Varagnes is an inspiring place created by Marc Seguin, a forerunner of the industrial revolution in 1860. It is situated in Annonay (France). At 75 years old, he
invented Varagnes to keep in touch with the world, to research, to create and to transmit.
Our main objective is to create a Fondation Seguin to perpetuate Varagnes' spirit and to
transform it into a place of learning and research to encourage creativity.
Cross-border/international
France
France
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Région Auvergne Rhône Alpes
Département de l'Ardèche
Ville d'Annonay
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Association des Amis de la Fondation Seguin Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Jean-Marc Last name of representative: Lefèvre Gender: Male Nationality: France Function: Vice-President Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 21 chemin de Varagnes Town: Annonay Postal code: 07100 Country: France Direct Tel:+33 6 10 85 09 31 E-mail:jm.lefevre.51@gmail.coml Website:http://fondationseguin.eu
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Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
Varagnes is a very inspiring place created in 1860 by Marc Seguin, a forerunner of the industrial revolution. It is situated in Annonay (Ardèche, France). At 75 years old, he equipped Varagnes to keep in touch with the world, to research, to create and to transmit. Tools included archives, a library, scientific instruments, an astronomical observatory, mechanics and chemistry workshops, a forge, an artist studio, a class room etc. Buildings and collections will be digitalized and accessible by the public
Our main objective is to create a Fondation Seguin to perpetuate Varagnes' spirit and to transform it into a place of learning and research to encourage creativity
For these purposes:
- mediations will be built with a view to describe the creative approach of the Seguins and others past and present scientists, innovators and artists with the aim to induce our guests to creativity. A form of education by experience placing the user in a learning mode and focused on the young generations (particularly but not exclusively in Ardeche) and people in need of inclusion. Mediations shall take place in situ with AR or on line. In both cases they will be interactive and include toolkits and ludic games. Cooperation with universities in France and in Europe is being sought on the pedagogic, digital and impact aspects (including in the context of the Horizon Cluster 2 projects) of the mediations
- Varagnes will also be a “third place” hosting researchers and artists to create an innovative approach to solve today's
societal challenges. Participation of and transmission to the public are on the agenda.
Exhibitions and seminars shall also be organized on these themes
We will propose training sessions for tourists, business and collectivities based on creativity and the process thereto
Works (and money) will be necessary to adapt Varagnes to its new mission even though we are already operating on a limited basis (see below)
Creativity
Education
Societal challenges
Transmission
Heritage
Our approach is inspired by the Seguin' own effective approach to creativity in the XIXth century i.e a creative process to solve scientific, societal and social issues with an accent on the importance of science and art to realize this process.
Promoting creativity through learning devices such as mediations targeted to young population and population in need of inclusion as well as through residencies targeted to societal challenges is an educational/ social/ societal activity which not only contributes to sustainability but is also a tool to achieve it.
Creativity has also positive consequences on individuals (sense of belonging, well being).
Varagnes is a very inspiring place to live in or to visit. The success of our Heritage Days activities is an evidence of Varagnes' attractiveness.
All Varagnes' collections ( archives, books, scientific and artistic objets) as well as the buildings are in the course of being digitalized and will be accessible on line
Mediations (in situ and on line) will be a core item of our offer. They will include toolkits and ludic games and will place the users in a learning mode.
People can participate to the residencies. It can take several forms including interim meetings during the residency and on line exchanges. Local scholars (including very young ones), volunteers (see below) are invited. We have had a very successful experience with a group of young scholars part of a "difficult" class (SEGPA) participating to an art-science residency (circus and electro-magnetism). More generally residencies based on art-science are very efficient tools, in terms of attractiveness and transmission, to highlight the importance of scientific and artistic cultures and of their interrelationship
People can also benefit from the transmission of knowledge resulting from these residencies. They can participate to end of residency events, exhibitions or seminars . To do it through a show organized by the people having participated to the residencies ( e.g. children or volunteers referred to above) is on the agenda
People can visit Varagnes, including with a local actress.
A future touristic event will include the participation of local volunteers (around 200). It is about organizing a visit of Varagnes where the public meets historical figures of Varagnes and of our town (known as the city of " inventors") in successive rooms. Volunteers will have an active role in building/adapting the storytelling. We are considering other possibilities of involvement of this group e.g. participation to residencies and participation to our governing bodies (see below).
