Step behind the curtain and discover the craftspeople who create the magic of performance, through costumes, sets, illusions and specialist skills.
About this event in the Jura in Ravilloles
‘Behind the Scenes in the Spotlight’: Craftsmanship in the service of performance Exhibition at Atelier des savoir-faire – from 4 April to 31 October 2026
Step through the curtain and enter a world rarely shown: that of the craftspeople who create the magic of performance. Often working in the shadows, these skilled artisans are nevertheless essential: their creations bring characters to life, transform materials into emotion and make theatre, opera, cinema…
and even the funfair possible. Throughout your visit, you will discover unique pieces, remarkable skills and fascinating trades. Above all, you will understand that nothing on stage is left to chance.
Craftsmanship in the service of performance
In the intimacy of the dressing rooms, the transformation begins, and you are already immersed in life backstage. You enter the distinctive world of prop maker Sylvie Châtillon, whose work is discreet but essential to the stage. With her keen eye and attention to detail, she brings to life the objects that accompany the actors and play a part in the unfolding story.
Gradually, the two sides of performance are revealed: the show on stage and, behind the curtain, the bustle of those who create the magic. Continue your visit into the world of Sacha Patel, architect and scenographer, where plans, forms and models tell the story of how performance buildings come into being.
A little further on, you pass beneath a giant rainbow to enter the world of La Chignole, a workshop where wood and metal meet to give shape to sets. Discover too the gold embroidery of Camille Châteauminois and the paintings of Juliette Ritter, which play with colours and trompe-l’œil to create sets and illusions.
Light takes over with works by Mylène Billand, master glass artist and puppeteer, whose stained glass and dioramas become fully fledged sets, ready to welcome puppets and stories. Directly opposite, you can admire the precise work of Cécile Larue, a wig maker for live performance, cinema and opera, whose headpieces and wigs alone evoke an era, a character, a story.
Completing this transformation, pieces from La Chapellerie – atelier musée du chapeau, made for cinema, show that a hat is never just an accessory. It asserts an identity, a stance, an era! As you move on, you enter the fascinating world of illusion, with make-up and special effects presented by Backstage Dijon.
They reveal the secrets of spectacular transformations: ageing a face, creating a wound, inventing a character.
The exhibition also shines a light on local organisations and talent from the Jura. Street theatre company Lauconne en scène reveals bespoke costumes inspired by bygone eras and futuristic worlds, displayed in a setting specially designed for the exhibition. Halfway through, a break awaits: take a seat in the cinema chairs to discover a short animated film born of a collaboration between two young creators, Karl Girard for the music and Hyppolite Cupillard for the drawing and screenplay.
The show continues in the joyful world of the funfair with creations by carousel maker Francisque Bailly-Cochet, where wood, metal and mechanics tell a story of movement, wonder and the timeless magic that keeps rides turning… and heads too.
Highlights accompanying the exhibition
To explore further, guided tours of the exhibition are offered every Wednesday at 2pm during the April holidays, in July and August, and during the October holidays. Accompanied by a guide from Atelier des savoir-faire, you are invited to take time to observe the works, understand the techniques, materials and trades presented, and appreciate the subtle connections between craftsmanship and performance.
Other activities, encounters and highlights will be offered throughout the exhibition.