Cultural Section [fr]
The Cultural Section: Organization Chart
The Cultural Section: Role
The Cultural Section is responsible for promoting French language and culture in Great Britain by:
developing exchange programmes between schools and universitities in both countries;
promoting all forms of contemporary art and facilitating contact between professionals working in this field;
increasing awareness of new French books in the fields of literature, humanities and social sciences;
promoting French cinema and music.
The service works in close collaboration with an extensive decentralized cultural network with, in particular,
two French Institutes based in London and Edinburgh,
a network of Alliances françaises (see below), in 11 centres across the UK, including Manchester and Glasgow;
the Maison française in Oxford.
The cultural counsellor covers all aspects of cultural activity, including the management of cultural institutes and French schools. He is assisted by specialists in education, collaboration in the arts and audiovisual activities.
Founded in 1910, the Institut français du Royaume-Uni is housed in an impressive art deco building in London’s South Kensington. It is the official French government centre for language and culture. There are 150 such Institutes throughout the world.
Around 7,000 students are enrolled each year at the Language Centre. The centre offers a dynamic programme of courses.
Ciné Lumière is an independent showcase for the very best in French, European and world cinema, showing a mix of new releases, classics, documentaries and animation films. Its repertory features over 900 screenings a year. Ciné lumière regularly invites directors, scriptwriters and actors to take part in discussions with the audience, and holds such special events as festivals, retrospectives and UK premieres. A public cinema with 300 seats, Ciné lumière is open to everyone and films are shown in their original language with English subtitles.
The Médiathèque (multimedia library), offers a vast range of books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs and other documents, all in French; a seperate multi-media library is provided for children and teenagers. The library also offers various information services, such as the Quick Information Service (information.service@ambafrance.org.uk) ), providing information and documentation on contemporary France and Francophone countries, and the EduFrance Desk (studiesinfrance@ambafrance.org.uk), for information about studying in France. The library’s catalogue can be consulted online at iflondres.agate-sigb.com, and further information about contemporary France is available from the France Today website.
Talks and debates are a regular feature, as are French wine-tasting sessions.
"Gazette Brasserie", a typical French café, offers authentic regional dishes, snacks and an impressive wine list.
IFRU’s programme of talks and book launches, where authors and translators are invited to present their work, are intended as a space for intellectual reflection and debate, where the London public can follow cutting-edge developments in French intellectual and literary life.
IFRU’s twice-monthly wine-tasting sessions offers authentic regional dishes, snacks and an impressive wine list.
The Alliance française network is the largest French language school network in the world with 829 language schools in 135 countries. This network aims to widen the access to French language, culture and the Francophone world. Alliances Françaises in the UK offer courses and cultural activities through a well-established network of 11 centres in Bristol-Bath, Cambridge-Norwich, Exeter-Totnes, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford and York.