GrandAngoulême Lands of Art and History Department

The GrandAngoulême Lands of Art and History Department promotes local heritage through cultural and educational programs throughout the year.

Missions and Role

The department serves as a resource for the 38 municipalities in the GrandAngoulême metropolitan area, providing expertise and advice in the field of heritage. It promotes and highlights all types of heritage: built heritage from prehistory to the present day, industrial heritage, ethnographic heritage, movable heritage, and memorial heritage, as well as landscapes and traditional skills. The goal is to make heritage a vehicle for human exchange, a tool for local development, and a place for people to meet and share skills.

Team and Expertise

The permanent team consists of architecture and heritage mediators and part-time tour guides, led by Laetitia Copin-Merlet. The department also draws on a Scientific Committee and collaborates with professionals such as architects, urban planners, archaeologists, landscape architects, artisans, and members of the Compagnons du Devoir. These partnerships ensure a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to heritage.

Activities and Cultural Outreach

The department organizes lectures, workshops, guided tours, and performances accessible to all audiences. Tours can be tailored to specific groups, such as school field trips adapted to the educational programs of schools in the Greater Angoulême area. Specialized workshops and after-school activities are also offered to local communities, recreation centers, organizations, and families.

Educational Initiatives

Part of the department is dedicated to education: activities are offered to students from preschool through higher education, coordinated by specialized cultural mediators. These initiatives are carried out in partnership with cultural services, the departmental heritage office, the Ministry of National Education, the DRAC, and local stakeholders such as social and cultural centers.

Heritage Promotion and Specific Projects

The department supports artistic and cultural projects related to heritage, such as the GANPAON/Les Fantômes de GrandAngoulême exhibition, which combines illustration and augmented reality to help visitors explore the region. It also contributes to local educational and historical projects, such as themed tours on World War II or the city’s urban history.

The GrandAngoulême “Lands of Art and History” Department is thus a key player in showcasing heritage, raising public awareness, and promoting local culture through educational, artistic, and scientific initiatives.