Initiated by the Hauts-de-Seine Department, the JAD—Jardin des métiers d’Art et du Design in Sèvres (92)—which opened in September 2022, is a space dedicated to the fusion of craftsmanship and design.
It currently hosts twenty creators selected for their exceptional craftsmanship and their shared desire to undertake collaborative projects. Within the JAD, they benefit from an environment and resources conducive to their activities, both individual and collective. The JAD is conceived as a melting pot that fosters learning and “mutual enrichment” through the sharing of knowledge, practices, and experimentation.
This “hands-on” approach is also offered to the general public. Through its cultural programming accessible to all (exhibitions, meetings and conferences, introductory workshops, etc.), the JAD establishes itself as a cultural venue committed to highlighting and passing on the know-how of the arts and design professions.
A true resource center for all professionals, it features a MakerLab: a space providing access to machinery and expertise. It also hosts CPF-certified training programs and offers opportunities for its creators to meet with local professionals.
Reflecting the commitment of the Hauts-de-Seine Department, the JAD is a place where innovation, creation, and knowledge-sharing converge to serve both professionals and the general public.
Raise awareness, share knowledge
Located in the historic buildings of the former École Nationale de Céramique de Sèvres and continuing the role once assigned to it, the JAD is now a space for discovery, inspiration, sharing, and knowledge transfer.
Due to its history, which is closely linked to the Sèvres Manufactory, and through its current project, the Jardin des métiers d’Art et du Design represents a unique place dedicated to the creation and fusion of exceptional craftsmanship.
Outreach is based on encounters, experimentation, and creative practice. In accordance with the 100% EAC charter and the three pillars of EAC (encounter-practice-knowledge), the JAD offers a variety of educational activities, such as tours, workshops, and meetings, co-developed with professionals and led by creators and facilitators. By leveraging its various resources, such as the gallery, the MakerLab, and the workshops, these activities aim to introduce participants to the arts and crafts and design, while addressing the contemporary issues that shape them.
Visitor Policies and Guidelines
Whether you’re part of a general public group, a school group, or a social and community organization, the JAD welcomes you during designated time slots, Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A variety of educational activities are offered to support exploration and learning about master craftsmanship, arts and crafts, design, contemporary creation, and social and artistic issues affecting the community.
These activities are designed in conjunction with specific artistic projects and are based on direct engagement with creators, their works, the tools they use, and the ideas that guide them. They are also aligned with the JAD’s programming for exhibitions, the European Artistic Crafts Days (JEMA), the European Heritage Days (JEP), and more.
Our activities:
- Meet Our Residents
- Tour of the MakerLab
- Guided tours of the exhibitions
- Creative Workshops
- Arts and Cultural Education Project
Beneficiaries:
- Adult group (club, company, etc.)
- Secondary education (middle school and high school, technical and vocational education)
- Higher education and after-school institution
- Recreation Center
- Cultural, educational, and social programs for underserved populations and people with disabilities
Arts and Cultural Education Programs (ACE)
The JAD offers a comprehensive range of educational activities and participates in extracurricular activities (EAC) and training programs organized by the academic districts of the Île-de-France region.
The JAD's proposals can therefore be incorporated into various types of projects:
1/ One-time visits, either standard or enhanced with a workshop or meeting
2/ Building partnerships over the long term (annual and multi-year projects, CHAAP classes, etc.)
3/ Calls for proposals:
ACTE projects focusing on the skills practiced by the creators of the JAD
Call for Projects: Discovering the Arts and Crafts
In addition to JEMA, JAD is a partner in the national program for school groups called “Discovering the Arts and Crafts.”
"Discovering the Arts and Crafts" (ADMA) is a program launched by the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Institute for French Craftsmanship, designed for students in 8th and 9th grade or vocational high school. The program aims to carry forward the mission of passing on knowledge and inspiring younger generations, while also fostering the vitality of professionals in the arts and crafts sector and the companies they represent.
The JAD offers classes enrolled in this program the opportunity to learn about its role as a cultural institution, meet with an artisan, and participate in a hands-on workshop. In 2026, between March 31 and April 3, it hosted three classes, each of which participated in an experiential program exploring materials and craftsmanship involving paper, textiles, clay, and light: a tour of the MakerLab, a meeting with a designer, and a hands-on art workshop.
Visit the ADAGE platform for more information.
"Food for Thought" Excellence Program (by application)
"Matière à penser" is an Arts and Cultural Education program based on a partnership between the Grands Ateliers de France, the JAD, the MAD, and the Versailles Regional Education Authority. It is designed for Cycle 4 students who have limited exposure to certain forms of art and culture, particularly the arts and crafts. The program, based on collaboration, offers teaching teams the opportunity to develop unique projects over two years that contribute to student success and equal opportunities.
