In September 2020, a new artistic & cultural Centre opened in Saint-Nazaire: La Volière.

This new space is run by a non-profit organization LA VOLIERE – LRDA. The Centre is dedicated to circus practices with a specificity for aerial disciplines.

This project was first imagined by Fred Deb', current artistic director of the place and circus artist based in Saint-Nazaire since 2006. The opening was made possible with the support of the City of Saint-Nazaire and CARENE.

Fred Deb' graduated from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque (CNAC – France)) in 1992, she is one of the precursor artists of contemporary circus in aerial field. She took part, with a dozen other artists, in the creation of the famous company Les Arts Sauts.

La Volière wishes to be a unifying project: at the same time circus school, artistic factory, laboratory to explore social links through circus, as well as a structuring platform in a regional, national and international level. The challenge of this new place is shared by the representatives of the city of Saint-Nazaire and its district, but also by various cultural actors of the territory that support the project in regard to their implication, such as the Théâtre Scène Nationale de Saint Nazaire.

As part of its artistic and cultural project, La Volière wishes to support the artistic creation and wants to host an artistic team for a residency to develop a project in the field of contemporary aerial circus and aerial dance. As part of this call, La Volière aims to identify and support emerging artists of the field.