The Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image is the result of a close partnership between the La Charente county council, the French Ministry of Culture, Angoulême city council and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, which was able to create this unique public institution dedicated entirely to the "9th art" (comics). The Cité includes a comics museum, a heritage library, a public library, a documentation centre, a renowned comic shop, an authors' residence (la Maison des Auteurs) and an Art & Essai [Art and Experimentation] cinema.
The Cité is spread over three spectacular buildings overlooking the river Charente, which flows alongside. The Cité is located at the heart of the image hub which was set up in the county. The Cité and the hub together bolster Angoulême's domestic and international reputation and confirm its status as the worldwide capital of Franco-Belgian comics
La Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image is carrying out a significant heritage project by preserving and displaying the largest collection of Franco-Belgian comics in Europe and the second largest in the world, with over 12,000 original pages and 250,000 reprinted pages. The institution also actively supports contemporary comics, in particular young authors. Via the Maison des Auteurs, the Cité supports over 50 authors both from France and abroad in their artistic projects every year. Finally, the institution is involved in a wide range of artistic and cultural mediation and education activities. Thanks to these initiatives, over 13,000 children participate in around ten educational activities organised throughout the year.
To make the most of its attendance at the International Rare Books and Experts in Fine Art Fair, the Cité will display a selection of treasures from its wide-ranging collection, as well as presenting a panel of young authors who have been hosted by the Cité's Maison des auteurs in Angoulême.
La Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image | 121 rue de Bordeaux - 16000 Angoulême | 05 45 38 65 65 | contact@citebd.org | citebd.org
