In this episode of the French Insider, we speak with Emma Buttin, General Coordinator of the Residencies at Villa Albertine. Created by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Villa Albertine renews the concept of residence by shifting the center of gravity from the place of residence to the territory of residence and exploring this country-continent from the 10 major cities in the United States where it is present. Led by a team of 80 people spread out in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., the Villa Albertine seeks to accompany French cultural actors with on the ground support in their projects and challenges, through an ambitious, agile system closely connected to the prescribing bodies of the American cultural landscape.

What We Discussed In This Episode 

1. Can you describe the history and mission of the Villa Albertine?

2. The Villa Albertine has just announced its next 70 residencies for 2023. What are the cities in which residents can come to the United States?

3. What is the method for applying for the Villa Albertine residencies?

4. Can you tell us about some of the Villa Albertine residencies?

5. What are the challenges you encounter in bringing residents to the Villa Albertine?

6. The Villa Albertine therefore sees itself as a large community: apart from the residents, who are your French partners?

7. Are you looking for American partnerships too?

About Emma Buttin  

Emma Buttin has been the general coordinator of the Villa Albertine residencies since September 2021, overseeing the organization of the residencies and the annual call for applications. Emma is a graduate of Sciences Po Grenoble and ESCP-Europe, specializing in the management of multidisciplinary projects. She led artistic commissions and studies on the integration of cultural dimension in sustainable and urban development at the ARTER cultural production agency and for cities such as Montreal, Lyon and Geneva. She worked for six years on the creation and development of the cultural project of the largest construction site in Europe, the Grand Paris Express. Emma’s passion for cultural engineering and innovation led her to La Gaîté Lyrique. As the head of the residency program, she supported curators, studios and artists on their projects. She was also part of the team of the festival NewImages in Paris, dedicated to immersive experiences. In 2019, she joined the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States as New Media Officer and initiated new programs and cycles of meetings around virtual reality, video games and podcasts. She is a mentor at New Inc, the New Museum's cultural incubator.