Sébastien Etienne has been the Director of L’Autre Canal (Nancy’s SMAC – Scène de Musiques Actuelles) since November 2022, following 20 years of work in Ardèche, where he founded and led SMAC07, and later served as Head of Cultural Affairs for the Département. He places particular emphasis on the role of public policy, local engagement, and cooperation in the cultural field.
L’Autre Canal is a Public Cultural Cooperation Establishment (EPCC) dedicated to contemporary music, created in Nancy in 2007 through the collaboration of three public partners: the State, the Region, and the City of Nancy.
Located in the heart of the Rives-de-Meurthe district, it features a large concert hall (1,293 capacity), a club (351 capacity), and four rehearsal and recording studios. Recognized with the SMAC label, L’Autre Canal develops an interconnected artistic, cultural, and territorial project. Its key missions include: performance programming, support for artistic creation, development of amateur and professional practices, cultural outreach, contribution to the regional and cross-border music ecosystem, and local engagement.
Inclusion, equality, citizenship, and sustainability are core commitments at the heart of its mission.