People attending Conservatories in Paris

The first part of the study gives a quantitative analysis based on conservatory activity data. Paris has 17 district conservatories, one in each district, as well as one regional conservatory. At the beginning of the 2023 academic year, these facilities had more than 22,500 places filled. The Conservatory Reform implemented in 2016 resulted in an increase in the number of places available and encouraged the development of outreach activities. This led to a total of 37,000 young Parisians being enrolled both independently and through schools, who benefited from conservatory courses in that single year. The courses on offer were reconsidered as well as the fees, with the abundant range of artistic education available in Paris (315 private schools and non-profit associations listed) plus those proposed in other areas of the Greater Paris - Grand Paris - (Est Ensemble and Grand Paris Seine Ouest) and in other cities in France. In terms of the profile of students and their families, the analysis shows that the majority of students enrolled are female (62% are girls), particularly in dance and theatre, and the average age is 14. Over 6 out of 10 students go to their local conservatory (64%), underlining the strong local connection to these facilities. Families are well represented in the study according to their income level, enabling the link to be made with the inexpensive and very progressive fees of Parisian conservatories.

The second part of the study takes an in-depth  looks at the qualitative aspects of disciplines taught and the expectations of people attending conservatories, based on a questionnaire survey which  2,412 people responded to. In addition, some twenty interviews and monographic analyses were carried out in four conservatories by a group of students from Paris 8. The results show a very high level of satisfaction among people going to conservatories, particularly concerning the specialised subjects taught and the teaching methods. Artistic and cultural education programmes are also much appreciated and play an important role in the democratisation of artistic practices in conservatories. However, certain representations and preconceptions remain, such as the elitist and professionalising nature of what conservatoires offer. Herein lies the paradox of the rigorous discipline demanded by what is taught in conservatories, which is both endured and sought by families. Those surveyed were invited to suggest areas for improvements. In their feedback, they evoked the need for information about the range of courses available, improved enrolment procedures and students' study programmes, with more consideration taken of families' constraints in terms of timetables and the organisation of work spaces, more collective practise and artistic and cultural schemes as well as the range of courses available for adults being developed.