European Academy of Art in Brittany
The European Academy of Art in Brittany (French École européenne supérieure d'art de Bretagne - EESAB) is a French art school founded on December 27th, 2010. The establishment is composed of four formerly separate institutions (the earliest founded in 1795), located in the following cities: Brest, Lorient, Quimper and Rennes. EESAB is the largest art school in France and currently has over 900 students at the bachelors (DNAP) and masters (DNSEP) levels. The student body accounts for one-tenth of all arts school students in France.
EESAB is a higher education institution that reports to the Ministry of Culture and Communication. It is a member of the European University of Brittany accredited to award national diplomas after three years of undergraduate study as well as after five years of undergraduate + graduate study. Courses are delivered in art, communication and design. They are harmonised with the European degree structure using the ECTS system (European Credits Transfer System), facilitating student mobility within Europe.
Degree Courses
EESAB offers the following degree options:
● Bachelor of Fine Arts (DNAP = Diplôme National d’Arts Plastiques) consisting of full-time study over 3 years
● Master of Fine Arts Degree (DNSEP = Diplôme National Supérieur d’Expression Plastique) consisting of full-time study over 2 years, following the DNAP or equivalent degree
● Degrees Art offered in the following areas: Fine Art, Communication, Design
Campuses
The four EESAB campuses are located in Brest, Lorient, Quimper and Rennes.
● The Brest campus (formerly the École supérieure d'art de Brest, École des beaux-arts) offers degrees in Fine Art and Design. Visual Art research platforms include Public works, Lost Realities, and Beyond Walls. The design program is particularly invested in spatial practices related to the school's location on the Atlantic coast and sustainable design for environmental change.
● The Rennes Campus (formerly the École régionale des beaux-arts de Rennes) offers degrees in Fine Art, Design, and Communications. Fine Arts Hubs include Events, Publications, and Installation practices. The Design program is centered around the cultural and collective dimensions to design. The communications major features training in graphic design, image media, and typography.
● The Quimper Campus (formerly Ecole supérieure d'art) offers degrees in Fine Art. The campus features a single art option, the goal of which is to prepare students for work in artistic research and art production. Research Hubs include ceramics, editing, situations, and public interfaces.
● The Lorient Campus (formerly École supérieure d'art de Lorient) offers degrees in Fine Art and Communications. The campus has a central focus on the concept of “narrative” as thoughtspace in drawing, writing, and history.
Program of Studies
New students may enrol as freshman, transfer students, or Master's degree students at EESAB following competitive entrance exams held in the Spring of each year. Prospective students interested in applying from abroad can consult the Campusart website for more information.
Foundations
The first year features preparatory study for in-depth education in each students' chosen degree field.
This year comprises a common core of theoretical and practical foundational teaching, enabling students to acquire the necessary resources to access all creative fields, along with courses focused on broad basic cultural knowledge. Areas of instruction include painting, 3D art/installation, photography, printmaking, drawing/narrative, and video, communications design, object design, and spatial design.
Overview
The teaching staff are artists/designers, writers, and art and design theorists and 'historians'.
In addition to its teaching programme, the school regularly invites artists and designers for intensive workshop sessions lasting 3-5 days. These are designed to help students devise and perfect their practice. Workshops may be one-off or take place over a period of several months. They offer an opportunity for students to interact with contributors, diversify, and compare and contrast artistic practices.
Workshops are regularly supplemented by lectures organised at the school.
Study trips for students are organised on a regular basis, both within France (Frac Bretagne, Centre Pompidou-Metz, Paris, etc.) and abroad (Milan international furniture fair, Venice Art Bienniale, Kassel dOCUMENTA, etc.).
Work placements (internships) are mandatory for graduate and postgraduate studies: these are decided in consultation with a supervising tutor, who approves each student's placement.
Study Abroad
EESAB also offers a number of student mobility schemes such as Erasmus and CREPUQ. Students may elect to complete part of their studies in Europe, the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Columbia, Mali, Mexico, Vietnam, or at a partner institution in another country. The school is a member of the European League of Institutes of the Arts.