Le CRXSSING

A unique celebration of British & French Culture

Le Crxssing, the unique Franco-British festival of creativity returns in 2018, with a vibrant new location in the heart of London’s favourite destination, King’s Cross. After a successful pilot at Abbey Road in 2017, the Festival will play to its strength of proudly introducing phenomenal artists from both cultures to new audiences. Saturday 22 September sees the take over and transformation of ‘The Street’ in the world renowned Central Saint Martins college.

Full press release and notes to editors available HERE.

Spanning art, music, comedy, fashion, film and food, Le Crxssing has expanded in its second year with an incredible line up of music artists, comedians, gourmet chefs, filmmakers, top student fashion designers and talented young creatives. Headlining the 2018 Festival are Britain’s The Kills and France’s La Femme, with other music acts including Eddy de Pretto, Claire Laffut, Tshegue, General Elektriks, Jordan MacKampa, plus comedians Joel Dommett, Fern Brady, Airnadette, and Paul Taylor.

The festival will also cover art, film and fashion, with gastronomic input from Chef Gregory Marchand (known as ‘Frenchie’), art displays from Toqué Frères, commentary from gallery owner and street-art champion Magda Danysz, as well as the Central St Martins Graduate Fashion Show. Laureated photographers Patrick Taberna, Maria Flore, Melanie Wenger and Clark et Pougnaud will be present, as part of HSBC’s Fondation pour la Photographie exhibition. Filmmakers Paul Webster and Marjane Satrapi and actress Stacy Martin will be on a panel, sharing their experience around ‘creativity beyond boundaries’ and how working with different cultures influences their work.

Uniting French and British cultures with its own inimitable curatorial style and supported by its ambassadors, TV and movie star Antoine de Caunes and comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, the Le Crxssing one-day festival will be a celebration of cultural collaboration and the unshakable friendship between two countries.
“The 21st century will be the most important century that humanity will have ever seen. It’s up to us to make this the century where we finally have a world where seven billion learn to live, work and create together in some shape or form.

“I am for Le Crxssing, and for going forwards with our hands across the seas”
Eddie Izzard, Le Crxssing Ambassador

French pop connoisseurs and winners of Best New French band, La Femme, have made a huge mark on modern Paris’ cultural landscape with their trademark grit and glamour. British-American indie rock band, The Kills bring their 10,000 watt voltage performance to Kings Cross, their restless and enigmatic music resonates with unstudied cool. The stellar music line-up includes cutting edge ‘new’ R&B champion Eddy de Pretto and multi-disciplinary artist and beautifully unsettling singer Claire Laffut. Hot Paris-based band Tshegue, whose music and art transverses the African diaspora and General Elektriks, vintage keyboard playing Hervé Salters’ blend of funk, old-school pop and hip-hop beats. The powerful troubadour, Jordan MacKampa returns for a second year, rising East London rapper, Jeshi and IAMDDB dubbed the lovechild of trap and jazz, add their creativity to the distinctively exploratory festival. Pushing boundaries, Le Crxssing 2018 will once again include its hallmark ‘mash up’ showcasing two distinctive French artists, Claire Laffut and Tshegue in an exclusive musical alliance with British acts: rapper Jeshi and soul singer songwriter, Jordan Mackampa.

A variety of internationally acclaimed comedians will join the mêlée. Airnadette energetically lip-sync through 50 years of pop culture. Television and stage comedian Paul Taylor’s bilingual comedy reflects his hilarious cultural experiences living in France. Francois-Xavier Demaison, César nominated comic writer/actor and the head of Paris’ acclaimed Theatre de L’Oeuvre, Demaison shows us how it’s done. ITV’s Joel Dommett, star of “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” and its spin-off show, a successful comedian in his own right, will take the stage as will exceptional writer and forward-facing comedian, Fern Brady.

Chef Gregory Marchand or “Frenchie” to his colleagues will showcase the culinary skills he learnt as an orphan helping the nuns to cook. An award-winning chef with “Restaurant of the Year” going to his Frenchie Covent Garden establishment. Expect a fusion of English and French foods.

The Festival covers art, film and fashion; Magda Danysz, gallery owner in Paris and Shanghai carries the torch for art at the festival. An international driving force for street artists’ careers, a supporter of contemporary artists and a Chevalier of Arts and Letters, Magda is committed to all art not just pieces confined to gallery walls. La Fémis, founded by film director Raoul Peck, which trains 50 filmmaking students a year and The National Film and Television School, one of the world’s leading film, television and games schools will curate a short film festival presenting the best talents from either side of The Channel.

For more information an public tickets via ballot, please visit www.lecrxssing.com and follow Le Crxssing on Twitter and Instagram.

AUDITIONS: The public can take a chance to display their comedy or musical talent by presenting an original song or comedy bit to a jury of experts in the Universal Music and StudioCanal HQ.
The winners will also get tickets for Le Crxssing Festival! Auditions on on Friday 21st September in King’s Cross! More information available here.