MONTPELLIER CONTEMPORAIN Ecole Supérieure des Beaux -Arts

MoCo ESBA — École supérieure des beaux-arts de Montpellier

The ESBA de Montpellier is a public higher art school, heir to a long tradition of artistic education in the city. Since 2019, it has constituted one of the three components of MoCo (Montpellier Contemporain), an ensemble that also brings together the art centre La Panacée and the Hôtel des collections, a venue for temporary exhibitions.

This configuration is the school's main distinctive feature: students move within an ecosystem where teaching coexists with a programme of international exhibitions, residencies, conferences and curatorial projects. Opportunities to meet guest artists, curators and professionals in the field are frequent there.

Training and teaching

The school prepares students for the DNA (Diplôme National d'Art, bac+3) and then the DNSEP (bac+5), diplomas recognised by the ministère de la Culture and integrated into the European framework (bachelor's/master's). The orientation is that of fine arts in the broad sense, geared towards contemporary creation.

The practices covered include drawing, painting, sculpture and volume, photography, video and moving image, installation, performance, publishing and digital practices. Teaching combines technical workshops, individual project supervision and theoretical courses (art history, aesthetics, English), with significant emphasis placed on the development of a personal approach and professionalisation at the end of the curriculum.

Admission is by entrance competition (application file and interview), via Parcoursup for entry into the first year.