Bellecour École

Bellecour École is an applied arts and digital creation academy based in Lyon, France. Established in 1937 with roots in fashion and textile design, the institution expanded over several decades into graphic design, 3D digital art, and dedicated animation and video game programs. Operating within the Galileo Global Education network, it provides creative training focused on digital production workflows for visual effects, animation, and interactive entertainment.

The academy is based at the Nuances Campus Confluence, an 8,200-square-meter facility in Lyon's Confluence district. The campus brings together multiple institutions covering business, digital marketing, and management alongside creative disciplines, giving students exposure to interdisciplinary collaboration and the commercial dimensions of creative production.

Curriculum and Studio Production

Instruction at Bellecour École follows a studio-oriented methodology structured to replicate professional creative pipelines. The faculty is composed predominantly of active industry practitioners, ensuring that coursework reflects modern studio standards.

Training is structured across progressive educational phases:

• Preparatory Year: Focuses on visual culture, traditional drawing mediums, and introductory digital tools to develop foundational creative portfolios.
• Bachelor Level: Concentrates on discipline-specific technical workflows in fields such as 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Concept Art, and Game Design through hands-on project work and regular critique.
• Mastère Level: Emphasizes art direction, cross-functional team management, and capstone production projects.

A central component of the 3D animation and game tracks is the integration of real-time technologies. Students work with Unreal Engine alongside traditional modeling and texturing applications like Maya, ZBrush, and Substance 3D Painter, reflecting the increasing convergence between real-time virtual production and cinematic animation workflows.

Flexible Study Pathways

Alongside on-campus education in Lyon, Bellecour École delivers an online Bachelor Animateur 2D-3D VFX in partnership with the digital education platform Studi. This remote track blends asynchronous coursework, live sessions, and digital creative tools. The academy's qualifying programs culminate in credentials registered with France's Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP).