Pop Up, an artistic treasure hunt

An international collaboration by the Tours Soundpainting Orchestra (Tours, Fr.) and Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble (New York City, NY).

POP UP is an artistic treasure hunt. The public is guided to a series of 15-20 site-specific performances via poetic clues on a hand-painted map. Over the course of 2-3 days, performances pop-up on the street, in windows, parks, plazas and businesses throughout one neighborhood. Inspired by interviews with local residents and business owners about that neighborhood, short pieces of music, theater, dance and visual art are sculpted through a universal live-composing sign language called Soundpainting.

POP UP brings to life the unique history and essence of a neighborhood by highlighting its everyday spaces and amplifying the stories of the local community.

A french-american show created by the Tours Soundpainting Orchestra (Tours, Fr.) and Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble (New York City, NY) supported by :



Graphic Designer : Louise GUILLERMET
Web Designer : Pierre-Adrien THEO
Illustrator : Julien RODRIGUEZ
Photography : Guillaume LE BAUBE (Pop Up, Tours),
Antoine AUPETIT/Orange Platine (Pop Up, Angers)

In 2015, Angélique Cormier invited Strike Anywhere to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the T.S.O., through an experience in a street, called «Des Rue Colbert », in Tours. That project was the origin of POP UP. Angélique Cormier conducted a series of interviews during several months along this street, and then made a selection of the top stories, words, and impressions. She then shared part of this poetic material with Strike Anywhere.

Both companies prepared 17 performances, based on these interviews. For three days, Rue Colbert came alive with brief, improvised and unexpected performances. Composing the performance was such a joy; and the experience was successful and inspiring for both the local community and the POP UP team

Bolstered by the success, the Franco-American team decided to take the idea further.

In 2016, Pop Up was awarded the "Ecrire Pour La Rue" grant by the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD).
« Pop Up » has also received support from the French Ministry of Culture, Drac Centre, Région Centre, Département Indre-et-Loire, Lieux Publics (Marseille) and the Pôle Arts & Urbanisme (pOlau).