#relating forests - workshop in france

#relating forests - workshop in france

After months of virtual collaboration, the "relating forests" project is about to take its first steps into the physical world. Our team can barely contain our excitement as we prepare for our inaugural in-person workshop in the breathtaking region of Chateauroux Les-Alpes near Embrun, France, from May 21-23, 2025.

From Digital to Real-World Connection
Since the launch of our EU-funded project, we've been building our collaborative foundation through online events. In March and April, we hosted two successful creative seminars featuring experts like theatre scholar Catherin Persing, Sámi literature professor Harald Gaski, and photographer Yannick Cormier, who shared invaluable insights into myths, indigenous perspectives, and ritual practices that shape our relationship with forests.
Now, we're taking a pivotal step forward as our international team of artists and educators finally comes together in person. This marks the beginning of a European journey that will later take us to Germany in July and Norway in October.
The Magic of Chateauroux Les-Alpes
Our French partners at Cultures Eco Actives have chosen a location that perfectly embodies the spirit of our project. Nestled in the stunning French Alps near Embrun, the forests of Chateauroux Les-Alpes offer a rich tapestry of natural landscapes and cultural heritage.
Here, surrounded by ancient trees and mountain vistas, our interdisciplinary team will begin transforming theoretical discussions into embodied experiences. The location itself serves as both inspiration and laboratory for our exploration of how humans can reconnect with forest environments.

Engaging Local Children: Planting Seeds for the Future
A highlight of our French workshop will be the dedicated sessions with local children. Under the guidance of storyteller and mountain guide Anne-Claire Dromzée, we've designed immersive and engaging activities that go beyond simple nature exploration.
"We believe that children's voices are crucial to this project," explains Anne Bouchon, co-founder of Cultures Eco Actives. "Before activities begin, children will express their perceptions of the forest through a playful questionnaire. After the workshops, they'll reflect on how their perspectives have changed."
These experimental workshops have been carefully crafted to be replicable, providing valuable tools for school educators and environmental educators across Europe. By creating positive perspectives on legends, traditions, and ancestral practices related to forests, we aim to help children develop emotional connections that strengthen their desire to protect these vital ecosystems.
A Laboratory for Artistic Transformation
For our artistic team, the workshop represents a unique opportunity to blend diverse creative practices. Mask theatre makers from TheatreFragile will collaborate with storytellers, sound artists, choreographers, and outdoor educators from France and Norway in a true exchange of methods and perspectives.
"We are facing a crisis of cultural imagination," notes Marianne Cornil, creative director of TheatreFragile. "This project is our desire to change that by drawing on practices from various European cultures and engaging in intercultural exchange with diverse communities."
The French workshop will serve as our first experimental space for reimagining the relationship between nature and culture through artistic practice. By combining traditional expressions like storytelling and mask-making with modern approaches, we'll begin developing new languages for expressing our connection to forests.

Sustainable Collaboration in Action
True to our commitment to sustainability, our team is traveling to France with minimal environmental impact, prioritizing trains and buses over flights. The workshop itself will embody circular economy principles, using only existing and found materials for all activities.
Food and catering will be vegetarian and vegan, sourced from organic farming where possible, and all activities will follow strict guidelines for respecting and protecting the natural sites we'll be working in.

Join Us on This Journey!
While our May workshop in France is just the beginning, we invite you to follow our journey through the forests of Europe. Through this blog and our social media channels, we'll share insights, images, and discoveries from our time in Chateauroux Les-Alpes.
The seeds planted in these first workshops will grow throughout the year, culminating in our final presentation in October 2025. Along the way, we hope to inspire new ways of thinking about and relating to the forests that sustain our planet.
Stay tuned for updates from the field as our international team of artists and educators embarks on this exciting next phase of "relating forests"!

"relating forests" is a collaborative project between TheatreFragile (Germany), Cultures Eco Actives (France), and NOBA (Norway), co-funded by the European Union.

For more information about upcoming workshops and events, visit our partner websites: theatre-fragile.de, cultures-ecoactives.fr, and noba.art.