ENCATC Members Talks - What are the digital challenges and opportunities for future ECOC’s cities?

Pascal develops and leads innovative projects crossed between culture, society, education and economy.

Director of theater, festivals and projects, he initiated the CECN a cross-border institute of culture and technology in Mons (Belgium) -Maubeuge (France) from 2004 to 2012, training 400 professionals per year and welcoming 20 companies per year, and directed the Belgian part of the VIA International Festival created by Didier Fusillier.

In Avignon, he founded in 2001 La Manufacture Collectif Contemporain, the main venue for contemporary theater, performances, dance and hybrid forms at the Avignon Off festival, 35,000 spectators and 15,000 professional tickets, with more than 20,000 spectators in a difficult suburb, Saint- Chamand, one of the poorest neighborhoods in France, with participatory governance, inclusive strategies, skills development for residents and a focus on diversity.

As artistic curator, Pascal designed and directed in 2010 the artistic and digital exhibitions of the Belgian pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, the pavilion totaled 5 million visitors. Pascal was a key and lead person in Belgium in the process and the candidacy of the Mons 2015 European Capital of Culture project. He co-led the presentations in front of the jury of the European Commission and the team was awarded the Melina Mercouri price thanks to the high quality and innovative approach of the bid.

He thought up the digital program of the capital year, which was the theme of the project. He has led disruptive and participatory projects like Café Europa and Street Review. He promotes what he calls "warm technology": projects that have a massive impact on the audience, raise skills and challenge or hijack the traditional use of digital.

In 2017, Pascal designed the digital museum of La Villette for 8 French national museums (Le Louvre, Center Pompidou, Versailles ...) in an original scenography, this flagship project of the French Ministry of Culture is now in national and international deployment (more than 150 digital museums in France and around the world - more than 20 countries - to date).

He is a member of the coordinating committee of the STARTS Residencies program of the European Commission bringing together artists in the most advanced innovation laboratories in Europe, and has a strong European commitment. Pascal has been teaching culture and digital society at the University of Avignon since 2014 and has been a guest speaker at SXSW (European Commission), NYSU among others. He is frequently invited by the European Parliament and the European Commission.