THE MICRO- FOLIES

The Micro-Folies were inspired by the "Folies" in the Parc de Villette in Paris which were designed by the architect Bernard Tschumi. The Micro-Folies, which were launched by the French Ministry of Culture , are a tool for cultural democratization, often located in urban spaces. The main mission is to make artworks broadly accessible to audiences which are far away from traditional cultural spaces. At first the Ministry of Culture wanted to open 200 Micro-Folies across France  but this has accelerated to the implementation of the scheme to open 1000 Micro-Folies by 2022. The Ministry of Culture work in partnership with La Villette, a vibrant cultural centre in Paris that hosts a wide range of world class events across the arts and

sciences. This ambitious and innovative digital archive and educational platform overcomes geography and economics to provide greater access to the arts. Founding partners include - The Pompidou Centre, the Chateau de Versailles, The Louvre, the Picasso-Paris Museum and the Orsay Museum among others. The Micro-Folies have also been exported to other countries including, the USA (New York), Belgium, Myanmar, Egypt, Turkey, Romania and Peru.

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One of the reasons I am interested in the Micro Folies is the fact that I have been active for many years in trying to promote more art education in the area where I live. I have both written about it and put on free art exhibitions for the public in accessible public spaces. I note that the organisers of the Micro-Folies are keen to reach people who don't normally get the chance to access museums and the like - so they take the art (and with it the knowledge) directly to them by setting up in shopping centres, for example. I find this an exciting prospect and would encourage the export of Micro-Folies to Scotland if that were possible?

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