Friends of Reigny Abbey

Association of

Association of Friends of Reigny Abbey

Founded in July 2005, and recognized as an association of general interest in October of the same year, the Association des Amis de l’Abbaye de Reigny (AAR)(AAR), which today boasts some one hundred members, brings together all those who wish to contribute to the preservation and renown of Notre Dame de Reigny, a fine example of Cistercian architecture.

The “Amis de l’Abbaye de Reigny” association, an organization totally independent of the owners of the Reigny estate, is all the more effective as donations and memberships multiply. The more active the association, the greater the number of new members it will be able to demonstrate its professionalism through the cultural activities it develops and its participation in studies on the preservation of the architectural and environmental heritage represented by the abbey estate.

The associative project it has set up was born of the owners’ desire to create a structure for cultural action, to enhance the abbey by promoting encounters between artists from the French-speaking world and the public.

The aim is to promote the architectural, archaeological, rural, industrial and environmental heritage of the Abbey of Reigny and to facilitate access to culture.

In several of its aspects, the associative project has structuring functions in the field of the art of storytelling and music, as well as in the field of heritage in the Yonne region. It has outreach and proximity functions for most of the events it implements.

It is designed to benefit from contributions from various institutional partners (French government, Conseil régional, Conseil général, Communauté des communes entre Cure et Yonne, Commune de Vermenton, etc.).

The associative project is :

Multi-actor, it associates partnerships with local authorities, civil society and companies.
Multi-sector (heritage, architecture, reading, performing arts, visual arts, scientific culture…).
Creating links between the fields of culture, education and training to rural economic development through tourism.
Promoter of the quality of culture in all its diversity.

It allows:

A work on the valorization and development of the local potential.
Promotion of values related to cultural diversity.
Actions aimed at a wide range of audiences, especially young people

The usual actions of the association are :

Event organization: volunteer workcamps to restore and enhance the historical and archaeological site of Reigny Abbey, exhibitions, conferences, symposia, study trips, festivals, concerts, shows and other artistic, cultural, scientific and technical events.
The publication and distribution of books, films and any other documents and works on existing or future tangible and intangible media.
Enhancing the built heritage and gardens ofReigny Abbey.
Other actions contributing directly or indirectly to the realization of the social and cultural object of the Association.

These activities are intended to be carried out in partnership with public or private, national or foreign organizations.