Laurence Lesne, a Look Back at the CAS in Cultural and Music Project Management

I’ve always been exposed to music thanks to my parents, who often took me to concerts. I studied communications in Lyon before beginning my career at the Opéra de Lyon at age 21, where I worked for eight years as a press officer in a highly formative artistic environment. As I approached my thirties, I moved to Paris to work on the classical catalog at the record label Naïve Records, while also collaborating with the Festival d’Ambronay and the ensemble Il Seminario Musicale.

In 2004, I joined Radio France, where I was in charge of press promotion for the Philharmonic Orchestra for thirteen years. I then moved to Geneva in 2017 to become media director at the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande until 2019.

At that point, after more than thirty years in the field, I felt the need to step back. The job is exciting but demanding: it requires constant availability, long hours, and intense pressure. I wanted to take the time to reflect on the next steps in my career.

The CAS is designed for both recent graduates and professionals looking to take stock of their careers.

It was in this context that I discovered the CAS in Cultural Project Management offered at the Neuchâtel campus of the Geneva University of Music. I contacted the program director, René Michon, who encouraged me to apply. I was accepted and completed the program during the 2019–2020 academic year. The program was partially affected by the lockdown, but this allowed me to experience both in-person and online classes. I was happy to meet such a diverse group, as the CAS is designed for both younger students and professionals looking to take stock of their careers.

This program was a real turning point for me. There is clearly a before and after. It allowed me to structure my experience, put into words the skills I’d acquired in the field, and develop new ones, particularly in project management, modern communication tools, and budget management. In addition, we had to work on a personal project that served as a concrete thread throughout the program, which was particularly educational because it allowed us to immediately connect theory with practice.

The CAS has renewed my professional confidence. I realised that my expertise could be of great interest to others.

This course also gave me the impetus I needed to change my career path. The CAS course restored my professional confidence. I realised that my expertise could be of interest to others. So, after thirty years as an employee, I decided to set up my own business, offering consultancy and support services. My aim is to help artists and cultural practitioners structure their work, particularly in the areas of communication, strategy and career development.

Through my experience, I have found that artists are very well trained in their art, but ill-prepared to make a living from it. Yet today, it is essential to be an entrepreneur of one’s own career: knowing how to manage contracts, a budget, communications and promotion. Without this, even the most talented individuals can remain unseen. It is to meet this need that I have developed my business, offering bespoke support tailored to each person’s profile and background. For the past five years, I have been running this business alongside my role at the Lausanne Opera, where I work part-time as press officer. This dual role allows me to stay grounded in the realities of the field whilst enriching my consultancy work. The two aspects complement each other and enhance the value of the support I provide. Today, I feel more fulfilled in my work, as this new role enables me to pass on my experience and provide practical support to artists as they build their careers.