# Artivism fuels student protests in Paris

- Topic: world
- Source: [Reasons to be Cheerful](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/paris-student-protests-orchestra-artistic-expression/)
- Published: 2026-10-23
- Original: https://reasonstobecheerful.world/paris-student-protests-orchestra-artistic-expression/
- Language: en
- Image: https://reasonstobecheerful.world/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DSC09137-scaled.jpg

## At a glance

- The Orchestre du Nouveau Monde performed Chilean protest music to support French student demonstrations against rising living costs.
- Co-founder Étienne Jarrier utilizes artivism to engage the public more deeply than traditional protest methods allow.
- Approximately 200 young musicians and volunteers participated in the musical demonstration held at the Paris Hôtel de Ville.
- The group aims to provide a creative vehicle for political expression for the climate generation and student activists.

## Sources

- [Reasons to be Cheerful](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/paris-student-protests-orchestra-artistic-expression/)

## The story

The Orchestre du Nouveau Monde is using music to express solidarity with the half million students protesting high living costs and poor school conditions in France. Led by co-founder Étienne Jarrier, the group recently performed the Chilean protest anthem "El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido" outside the Hôtel de Ville in Paris.

Jarrier, who founded the orchestra in 2022, describes this approach as "artivism," using creative expression as a tool for political engagement. He suggests that traditional methods of climate and social activism have become exhausted, requiring deeper emotional connections to reach the public.

The ensemble consists of approximately 200 musicians and volunteers, most of whom are in their early twenties. By combining musical performance with political messaging, the group aims to find new ways for the younger generation to be heard during ongoing social unrest.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://reasonstobecheerful.world/paris-student-protests-orchestra-artistic-expression/)