THE HERITAGE SITE
Founded around the year 800, Ambronay Abbey was attached to the Rule of Saint Benedict. Over the centuries, the monks found themselves at the head of a powerful fiefdom extending over the lands of the Bugey, Savoy and France. The abbey reached the height of its influence in the 15th century. The monks left the premises during the French Revolution: the abbey church became the parish church and the convent buildings were put to new uses: barn, hospice, prison, school, barracks, social housing, etc.
The Early Music Festival was created by the Art et Musique Association in 1980 and, over the years and as the activities developed, gave rise to the Centre culturel de rencontre. Today, the abbey church remains the parish church of Ambronay and - like the cloister - belongs to the town; the rest of the buildings are the property of the Ain Departmental Council.
THE CULTURAL PROJECT
In addition to the Early Music Festival, the emblematic activity of the CCR, Ambronay is developing an ambitious programme for the professional integration of young artists and creators, gives an important place to amateur practice and cultural action, offers a rich and varied heritage and engages in an in-depth reflection on the relationship between culture, tourism and the economy with the establishment of a seminar centre and a business club. All these activities are distributed internationally via the Ambronay Éditions record label.
ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS
The Ambronay Cultural Encounter Centre organises a constellation of artistic and cultural encounters throughout the year:
- a Festival that has been welcoming the great names and new talents of early music and world music since 1980. Every year, there are more than 100 events and 12,500 tickets issued;
- events open to all audiences: concerts, open rehearsals, professional meetings... and even an Easter egg hunt;
- the enhancement of a heritage made up of history, stone and music;
- a record label made in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that is exported internationally;
- associated artists who create and work within our walls (Cappella Mediterranea/ Leonardo García Alarcón, Les Cris de Paris, Cantoría, L'Assemblée and Les Itinérantes), emerging ensembles spotted, trained and supported within the European programme eeemerging: in 10 years, 52 ensembles, 380 musicians, 88 residencies and 160 training programmes across Europe;
- corporate sponsors who support all these activities, and others who take advantage of a special setting for their seminars.
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES
The activities of the Ambronay JRC cover a wide range of concentric areas, from the local to the international. Cultural activities are organised throughout the year in the local area: the commune of Ambronay, the Communauté de communes de la Plaine de l'Ain and the department of Ain. Strongly established in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, its music festival is very well known both nationally and internationally. Ambronay is part of a European dynamic. The activities of the Ambronay RCC are part of several European networks: REMA (European Early Music Network), AEC (European Association of Conservatoires), ACCR (Association of Cultural Meeting Centres) and France Festivals.