For over 25 years the BNP Paribas Foundation and the Montpellier Dance Festival have both supported choreographers from France and other countries, sharing a common spirit of discovery and a commitment to excellence

. Their many exchanges gave birth to the idea of a more permanent collaboration, leading the BNP Paribas Foundation to become a sponsor of the Montpellier Dance Festival in 2012, providing support for a residency programme that has already welcomed 19 artists.

This artistic convergence between the two institutions comes into sharp focus this year, when three artists supported by the Foundation – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Emanuel Gat and Alonzo King – will be featured at the 34th of edition of Montpellier Danse
. Thanks to support from the Foundation since 2012, prolific choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui has created several new works. The most recent piece, 生长genesis, a collaboration with Chinese artist Yabin Wang, is being performed at Montpellier Danse this year. Emanuel Gat has received support from the Foundation since he came to France in 2008. Following the UpcloseUp project, which he created as associate choreographer at the Montpellier Dance Festival in 2013, Emanuel Gat will unveil a new work this year entitled Plage Romantique. Alonzo King, whose LINES Ballet Company celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2013, is the sole American choreographer sponsored by the BNP Paribas Foundation. He will present three pieces at Montpellier Danse: Concerto for Two Violins, Quintet and Resin.

The BNP Paribas Foundation is one of the rare corporate philanthropists to provide support for choreographers. The Foundation provides grants for production of new works and supports both tours and residencies for artists to encourage the development and awareness of contemporary creativity, joined by other institutional partners. In addition to support for many leading choreographers, the BNP Paribas Foundation has for 14 years been very active in supporting contemporary circus artists.

A longstanding corporate philanthropy partner of the Maison de la Danse and the Centre National de la Danse, the BNP Paribas Foundation joined these two leading institutions to help create and develop numeridanse.tv, an international video library of dance, available online. In 2012, the Foundation began providing support for the Montpellier Dance Festival, one of the leading crossroads for dance in France and Europe. The BNP Paribas Foundation is also a partner of the Avignon Festival, providing support for young talent, and will sponsor the first edition of the Biennale Internationale des Arts du

Cirque (Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur) in 2015.