I N I T I A T I V E

The notion of a gathering focused on entertainment and the sharing of ideas is that of one from history. Long ago, Parisian salons were a popular trend of which to be a part and presented art-focused entertainment to bring about inspiration and enlightenment. Bonnie Calhoun discusses this further in her “Shaping the Public Sphere: English Coffeehouses and French Salons and the Age of Enlightenment”:

 

 

                          …the salons truly began with the establishment of
                            Madame Rambouillet’s salon, known as “le Chambre Bleu”
                            (the Blue Room), in 1618. This salon, created as an escape
                            from the shallow and rigid court life, was dedicated to
                            refined entertainment such as singing, reciting, and of course,
                            talking…Madame Rambouillet’s model was quickly copied
                            and she was followed by a line of great hostesses that held
                            increasingly serious and intellectual salons” (Calhoun 76).

 

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 Calhoun says here that salons became “increasingly serious and intellectual” (Calhoun). The Arts& Initiative salon will provide both the flavor of entertainment and the stimulating atmosphere of intellectual discussion. In this way, the French salon of the past is recreated to form a space that is structured enough to enable intense brainstorming while also allowing for a relaxed, free-to-be-messy, creative atmosphere.