“[…] Others follow you based on the quality of your actions rather than the magnitude of your declarations.”
Bill Walsh
I was recently asked what drives La Boîte in developing projects.
The idea came to me in 2016 during a first trip to a professional music conference. Something touched me deeply; what exactly? I couldn’t tell you.
I just realised that there was room for collaboration between artists of all backgrounds to foster intercultural dialogue and nurture a greater appreciation of the similarities and differences between communities.
La Boîte has evolved a lot since its first project in the Sahara Desert in 2017; however, its mission remains unchanged: to create bridges and “human” projects based on three fundamental principles: culture ↔ exchange ↔ change.
La Boîte has not invented anything – collaborations between artists have always existed on a larger scale and often with much greater means than ours.
Our vision has always been to create projects that go beyond the usual concert experience to focus on the exchange between artists and citizens, with music as a facilitator. We are particularly interested in the rural milieu, which is often overlooked. Cultural players often have the reflex to concentrate their efforts in large urban centres, to the detriment of rural regions.
When we say that La Boîte’s projects are not counted in numbers but in human relations, it means that foremost, we are investing in human potential and in the solidarity of actions in the community with individuals and organisations that share our values. We believe that it is preferable to have touched one person than 2,000 who will leave with an empty heart.
As some of you know, the realization of these projects is not without its pitfalls and sacrifices. I am not ashamed to say that everything that has been achieved since 2016 has been done alongside a full-time job and with a small team. No, it’s not easy and there are often moments of great questioning as to why we are pursuing this adventure. However, when you believe in your mission and values, it becomes easier to continue our operations.
From encounters, we draw our strength; from exchanges, we draw our energy; and from the richness of our multicultural heritage, we draw our desire to continue.
It’s in this spirit that La Boîte continues to work with heart, respect and humanity.