Inclusion is a key target of our mediations.
It will certainly be a topic of calls for proposals in our residency program.
Physical accessibility to education and culture is an issue for an area such as Ardeche which is essentially rural with a difficult topography. We benefit from local public organisations (Passerelle Patrimoine) which offer transportation facilities to schools to visit places such as Varagnes but a digital access is essential for continuing relationship and for other populations.
Full physical accessibility to the buildings will be taken into account by the architects in relation to the works to be done to adapt Varagnes to its new mission.
Digital accessibility to our collections is on the agenda for this year.
Affordability is not an issue as events will be either free or with special fares.
New societal models are very much on the agenda of our residencies.
In terms of governing systems, we have a scientific committee discussing our strategy ( pretty much focussed on the cultural heritage aspects for the time being and which composition will evolve towards educational and digital aspects) and a "pilotage" committee which supervises progress of the project( the latest report to this committee is included as an annex hereof) . As mentioned above we are thinking about a forum of volunteers which would discuss topics of residencies and forms of participation thereto. We would like this group to include local technical /scientists with a background of educational, managerial, digital and other relevant scientific aspects to help us addressing these issues (among many advantages this would allow to diminish the dependency on outside paying experts).
Varagnes is already a popular place in Annonay and Ardèche. We welcome between 1000 to 1500 visitors during the two European Heritage Days. We work closely with local cultural and artistic organisations and we build regularly common events (residences, concerts and exhibitions).
Young people and people in need of inclusion are the main targets of our mediations.
Obviously our residencies targeted on societal issues will have an effect on citizens and civil society. People will be invited to participate to the residencies.
A mentioned above, a group of 200 volunteers will be constituted in relation to a touristic event and possibly for other purposes, including in the governing structure (see above).
Stakeholders are and will be numerous.
Historians have helped us analysing the creative approach of the Seguin. We will have recourse to anthropologists in that respect.
We have had a close relationship with Patstec (a public body dedicated to heritage technical and scientific instruments) and are working with Archeovision ( a CNRS laboratory)in relation to the inventory and digitalisation of our archives, scientific and other objects. We will certainly continue to be in touch with historians in relation thereto.
Mediations will include experts in pedagogic and digital aspects as well as physical persons in charge of the mediations. We are working hard at developing relationships at European levels through NEB and the Horizon cluster 2 projects to develop cooperation in relation thereto.
We are in touch with local public bodies to organise travel and accommodation arrangements of young scholars.
Residences and other activities (e.g. exhibitions)are often originated by contacts with universities and cultural or artistic organisations, at local, regional or national levels. This will be supplemented in the future by calls for proposals.
We have scientific and "pilotage" committees supervising our activities
As mentioned above:
- we include the public in the residencies
- volunteers will be involved in one of our touristic event and possibly otherwise (see above)
We want to create or join a European network of heritage places having similar activities.
We are supported by the French Ministry of Culture through the regional DRAC and by the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region. They support both our program of works concerning the buildings and our digital program. The Département of Ardèche is also a supporter.
At European level our relationships are with NEB, Horizon, Europeana, Culture Action Europe and Be.Cultour.
Architects are working at preparing plans for the future works.
Local press is very supportive.
History including science history and antropology to reflect upon Seguin' and others' experiences
Art and science for past and present activities in Varagnes. As fondamental ingredients of creativity.
Innovation and human sciences in many aspects, including to illustrate past experiences and to give societal recommendations for the future ones
Education and pedagogy at the core of mediations.
Digital technology and science to imagine and to build innovative mediations
Sociology and human sciences for collective and individual well being
Architecture to prepare the future works to adapt Varagnes to its new mission
Management of events and visits
Management and governance of the organisation
Financing the works and the operations
We are dealing with a unique heritage building which was conceived as a tool for creativity and we want it to continue acting as facilitator for creativity.
Creativity as a mission for an institution is not that common
We believe mediation is a very effective way to target and to involve particular publics which have issues with a classical approach to education. The digital aspects will add to this attractiveness. Far away form magistral courses, it is a device accepted by the young generations, particularly when in forms of toolkits or ludic games. It will give rise to new skills and to a change in the way education is perceived.
The purpose of our research residencies will give rise to new societal approaches which will hopefully give rise to new competences and skills.
