Mec-Art Association: Discover Mechanical Art Mentoring

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Just two months from now, you could be part of a unique experience. The Mec-Art Association offers a unique training programme – a four-week intensive course open to all, set in the heartland of mechanical art: in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, the historic cradle of Mécanique d’Art.
Nine participants will be mentored throughout the programme by leading Masters, including Denis Flageollet, master watchmaker and founder of De Bethune; automatist and sculptor François Junod, automatist and watchmaker Nicolas Court; and Victoire Halter, jewellery artist and specialist in watch component decoration.

For the first time, the course will also be offered in English.

Following the success of previous editions, two sessions will be offered in 2026: the first in English (a premiere!) this summer, from June 24 to July 19, 2026, in Sainte-Croix, and the second in French only (this will be the 8th edition), beginning in fall and concluding the following spring (structured as two 2-week blocks).

Denis Flageollet, one of the leading masters in the Mec-Art Association’s
Mechanical Art training programme.

The ‘art-craft’ of Mécanique d’Art – Mechanical Art – blends science and creativity to bring to life extraordinary works animated by mechanical movement: artistic horology, automata, kinetic sculptures, and music boxes. The goal is to use precision mechanics in an artistic way, sparking wonder and awakening the senses, emotions, and intellect.

Mécanique d’Art traces its roots to a tradition that developed during the Renaissance in the Franco-Swiss Jura Arc and has continuously evolved thanks to the ingenuity of artisans and artists who perpetuate and reinvent these skills.

Since December 2020, mechanical art has been recognized by UNESCO, alongside watchmaking, as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The Mec-Art training honours this legacy by keeping rare skills alive—skills that are vibrant and deeply rooted in a region unlike any other in the world.

What if you, too, could unlock the secrets of the Masters?

Four weeks to discover, create, and experience… in an environment where innovation is rooted in tradition. In Sainte-Croix, mechanical art becomes more than a craft: it is a lived experience, a connection, a shared emotion.

Far beyond technical training, this intensive course is a rare opportunity for transmission, encounters, and exploration.

For one month, you will step into the workshops of master craftspeople to create, discover the perfect gesture, the precision of mechanics, and functional beauty. You will conceive the form and theme, work with materials, fabricate your components, assemble, adjust, and ultimately create your own masterpiece.

But the adventure goes beyond the workbench. Each week, you will also visit iconic manufactories, museums, and exceptional artisans who embody both tradition and innovation. These encounters will enrich your perspective and fuel your imagination.

Open to professionals and enthusiasts alike, this course brings together diverse profiles united by a desire to learn and create.

A 4-Week Creative Journey into the Universe of Swiss Mechanical Art

Mechanical Art Training Course, 2026 Sessions
Registration is now open.

In 2026, two sessions are available: a summer session held in English (the first international offering) from June 24 to July 19, 2026, in Sainte-Croix, and one in French (marking the 8th edition) running in two 2-week blocks this fall and next spring, also in Sainte-Croix.

Each session is a four-week intensive course. Participants will each create a complete masterpiece—combining clock, mechanical melody, and automaton—under expert guidance. The course will take place at the Institut de la Mécanique d’Art (IMA) in Sainte-Croix, with hands-on sessions at the historic forges of the Musée du Fer – the Iron Museum – in Vallorbe and visits to artisan workshops and cultural institutions throughout the nearby Jura region.

A Training Program Led by Masters of their Art and Craft

Founded in 2018 by renowned artisans Denis Flageollet, François Junod, Nicolas Court, and Victoire Halter, the program has since expanded to include a team of approximately ten instructors.

Limited to a maximum of 9 participants per session, the course has trained over fifty people since its launch. While most come from technical fields (mechanics, watchmaking, jewellery), the program also welcomes enthusiasts with no prior workshop experience. Nearly 20% of graduates have gone on to positions in regional workshops and manufactures.