Located in the Pas-de-Calais, the Chartreuse de Neuville has been a certified Centre culturel de rencontre since 2016. Inspired by its diverse history and architecture, it now promotes artistic and societal innovations in the service of the regions.
THE HERITAGE SITE
The Neuville Charterhouse was rebuilt in 1875, under the direction of the architect Clovis Normand, on the site of the first 14th-century Carthusian monastery. During the time of the Carthusians, it was notably the General Printing Office of the Order in Europe. But the Carthusians only occupied the premises for a short time: in 1901, they left the monastery for Parkminster in England. Several periods of occupation then followed one after the other. Between 1908 and 1912, the Neuville Charterhouse became an artists' commune and a sanatorium; from 1915 to 1919, it was made available to the Belgian government and served as a civilian and military hospital. From 1947 to 1998, it became a hospice asylum for the mentally or physically disabled, children or the elderly, who had been excluded from society.
THE CULTURAL PROJECT
The Association de préfiguration de la Fondation Chartreuse de Neuville, the main owner, has been developing the site's new vocation and an innovative economic model of heritage revival since 2008, the result of an unprecedented partnership between associations, economic and public actors. In this context, the Association is developing an innovative economic and legal arrangement which aims, in 20 years, to transform it into a financially autonomous foundation recognised as being of public utility.
Its new mission, ‘to work towards a society where everyone cultivates a connection to themselves, to others and to the world, dares to be entrepreneurial and contributes to inventing the future’, combines reflection, action and transmission, artistic, social, environmental and entrepreneurial activities, with resonances between yesterday, today and tomorrow.
ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS
True to its dual role, its activities are divided between its Resource Centre (reflection and inspiration: gaining perspective, exploring in depth, questioning, understanding the complexity of the issues), its Experience Factory (creation and action: acting, being confronted with reality, adjusting, experimenting) and its Catalyst for Possibilities (experimenting with a new model for the revival of major heritage sites and support for local project leaders). Through its actions and activities, it encourages experimentation and the deployment of solutions that bring about lasting change in local areas and enable everyone to find their place and take part in the world.
The Resource Centre: a programme of events is offered around three-year cycles centred on societal issues, intended for all types of stakeholders (residents, professionals, young people, researchers, artists) to facilitate reflection, encounters, discovery and exchange, through three perspectives: artistic and heritage (tours of the monument, the gardens and exhibitions, cultural and artistic programme), citizen (open debate evenings), expert (specific seminars and annual meetings with thinkers, researchers, authors and leaders of innovative and inspiring projects).
The Experience Factory: an offer of activities and services including cultural mediation, hosting residencies for artists, authors and researchers, opening to the public a conservation garden with workshops to raise awareness of the issues of wild and cultivated biodiversity, nutrition and health, a programme for social and professional integration, inclusive respite activities for carers and those receiving care, and training for companies and organisations.
Le Catalyseur des Possibles: a range of support services for local entrepreneurship and the emergence of third places, particularly heritage sites, with experimentation, scaling up and the spread of a new hybrid model to transform endangered monuments in the regions / an incubator for local entrepreneurship, both individual and collective.