittany Region, DCNS, ERDF, Clear Channel and Crédit Agricole, Cobaty Brest Iroise, Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne, Brest Métropole Océane…