L’Etudiant reports that L’École des Beaux-Arts de Nantes in Frances has been chosen as the site of this year’s annual convention held by ELIA (the European League of Institutes of the Arts), which will take place October 27-29. Based in Amsterdam, this association of art schools includes 350 establishments in forty-seven countries, representing 250,000 students. It acts on behalf of schools of visual art, but also of schools of architecture, dance, theater, and music.

This year’s topic will be “how art and culture can be associated with the urban development.” And the town of Nantes has made large efforts in this direction, in particular with creation on the island of Nantes, entirely dedicated to schools of creative arts. Within five years, this district which sheltered a shipyard a long time, will accommodate 2,500 public and private school students. “This regrouping will allow us improved international visibility,” comments on Pierre-Jean Galdin, director of L’école supérieure des beaux-arts de Nantes métropole (ESBANM), who has stated that he is “very proud” to be welcoming ELIA’s convention this year.