ÉSAD Pyrénées (Pau-Tarbes)

Presentation

ÉSAD Pyrénées is a public higher school of art and design, under the supervision of the Ministère de la Culture, based on two sites: Pau and Tarbes. Born from the merging of the two cities' art schools, it forms a single institution spread across Béarn and Bigorre, giving it a distinctive identity: a human-scale school, anchored in a cross-border territory close to Spain.

Programs and disciplines

The school awards the national diplomas of the art schools network: the DNA (bac+3, licence degree) then the DNSEP (bac+5, master's degree), following a course of study organized around a shared preparatory year.

Teaching is divided between an art track and a design track, with notably a strong focus on graphic design and digital and editorial practices, and a historically recognized center around ceramics and materials, developed on the Tarbes site.

Strengths

• Technical workshops (sculpture, ceramics, publishing, image, digital) and individualized guidance.
• Project-based pedagogy, linked to research and workshops with outside speakers.
• International openness, particularly toward Spain and the Erasmus+ network.

Good to know

Admission to the first year is through an entrance competition (application file and interview) via the art schools procedure; admissions during the course of study are possible through an equivalency committee. It is advisable to check the terms and the options available at each site with the school.