This program combines hands-on work with materials and conceptual research within a transdisciplinary educational framework, through engagement with works of art and practical collaboration with craft artists.
Visit the ADAGE platform for more information, and check out the page dedicated to this program.
As part of the development of these projects, the JAD serves as a resource center for teacher training. Check out the EAFC resources available in your school district.
Some projects carried out in 2025–2026
At school: Two first-grade and first-grade-special education classes in Magny-les-Hameaux are working with Héléna Guy Lhomme on the “Le Livre infini” project. The project aims to explore with the students the connection between wool—a living material that carries memories—and the freedoms inherited from the sacrifices of the past. This is a multidisciplinary project that deepens moral and civic education, with the participation of elected officials, veterans, and families. The book is presented during the May 8 ceremony. The dialogue between personal and collective memory is at the heart of the project, complemented by the creation of a memory box kept by the students.
At Youri Gagarine Middle School in Trappes, 9th-grade students are participating with Marion Gouez in the ACTE project “Trames sensibles.” This project aims to introduce students to the arts and crafts related to weaving, thread, and fiber through a sensory, hands-on, and cultural approach. Students explore the world of textiles through field trips, meetings with artisans, and hands-on creative workshops. The project combines art history, textile design, artisanal techniques, and visual expression around the themes of thread, pattern, and the transmission of knowledge.
At the Camille Claudel vocational high school in Vauréal, as part of the ACTE project—“Urban Resources: Discarded Materials, Sustainable Creations”—the Jardin des métiers d’Art et du Design (JAD) offered students opportunities to explore the skills involved in design and the arts and crafts. Guided by Lucie Ponard, a designer and ceramicist based at the JAD, the students explored issues related to sustainable creation, particularly the recovery and repurposing of local waste materials through artistic and innovative approaches.
At Gustave Monod High School, as part of the ACTE project “A World to Read,” the Jardin des métiers d’Art et du Design (JAD) offered students a guided tour of the “Horizon” exhibition, a meeting with Marie Levoyet, a tour of the MakerLab, and a workshop exploring pop-up techniques, which will be repurposed to create pop-up books on display at the high school in Enghien-les-Bains in March and April 2026.
At Le Corbusier High School in Poissy, students in the STD2A program explored the theme of “low-tech” to create, under the guidance of Anne Agbadou-Masson, a ceramic object that operates without electricity and can be used to preserve food, cook food, collect rainwater for drinking, and recycle organic waste.
In higher education: The project “Sensitive Landscape – Through the Eyes of a Designer-Artisan” offers DNMADE students at the Institut Sainte-Geneviève in Paris an exploration of the themes of landscape and gardens through a poetic and sensitive approach, examining the gaze, the gesture, collaborative creation, and the transmission of craftsmanship. It will culminate in the creation of an immersive installation combining visual art, video works, and audio and sensory installations, informed by interviews and discussions with artisans throughout the project.
Educational resources
ADMA Platform
Discover all the JAD creators on the educational platform for the“À la Découverte des Métiers d’Art”arts and crafts education program, led by the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
Educational resources on traditional crafts and living heritage
Committed to working with schools to promote education and career guidance in the arts and crafts, the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français has developed two educational resources for teachers and school administrators who wish to generate interest in the arts and crafts and introduce these skills to their students: one intended for teachers in Cycle 3 (4th, 5th, and 6th grades), and the other for teachers in Cycle 4 (7th, 8th, and 9th grades).
Bookmaking, earthenware, paper, art restoration, textiles, furniture, heritage restoration, automotive… these are just some of the sectors these resources aim to introduce to young people to guide them and show them that other paths offer a promising and meaningful future.
Bythe Institute for French Craftsmanship
Educational Workbook: "Discovering Hands-On Careers"
The workbook *"I Discover Hands-On Trades"*, launched by the association * "De l’or dans les mains "* in partnership with Onisep and the French Ministries of Culture and National Education, aims to introduce the next generation to hands-on trades, using their own unique language.
YouTube
Reflecting the research and collaborative projects underway at the JAD, a series of 10 videos (7 minutes each) showcases the residents, workshops, activities, and ongoing experiments.
Inquiries and Contact Information
For any inquiries about our activities or our visit and booking procedures, please contact us at mediation@le-jad.fr, specifying the nature of your inquiry, your proposed dates, and the type and size of your group.
For any inquiries regarding Arts and Cultural Education projects for school groups, teachers in the Versailles School District may contact the liaison teacher at:virginie@le-jad.fr