About the Festival

"Crossing the Line dismantles labels by rendering them meaningless. No art form is the star: ideas are"
—The New York Times

"There are all sorts of arts festivals, but the French Institute Alliance Française's annual Crossing the Line has carved out a particular identity as an invigorating, unpredictable, occasionally provocative mix of genres and disciplines. This year's edition, the fifth, opened on Saturday, and as a start to the crowded fall performance season it's the artistic equivalent of a splash of cold water on the face."—The New York Times (2011)

"Part of the charm of Crossing the Line is that it is always a touch more playful than esoteric.”
—The New York Times

“One of the most exciting festivals to hit New York in years”—Time Out New York

Crossing the Line is conceived as a platform to present
vibrant new developments in artistic practices on both
sides of the Atlantic. It is initiated, conceived, and produced by the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in partnership with leading New York cultural institutions.

This fifth edition of Crossing the Line presents diverse and dynamic new work from significant artists who are revolutionizing artistic practices on both sides of the Atlantic. The Festival takes you from Central Park and Museum Mile to an historic Gilded Age-era mansion, as well as to some of the city's most notable arts venues. Curated around three principal program perspectives—Fiction & Non-Fiction; Lecture/Performance series; and Endurance/Resistance/Inspiration—the Festival invites you to re-imagine your world.

Crossing the Line 2011 is co-curated by Lili Chopra, FIAF Artistic Director, and Simon Dove, Director, Herberger Institute School of Dance, Arizona State University.

Commissions, Residencies & Partnerships
A critical component of Crossing the Line is the on-going support the Festival offers artists through an active commissioning program and by facilitating residencies in New York and France.

CTL Commissions
Kimberly Bartosik, Maria Hassabi, Marie Losier, Roderick Murray, Prune Nourry, Soundwalk Collective, and Nick van Woert.

CTL Production Residencies
Kimberly Bartosik at CCNFC Belfort (France) and Herberger Institute School of Dance at Arizona State University; Raimund Hoghe at Baryshnikov Arts Center; and Joris Lacoste in NYC.

CTL Partnership with 972, the Cultural Services
of the French Embassy
FIAF is delighted to partner with 972, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy on Crossing the Line 2011. The Festival's Opening Day is only possible because of their enthusiastic support and their generous offer to open their building to CTL artists.

CTL Partnerships in Education
The curators of CTL worked with Gideon Lester in the Multi-Arts Incubator at Columbia University's School of the Arts in spring 2011 to develop a project with MFA students from across artistic disciplines. The project explored the history, geography, and anthropology of New York's Museum Mile and will be realized as part of the CTL 2011 Opening Day on Saturday, September 17 at 972 Fifth Avenue, Cultural Services of the French Embassy.

Partnership with Biennale de Paris
Crossing the Line this year partners with the Biennale de Paris (Sept 24–Oct 4), launched in 1959 by André Malraux with the purpose of creating a meeting place for those who would define the art of the future. After a hiatus of several years, the Biennale was relaunched by Alexandre Gurita. The Biennale refuses to participate in today's conventional art world. By mixing up genres, exploiting the porosity of frontiers, and practicing the redistribution of roles, the Biennale de Paris allows art to appear precisely where it's not expected. Participants in the NYC edition: Karen Atkinson, Marek Bartelik, Nancy Barton, Bernard Brunon, Isabelle de Maison Rouge, Jean-Baptiste Farkas, Jazon Frings, Alexandre Gurita, Caroline Keppi-Gurita, Tai Kim, Auguste Legrand, André Éric Létourneau, Ghislain Mollet- Viéville, Robert Storr, Emily Zimmerman.
Visit biennaledeparis.org for more info.