Conceived by the city of Bordeaux to animate the city’s public spaces, evento is a unique, bi-annual artistic event designed to celebrate both the city and the concept of mobility. Every other year a new edition will be directed by a well-known figure from the world of art and culture. “Collective Intimacy” is the theme chosen by Didier Faustino, director of the first edition.

From 9 to 11 October, an ensemble of original works will be exhibited on the Place des Quinconces during the Foire aux Plaisirs, the ever-popular street fair in Gironde. Afterwards, from 11 to 18 October, traveling along paths imagined by each artist, the projects will migrate furtively, spreading to new sites so that inhabitants in other neighborhoods of the city can discover them as well.

A spirit of solidarity and generosity— through its art works traveling to meet new publics; its creative collaboration between local inhabitants and key social, economic and cultural players; its festive atmosphere, timed to coincide with the Foire aux Plaisirs; and above all by the free admission to all the itineraries, exhibitions and parties —will guide evento from its conception to its final outcome

The Internet site, evento2009.org, which will be transformed into a blog in mid-April, will report on the public “making of”, primarily through contributions from artists. During the event, the site will evolve, showing visuals of participating artists’ propositions in real time. Also planned are a publication to accompany the events and a catalogue for future reference.

In the last fifteen years the Bordelaise region has undergone a profound urban transformation in which quality of life and the development of new projects have had priority. This has turned Bordeaux into a decidedly ambitious city in terms of economic creativity, agenda 21, social programs and regional appeal. Evento’s vision of the city reflects this global approach. Not only does it use culture to spearhead urban development, it also provides an exceptional and innovative demonstration of how artistic creativity is deployed in, for and with a region.

An event that begins in the center and goes to the periphery, one that is homogeneous in its discourse yet heterogeneous in its content, evento will also take place in several of Bordeaux’s cultural and symbolic sites: Place des Quinconces, la Base sous-marine, the Grand Theatre and the Entrepôt Lainé.

For three weeks, evento will be located in the 12,000 square-meter submarine base. This impressive vestige of World War II will provide an exhibition space in which artists will offer visitors the opportunity to delve deeper into their art through one or more of their significant pieces. Encounters organized under the auspices of philosopher and writer Bruce Begout will be linked with concerts programmed by Florent Mazzoleni, writer and photographer.

evento has invited the city of Luanda, Angola — represented by the Sindika Dokolo Foundation under the supervision of Fernando Alvim, also director of the Triennale de Luanda —  to perform for a ten-day period at the Grand Theatre-Opera national de Bordeaux.

The Entrepôt Laine (CAPC museum d’art contemporain/arc en rêve centre d’architecture), close to the place des Quinconces, will be one of evento’s sister sites, with its important three-month exhibition on the theme of folklore called “INSIDERS- Practices, Customs, Savoir Faire” (curators: Charlotte Laubard and Francine Fort).