Participation of public to research residencies is developing but not that common. The way we want to offer different roles and activities to our volunteers is original.
Accessibility is an essential dimension to consider in rural places where transportation is an issue:
- physical access and accommodation will be offered to young people through public bodies (Passerelle Patrimoine) which will organise it or finance it. We will want to extend it to population in need of inclusion.
- we will offer a digital access to our mediations as well as to our archives and collections
"Scientific tourism" is a also matter to develop when it involves a family or a group of people who are not necessarily close to the concepts of creativity, research, innovation etc. We would like to accommodate families and group of people including enterprises and collectivities willing to understand what creativity is about, its relationship with artistic creation, scientific research and and industrial innovation and the societal issues at stake (this will be a paying activity)
Every single item of our initiative can be replicated but for Varagnes and its charm!
We are already active in relation to:
- residencies (but our accommodation capacity is limited to three rooms)
- exhibitions and seminars but on a limited basis as the available space (glass house) does not accommodate high and low temperatures)
- physical touristic visits
Our archives and books are listed and the rest of our collections and the buildings are in the course of being listed.,
Inventories of all our collections have been done in 2022 and 2023 will be dedicated to their digitalisation ( many scientific instruments shall be in 3D) and their transfer to a data basis accessible to the public which will show the interrelationship of the collections with the creative approaches of the Seguin. A 360° vision of Varagnes will also be made (financed by the Minister of Culture and the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region). In 2025, it will offer different types of mediations including ludic ones.
We are actively seeking support and cooperation to build a first set of mediations so that we are ready to operate in 2025. . We are talking to French universities as well as to European ones, including in the context of the Horizon Cluster 2 projects. We will ask financial assistance in relation thereto.
We need to have works done to adapt Varagnes to its new mission. Architects are working on plans so that a first tranche of works starts in 2024 (financed by the Minister of Culture and the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region). We will be ready to operate in 2025. The second tranche is about improvement of glass house and will take place in 2025. We are seeking finance for the first tranche of the works (estimated at 2 m€). Our estimate (based on various conversations ) is that we are likely to be financed by the Minister of Culture and the Region at around 60%. We are approaching private institutions to get the balance.
Creativity, education of young people, inclusion, research relating to societal issues are global challenges that we want to address.
Mediations will be particularly targeted to people living in Ardèche which is mainly rural, has no university, is one of poorest area in France with, in many instances, a very difficult access to metropoles.
We believe that our mediations taking place in Varagnes will excite their curiosity and digital access will allow further relationships and progress.
Our residences will also consider global issues and local solutions may well be requested in the calls for proposals
We are already active in relation to:
- residencies (but our accommodation capacity is limited to three rooms)
- exhibitions and seminars but on a limited basis as the available space (glass house) does not accommodate high and low temperatures)
- visits
We have achieved the inventories of all our collections in 2022. Archives and books have been officially listed and the rest of the procedure in view of listing the building and the other collections is going on
In 2023:
- Archeovision, a CNRS laboratory, will realize at the beginning of March 3Ds of the main scientific instruments and realize a 360° vision of Varagnes.
- we will build during this year a data basis to which all collections, the 3Ds (with metadata relating thereto) and Varagnes vision will be transferred. All this will then become accessible to the public
These two operations are financed by the Minister of Culture and the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region
- we are actively seeking support and cooperation to build a first set of mediations. We are talking to French universities and developers as well as to European ones, including in the context of the Horizon Cluster 2 projects. We will seek financial assistance in relation thereto
We need to have works done in 2024 to accommodate more residents (4 rooms) , create working spaces, spaces to perform mediations, kitchen and eating facilities and, in 2025 to allow a 360 days use of the chapel and the glasshouse.
Architects and other specialists are presently preparing plans in that respect ( operations financed by the Minister of Culture and the Region).
We are seeking finance for the first tranche of the works (estimated at 2 m€). Our estimate (based on various conversations ) is that we are likely to be financed by DRAC, Region and at around 60%. We are approaching private institutions to get the balance.
Assuming a successful 2023, 2024 will be dedicated to works and mediations so that we become fully operative in 2025.
We believe that pedagogy through mediation is a topic which will develop new skills and knowledge and certainly constitutes a change in the way to educate., particularly when it is done thanks to digital devices.
We hope research residencies dedicated to societal challenges will give rise to new models which may require or give rise to new competences.
