Clos de Gaye
Extraordinary experiences where the world comes together for impact
Welcome to Clos de Gaye, a unique and special place in the far southwest of France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, close to the border of Spain and the stunning Basque coast.
Clos de Gaye (pronounced ‘guy’) means ‘Place of Happiness’ and it is at once a private home, a residential retreat, a creative and artistic workspace, organic farm, community kitchen, restaurant and tea house, and a convening ground for global leaders, artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and all those charged with the care and governance of our planet. Think of it as the meeting point between the Bloomsbury set’s Charleston and Camp David. It is a place to stay, to play, to share and to transform our world.
The spirit of Clos de Gaye is one of contribution, generosity and accountability. Those that have a seat of the table have arrived there through hard work and a genuine desire to be of service to the world. Time spent here is for you to reflect on what has been achieved so far and to be a springboard into future leadership and the continued desire to be a force for good in the world.
Deep in the heart of the French countryside, embedded in the ‘old world’ rises a new way of thinking about the future. The best of European heritage, beauty and aesthetic, with interiors from all over the world, reflecting our founder’s upbringing in Asia, and bringing energy, dynamism and a sense of inclusion of the new world.
An opportunity to reclaim the very best of European culture and values, with a renewed way of thinking about its relationship with the rest of the world, restoring humanity to everyone.
When the show ends, what begins?
The International Festival for the Arts and Social Change seeks to showcase and promote artistic work that aims to uplift and inspire individuals and communities to build a better world.
All programming is based on the idea that each performance or piece of work should be designed around the central question: When the show ends, what begins?
We seek to explore the question of how theatre, music and the arts more broadly can inspire, provoke, debate, elevate and uplift individuals and communities to build a better world. We believe that when thought moves, action happens. We use the pillars of AWE, TRANSFORMATION and IMPACT as the guiding principles of our work and to make curatorial choices in the work we promote.
International Festival for the Arts and Social Change
Summer Camps for Youth
Transformational Retreats for Adults
Inspirational Performance Programme
Stunning views over the Pyrénées
Residency Programme
An opportunity to not only take time to develop your own artistic practise in the stunning backdrop of the Pyrénées, but to understand the unique and urgent role that artists play in reshaping our world and leading others towards more transformative approaches to change. Our programmes support artists to maximise the impact of their work, build a portfolio career that enables them to blend their unique skills into work that can be of service in the world, whilst also being financially sustainable. We have a particular, though not exclusive, focus on supporting women artists and those from the emerging world.
Leadership Retreats
Are you looking for a retreat to bring together your team to develop their leadership skills? Or perhaps you are keen to find a unique teambuilding opportunity for you and your teams? Or maybe you are a leader looking for the opportunity to write a book, learn something new, or come together in community with others to reflect on your journey so far and where you are going to next?
We offer half and full-day retreats, residential programmes and leadership development trainings, in partnership with The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership.
Our space is also available to your organisation for your own learning and development opportunities.
Global Explorers Programme
We run a unique global leadership programme for young people from the ages of 5 - 18, each Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings, on the Clos de Gaye estate. Based on the pioneering work of Harvard professor Fernando Reimers and his Global Citizens curriculum, we use participation in arts, culture, creativity and immersion in nature to help children and young people learn leadership, language skills, foster their emotional and social learning, and become good stewards of nature for the benefit of the world.
Taking advantage of the space available to us on the Clos de Gaye estate, Global Explorers is a wonderful way to learn English and other languages, by giving participants a natural way to be immersed in the language and use it in a real-world way. But Global Explorers is not just for non-native speakers, it’s a way to also learn the 21st century skills that are highly sought after by employers and to ensure that our children are equipped to cope with the threats of AI, climate change, conflict and geopolitical issues. It is a commitment to empower our children with the skills they will need to navigate a complex and uncertain future with confidence, vision and a firm belief that they can be agents for change in their lives, their communities, and the world.
Global Explorers is also a great choice for parents looking to supplement more traditional schooling methods with more creative, innovative pedagogies more commonly found in the private school system, to ensure their children get the best of both worlds at a fraction of the cost!
The language of instruction is mainly English, but we also incorporate facilitators with a background in Chinese, Spanish and Arabic, and other world languages, to ensure your children become confident, open-minded and culturally-aware multi-linguists to navigate a global future!
Whether you are local or global, there is something for everyone at Clos de Gaye
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