f rance ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁by ▁the ▁mer ger ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁française ▁d ' action ▁artist ique ▁( F rench ▁Association ▁for ▁Art istic ▁Action , ▁A FA A ) ▁and ▁the ▁Association ▁pour ▁la ▁diffusion ▁de ▁la ▁pens ée ▁française ▁( Associ ation ▁for ▁the ▁D iss em ination ▁of ▁French ▁Th ought , ▁AD PF ). ▁The ▁AD PF ▁was ▁a ▁project ▁of ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁to ▁promote ▁books ▁written ▁in ▁French . ▁The ▁A FA A ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁government ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁to ▁promote ▁international ▁cultural ▁exchange ▁and ▁provide ▁development ▁assistance ▁in ▁the ▁arts , ▁including ▁the ▁visual ▁arts , ▁applied ▁arts , ▁architecture , ▁and ▁cultural ▁her itage . ▁In ▁addition , ▁Cult ures f rance ▁promoted ▁French ▁cinema . ▁ ▁Cult ures f rance ▁was ▁a ▁non pro fit ▁organization ▁as ▁defined ▁by ▁the ▁Association ▁loi ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁It ▁is ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Jacques ▁Bl ot ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Oliv ier ▁Po iv re ▁d ' Ar vor . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁the ▁French ▁Parliament ▁made ▁the ▁association ▁a ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organization ▁and ▁transferred ▁its ▁duties ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁and ▁European ▁Affairs ▁to ▁a ▁public ▁corpor ation ▁( ét abl issement ▁public ▁à ▁car act ère ▁indust riel ▁et ▁commercial , ▁or ▁E PI C ) ▁called ▁the ▁Institut ▁français ▁( F rench ▁Institute ). ▁ ▁A ▁proposal