Student life

Starting at the school

Orientation days

At the start of the academic year, Villa Arson holds orientation days to provide information and allow students to meet key figures active in student life: the teams from UniCArts, Civic Commitment, UniCA’s university health and sports departments, the football club Arson Villa, and so on. It’s also a chance to find out more about mentoring and support for student-led initiatives.

There are three training sessions during this time: the prevention of discrimination and sexist and sexual violence; the prevention of fire and handling fire extinguishers; and the prevention of chemical risks. Also on the agenda, a visit of the Villa Arson site to discover its history, the architectural project created by Michel Marot (1926–2021) and on-site plant conservation. This visit is organized by Patrice Lorho, the resident gardener, who is also responsible for the conservation and development of the Villa Arson site, and Christelle Alin, in charge of visitor resources and student life.

Induction trip

For 1st year students, an induction trip is organized for the whole cohort at the start of the program, led by members of the teaching and administrative teams. The trip runs for three to four days (the most recent destinations have been Venice, Milan and Turin) and features a number of visits and artist encounters. Transport, accommodation and visits are all included, with a €75 contribution to expenses required at the time of registration.

Getting involved with student life

EVA – Villa Arson student association

The association EVA organises an arts and culture events program and can support student initiatives seeking financing from the Université Côte d’Azur.

Supporting student-led initiatives and new forms of collective engagement

Villa Arson supports student initiatives with a collective scope. This might involve projects that work towards creating a more inclusive establishment, promote sustainable development or improve daily life at the school. It might also mean organising events programs.

The support can take several forms (financial, technical, skills-based) and is discussed during each sitting of the CRPVE (Commission Recherche Pédagogie Vie Etudiante).

Civic commitment and solidarity (free ECTS credits)

Participate in Villa Arson’s Equal Opportunites programs

Villa Arson is a partner of the Fondation Culture & Diversité’s Equal Opportunities program in art and design schools, and the schemes Les Cordées de la réussite and UCAJedi. The goal is to support secondary school students from disadvantaged backgrounds who wish to find out about higher education in the arts.

Participate in UCA’s civic commitment initiative

At the start of each term, the Engagement Center platform publishes a list of social missions on various themes including tutoring; running social, sporting and cultural activities for young people in difficulty in Nice; helping the disadvantaged through the Café Suspendu association in Nice; getting involved in a “third place” for ecological transition and solidarity; participating in family planning missions with young people on the “Gender and Sexual Health” program, etc.

Be a class delegate

At the start of the year, students designate two delegates for their year, who act as mediators between students, the teaching staff and the school administration.

Participate in the school’s governance and consultation bodies

Be elected as a student representative on the CRPVE (Commission de la recherche, de la pédagogie et de la vie étudiante). Three student representatives are elected.
Be elected as a student representative on the Board of Directors. Two student representatives (and two substitutes) are elected.

Working at Villa Arson during your studies

Tutor other students at the school

The aim is to introduce those who can contribute their experience, knowledge and skills to other students in need of help, support or guidance with their course.

There are two types of tutoring: long-term (2 to 4 hours a week) or one-off (from 3 to 6 hours per assignment), and remuneration is set at the national minimum hourly wage.

For exhibitions

trois personnes sur deux échelles accrochent des dessins

Join the production crew

équipe de médiateurs portant un sweat-shirt réalisé par les artistes-commissaires

Join the outreach team

For workshops

Become a monitor for one of the school workshops (wood, metal, painting). A call for applications is sent out to all @villa-arson.school email addresses at the start of the school year.

Dining and accommodation

Dining

La Cafet Arson

The Villa Arson café offers meals for €4.50, or €2 for scholarship students. It opens for breakfast from 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., and for lunch from midday to 1.30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Near Villa Arson

Resto U Montebello on the Campus Valrose (tram stop Valrose)

Student residences

The school has 20 student rooms available, which are allocated on the basis of social criteria and/or distance by a committee.

Information on how to apply for accommodation is sent to all @villa-arson.school e-mail addresses at the end of the academic year for the following academic year.

Culture, sport and health

Université Côte d’azur

Villa Arson is an autonomous body within the Université Côte d’Azur, and students benefit from all the university’s services dedicated to student life in the fields of culture, sports and health.

Arson Villa Football Club

Arson Villa FC is the school’s mixed football side comprising students and staff members. There are weekly training sessions and occasional Olympics. #fc_arson_villa

BAPU (Bureau d’Aide Psychologique Universitaire)

A BAPU psychologist is on duty every week at Villa Arson. Sessions are individual and confidential. Students can go directly to the office (the door will be open when the psychologist is free) or make an appointment by sending an e-mail to: permanences@bapunice.org.

There is no charge, and no documents need to be provided prior to the consultation.

For further information, contact the BAPU administrative office on: 04 93 87 72 78.

Local culture guide

Culture/UCArts Direction de la culture de l’Université Côte d’Azur
https://www.instagram.com/uca_culture/
https://univ-cotedazur.fr/culture
https://www.facebook.com/ucaculture

Botox(s) Réseau d’art contemporain Alpes & Riviera reunites thirty or so venues committed to the production and dissemination of contemporary art.
botoxs.fr/les-lieux/

DE L’ART Agenda of contemporary art on the Côte d’Azur
de-lart.org

Le MAMAC
mamac-nice.org/fr/

Le NMNM
nmnm.mc/

L’Espace de l’art Concret
espacedelartconcret.fr/

National Museums of the Côte d’Azur
musees-nationaux-alpesmaritimes.fr/

La fondation Maeght
fondation-maeght.com/

Le 109
le109.nice.fr/

La Station
lastation.org/

Museums and galleries of the City of Nice
nice.fr/fr/culture/musees-et-galeries

Théâtre national de Nice
tnn.fr/fr/

Anthéa (Antibes)
anthea-antibes.fr/fr/#modal

TDG (Grasse)
theatredegrasse.com/