Early Modern · Architecture

Bellecour School

Lyon

Bellecour School is a private higher education institution founded in Lyon in 1937. It offers training in several fields linked to applied arts and digital creation, with specializations in design professions such as architecture and graphic design, animation in 2D and 3D, and video game professions. The school provides programs from Bac+3 to Bac+5.

Its history shows an expansion from applied arts into new creative disciplines. In the 1970s, it opened to fields including graphic design, product design, and interior architecture. At the end of the 1990s, it created a section dedicated to computer graphics and 3D, and in the 2000s it launched an Entertainment Pole focused on animation and video game professions. It was also the first French school to open a Concept Art training program. In 2013, it joined the French network of animation cinema schools (RECA) and the Designers Federation (Fédi).

Map showing the location of Bellecour School in Lyon
Location of Bellecour School in Lyon

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Bellecour School as a Higher Education Institution

Bellecour School, also referred to as Intro, is a private higher education institution founded in 1937 in Lyon. It specializes in training for design professions, including architecture and graphic design, as well as animation professions such as 2D and 3D animation. The school also provides training for video game professions. Its programs cover several levels of study, ranging from Bac+3 to Bac+5. This range of courses reflects its focus on professional preparation in creative and digital fields.

Expansion of Programs in Applied Arts and Design

Bellecour School broadened its scope in the 1970s by opening to all fields of applied arts and design, including graphic design, product design, and interior architecture. At the end of the 1990s, it created a section dedicated to computer graphics and 3D. In the 2000s, the school launched an Entertainment Pole focused on animation and video game professions. It was also the first French school to open a Concept Art training program. In 2013, Histoire joined the French network of animation cinema schools (RECA) and the Designers Federation (Fedi). At the end of 2019, it joined a group.

Recognition and Creative Ranking

Bellecour School has received notable recognition for the work of its students. At the Ganuta 2012 contest, the school won the public prize for Monsterbox and also won the public prize for Destiny. In 2023, Bellecour School was ranked 5th in The Rookies Top 50 most creative schools. These results point to the school’s visibility in creative competitions and its standing among other creative institutions.

Public Criticism and Media Coverage

Bellecour School has appeared in media coverage linked to criticism of conditions in video game schools. In 2021, Polmiques contributed to Libération and Gamekult on the subject and published three articles denouncing overwork culture, sexism, racism, sexual violence, and amateurism in several institutions, including Bellecour Ecole. In 2022, Polmiques also reported on Claire Marchal's investigative book Le Cube, which examined abuses at Galileo Global Education. The same year, it covered Thibault Catimel's denunciation in Tribune de Lyon of staff shortages and a lack of student support at Bellecour Ecole.