French Institute: 30th Anniversary by the Danube

The 30th anniversary of the current building of the French Institute, inaugurated in 1992, in Budapest will be celebrated with a program of events spanning all the arts this Saturday, September 10 from afternoon until midnight.

Although the French Institute was founded in 1947, it moved from the Szegfű Street building to its new building by the Danube in 1992. The exceptional visibility of the site presented a unique opportunity for the architect to create a well-known, lasting building, but also a challenge to design a modern building that would blend in with the panoramic view of Buda's Várhegy (Castle Hill) and the surrounding historic urban fabric. The building, with its exciting architecture, has enabled the French Institute to welcome a wider audience and to become a venue for many important events in Budapest's cultural life over the years.

The Institute’s press release says the 30th anniversary programs will also reflect the cultural diversity of these decades. “We will be part of an aerial acrobatics performance specially designed for this occasion, in the building. Works of art inspired by Vasarely by MOME students will be exhibited in the glass hall. From the Andrássy Palace to the French Institute, a lecture will reveal Rippl-Rónai's connection to 17 Fő utca [the current address of the Institute]. You will be able to see what you hear here in real life during a tour of the building. The dance performance, in which the costume is the protagonist and you tell a story, also reflects the specific spaces of the building. In the media library, there are creative digital workshops for young and old, or slam poetry for the older ones. For this day, we have brought to Budapest the award-winning films of the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival.”

The music program will kick off with a DJ set by the emblematic Beat on the Brat. In the evening, the program will continue on the terrace of Bistrot français with Boggie's live concert, and close the day with a fierce dance party.

At the language school, visitors can test their French knowledge all day long with a French level test, try out the French Institute's courses in demonstration classes, meet the teachers in person and find out about the international French language exams. The school will also be holding a special enrolment for courses starting in September.