Held in Paris and Nantes, France, between 26 March and 3 April 2015, this bilingual seminar is being offered by France's Ministry of Culture and Communication within the framework of its training programmes, implemented by the Maison des Cultures du Monde. It will be held in French, with English translation. The seminar will bring together some 20 experienced cultural managers working in the fields of cultural development, territorial action and the management of cultural heritage and non-heritage structures. Participants should have a good knowledge of English or French and should be involved in cultural projects in their countries of origin, with a potential impact in terms of local and regional development. The purpose of this seminar is to familiarize the participants with the French context and to facilitate the development of professional networks between France, the Maghreb, the Mashriq, the Near- and Middle East, Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East and Oceania. The participants will thus be able to share their knowledge, practices and projects on issues of cultural institutions and urban and territorial development. The seminar will cover the following topics through presentations, round tables, professional meetings and visits. Contents will be adapted to the profiles of the participants selected:

• New models of support for artistic creation and the cultural and creative industries;
• Audience policies, interpretation and levers for better accessibility and dissemination of cultural activities;
• Culture and territories: dynamics of the Nantes metropolitan area (integration of culture at the core of a model of sustainable urban development) and the Paris region.

Among the institutions involved in delivering the sessions are the Ministry of Culture and Communication and some of the public bodies under its aegis; local and regional autorities; museums and heritage sites; festivals and biennales; and other cultural facilities. France's Ministry of Culture and Communication will cover the costs of the training programme, accommodation, meals, travel within France and insurance. On the other hand, the cost of international travel is not covered by the programme. Applications should be sent first to the Embassy of France or the French Institute in the country of residence of the applicant. These institutions will then forward the applications to the Maison des Cultures du Monde by 13 February 2015. For additional information and access to the application form, visit http://www.maisondesculturesdumonde.org/actualite/les-institutions-culturelles-au-service-du-developpement-urbain-et-territorial-1   Source: http://on-the-move.org/news/article/16731/cultural-institutions-in-the-service-of-urban-and/