le19M and the École Kourtrajmé

Founded in 2018 by director Ladj Ly in Montfermeil, the École Kourtrajmé provides training in the fields of images, audiovisual media, and film. The school has already trained a large number of students, with no requirements in terms of qualifications or financial means. The teaching is based on the importance of “doing”, individual characteristics and talents, and the energy of the group. These values match those of le19M, which, in 2020, began a professional partnership with the École Kourtrajmé, as well as the creation of an Equal Opportunities Grant, with the aim of extending the value of le19M’s own savoir-faire to the artistic sphere, and supporting local organisations in the north-east of Paris. 

The first part of this partnership involved young graduates of the Kourtrajmé programme documenting the design of the venue and the development of its cultural programming, from the construction phase through to its opening to the general public in July 2021. The call for talent continues to this day, with photographers and video artists regularly called on for their eye and knowledge of the project, notably Eléa-Jeanne Schmitter, Ismaël Bazri, and Sarah Makharine. The collaboration with students from the École continued through to Dakar, where the Senegalese branch of Kourtrajmé documented the off-site project of la Galerie du 19M Dakar.  

Because material living conditions are crucial to the success of studies and to entry into the job market as the quality of teaching, the second aspect of this partnership takes the form of an Equal Opportunities Grant. It contributes to the cost of financing meals and accommodation for students and provides financial support in the form of a grant.