Paris

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Point Ephemère

200 quai de Valmy, 10th

Point Ephemère is a clever name for this multi-arts centre, for fleeting things are always more desirable than fixtures. Already entering the third year of its five-year lifespan, the former cargo warehouse is a thriving hub for the arty types who have colonised the banks of the Canal St Martin.

It’s the fifth industrial squat by artists’ collective Usines Ephemères. They’ve occupied a building in the 19th, a military installation in Pontoise, a disused Paris hospital that’s since been partly demolished, and the successful Mains d’Oeuvres in St-Ouen. They don’t waste energy trying to save these old buildings, but arrange five-year leases that bring an injection of creative dynamism to the areas where they are located. Finance comes from the Mairie de Paris and other bodies. They cost comparatively little to run but have a long enough lifespan to get noticed.

From the outside Point Ephemère still looks like a disused building, but as you descend the paved ramp to the quayside you’ll find people basking on plastic chairs or sampling the great-value food (€10 for two courses at lunch and €13 in the evening). Inside, exhibitions cover art, architecture and fashion, and there’s a daily programme of music, dance and debates. Bands can rent rehearsal space; African and modern dance classes are held in a studio.

Musically, Point Ephemère is devoted to the underground and up-and-coming scene, whether it’s rock, electro, pop, folk, hip hop or rap. New York rappers, Italian rockers, Danish DJs, Pondichéry dancers and Franco-American poets have all appeared here. The autumn 2006 season starts with a tie-in to the Festival de La Villette and the trendy Salon of Independent Publishers.

Most of all, Point Ephemère is a meeting place for the canal’s bohemian community. Who knows what will happen in 2009 – but if this is kind of thing your scene, do make the most of it.

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