Festival de musique
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Music

Discover the missions, actions and what the Institut français has to offer in the field of music.

The Institut français plays a key role in supporting and promoting French music internationally. By supporting the mobility of artists, the distribution of musical creations and the development of cultural and creative industries, the Institut français promotes the influence of French music scenes on foreign territories.

A Music & Performing Arts division is dedicated to these issues within the Artistic Creation and Cultural Industries department of the Institut français.

Our missions

The Institut français facilitates the circulation of artists and musical works by supporting international projects in all musical genres: current music, jazz, classical and contemporary music. Its actions aim to:

  • Support the mobility of artists and their international development
  • Foster encounters and artistic collaborations between French artists and foreign music scenes
  • Encourage the French artistic presence at major music festivals and events.

The Institut français promotes French artists by facilitating their contacts with international professionals.

The French Institute supports the music industries in their structuring and international deployment.

The Institut français supports the Francophone music scene and cultural exchanges.

Key programs

Focus

Scouting of French artists proposed to a delegation of foreign programmers, within the framework of leading French festivals (MaMA, Festival Musica, Festival d'Ambronay...).

IF Export

IF Export supports French or French-based creators and cultural partners in their international development, whether through distribution projects, cooperative ventures or participation in major events.

Jazz & New Music

As of 2019, the Jazz & New Music program - a merger of the two independent programs: French American Jazz Exchange and New Music Fund - continues to support fruitful collaborations.

Impuls neue Musik

Impuls neue Musik, the Franco-German-Swiss fund for contemporary music, supports exceptional musical projects that promote exchanges between the German- and French-speaking linguistic and cultural areas. The fund thus networks the contemporary music scenes in Germany, France and Switzerland.

IF Unmissable

IF Incontournable assists diplomatic posts and international events and venues with their artistic and cultural programming.

Career paths

Support for French cultural players in their international development (Glaz Music at Transmusicales, Création Africa at Babel Music XP and IOMMa, Jazz à Vienne...).

Mouvements" program Music

In partnership with the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations: support and advice for the international development of a selection of classical and contemporary music ensembles awarded patronage by the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.

Cultural and Creative Industries Program (PICC)

The Programme Industries Culturelles et Créatives (PICC) is part of the government's strategy to support and boost the export of French cultural and creative industries, and to strengthen the Institut français' strategy of supporting CCIs.

ICC Immersion

Run by the French Institute and Business France, ICC Immersion is a program designed for cultural entrepreneurs who have an innovative project and wish to develop it internationally in a target market.

Creation Africa

Thanks to funding from the Fonds Équipe France Création (FEF Création) of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Institut français is giving shape to the dynamics of partnership transformation with the African continent. It is implementing the ambitious Création Africa program to support Africa's Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) and extend France's scope of action to new partnerships on the continent.

AOCA - Support for cultural operators in Africa

AOCA is an Institut Français program that supports African artists and cultural operators, as well as the French cultural network, by backing creative and distribution projects, as well as festivals and major events with a regional dimension on the African continent (including several African partners).

Residence and professional mobility

The Institut français implements residency programs, such as Villa Kujoyama in Japan, as well as artistic and professional mobility programs. It supports residency structures and accompanies the French cultural network abroad, from the conception to the implementation of new residency programs.

News

The French Institute at MaMA Music & Convention 2025

From October 15 to 17, 2025, the French Institute will take over MaMA Music & Convention, Europe's major contemporary music event.

9 October 2025

Our partners

Local authorities

Center National de la Musique (CNM)

French Development Agency (AFD)

Foreign national institutes

Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations

FAIR

Jazz Migration

Prix des Musiques d'Ici