Le Centre national du costume et de la scène

Abstract

Since it was opened in 2006, the collections of the Centre national du costume et de la scène (CNCS) are regularly added to, thanks in particular to donations made by theatre companies, by artists, by theatres and by other professionals or individuals involved in the performing arts. At the heart of its missions, acquisition policies are a crucial issue then for this young institution which is often offered voluminous collections. How to choose amongst the collections offered? What selection criteria? Which costumes should be kept, and why? Based on an assessment of several years’ experience, this article proposes an analysis of the ways in which the collection has been built up, thanks to the establishment of processes and methods that are specific to the acquisition policy defined by the CNCS.

Keywords

• collections
• stage costumes
• acquisitions
• donations
• Centre national du costume et de la scène (CNCS)