Théâtre du Nord and La CLÉ association collaborate to address illiteracy and social exclusion in Tourcoing. Since 2019, L’Idéal Theatre has hosted free literacy programmes (reading, writing, academic support) for children and adults. Each learner is supported by a trained volunteer mentor. Social events also allow residents to get together and celebrate (meals, cooking classes, choir, and popular balls). What makes this project unique is the integration of artistic practice into the learning process. Writing workshops, rehearsals, backstage visits and attendance at performances reconnect participants with language through creativity. In parallel, a local artist, Maxime Séchaud Do Dang, leads a large-scale participatory theatre project involving more than 50 residents annually. The project is being co-created in partnership with residents and several associations and cultural institutions in the city of Tourcoing. Participants jointly create a performance presented publicly during a neighborhood celebration. By merging literacy support and participatory creation, L’Idéal becomes a civic space where residents debate, collaborate and experience democratic practice through culture.