"The sleepy villages, the velvety purple grapes and the glowing carpets of sunflowers define the Gascony countryside near the village of Auvillar. Unspoiled by changing times, life is slow and relaxed. It is a feast for the eyes and soul of an artist." –Terry Conway, The Hunt Magazine

For a narrated slide show of the 2010 workshops, click here

WORKSHOPS
To register for any of these workshops, click here

Writing Workshop:

O Taste and See: Writing the Senses in Deep France
May 14–21, 2012
For more information, CLICK HERE

Led by award-winning poet and professor Marilyn Kallet, author of 15 books of poetry and translator of Paul Eluard, this popular workshop emphasizes -- but is not limited to -- poetry writing, in which participants invite language to celebrate the sensory joys of being in Southwest France. In 2012 the workshop will mark its fifth season. Participants will enjoy the village, where food is fresh and delicious, the scenery is vibrant, and the light changes hundreds of times each day. The Garonne River courses by and offers its own poetry, and the village’s 13th century walls, built on Roman ruins, evoke history at every turn. Dr. Kallet is a Lindsay Young Professor of English at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she has directed the Creative Writing Program for twenty years.

There are two work-study scholarships available for "O Taste and See" - click here

Song-Writing Workshop:

Living the Musical Life

September 1-8, 2012

The well-known Paul Reisler, songwriter, composer, master songwriting teacher and founder of the band Trapezoid, has performed in thousands of concerts with Trapezoid and his new group, Paul Reisler & A Thousand Questions, featuring Howard Levy. He's written thousands of songs and instrumentals, and he's inspired thousands of adults and children to live the musical life though his song camps and Kid Pan Alley, a unique project that seeks to teach children about songwriting and to inspire them to become creators of music. His workshop in Auvillar offers participants of all levels of experience a way to respond in song to the stories inside and around them. Participants will be immersed in all aspects of lyric and melody writing and will find the inspiration to create. From generating the spark of an idea to creating a finished song, participants discover the performers in themselves.

To register for any of these workshops, click here

PROGRAMS

Painting and Drawing in Southern France, James Madison University 

May 8 to May 24, 2012

James Madison University’s Study Abroad Program will return to Auvillar for the third year in 2012. Led by distinguished artist and VCCA Fellow Agnes Carbrey, instructor of Studio Art at James Madison University, students will engage in intensive painting and rigorous drawing in the hillside village of Auvillar, which provides expansive views for plein air painters of the landscape. The program includes excursions to Musee Ingres in Montauban and the Augustins in Toulouse, as well as concerts, exhibitions, poetry readings, and the open markets in Auvillar. As the village is located on the historic pilgrimage route to Spain, the Santiago de Compostella, students also learn about “The Way of St James” and the experiences of contemporary pilgrims.

Yale Summer Session at the Institute for Studio Studies, Yale University 

June 3 to July 3, 2012

Founded by VCCA Fellow Robert Reed, Professor of Painting at Yale University, the Yale Summer Session, in conjunction with the Institute for Studio Studies in Auvillar, France, presents a studio program crafted to provide an innovative, educational experience in drawing and painting. 

The program seeks to utilize the procedures and strategies employed by the artist's studio practice as a template for the understanding of similar procedures inherent in all disciplines. Unlike most studio studies abroad, it is held under the auspices of the Humanities at Yale and is a focused and rigorous 24/7 session; its goal is to increase visual awareness and insights into the creative process through the daily construction of drawings and paintings. Of great importance is the analysis -- and articulation, discussion, and pursuit -- of individual images constructed in the spirit of research, not "art" making, which is a resultant activity.

The residential program demands commitment, a strong work ethic, and study within a focused curriculum. It is open to both Yale and non-Yale students from a variety of institutions, areas of study, and levels of experiences. Participants in the program are considered Fellows of the Institute with all the responsibilities associated with that designation. As part of their studies, Fellows are also challenged by problem-solving and problem-"finding" situations, which are not necessarily a part of the vision of most studio study, but which are important in relational thinking and the navigation and understanding of the contemporary world.

The program is limited to 15 Fellows and carries two Yale term credits. For further information, see here.

The Etchings Festival of Contemporary Music 

July 7 to 14, 2012

Etchings is a partnership between the VCCA and the East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, founded by pianist and composer John Aylward, currently Assistant Professor of Music Composition and Theory at Clark University in Massachusetts and, for the 2011-2012 year, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute. The festival brings together professional and student composers and musicians for an extraordinary international conference, providing a unique platform for the Ensemble to share the best of contemporary American repertoire with European audiences. Works are rehearsed each morning and evening, guest composers lead master classes, and concerts and recordings take place at the beautiful 14^th century Chapelle St. Catherine du Port. French composer Phippe Hurel, artistic director of the new music ensemble Court-circuit, and whose work has been performed by numerous orchestras and ensembles throughout Europe and elsewhere, will be among the guest composers in 2012.

Applications and full Festival details will be available on the Festival website by December 1, 2011. 

VCCA-US FELLOWSHIP

An opportunity for professional artists of the Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees region of Southwest France to visit the beautiful VCCA campus in Amherst, Virginia: Mt. San Angelo. Click here for more information

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