International Street Theatre Festival

The Aurillac Street Theatre Festival is a not-to-be-missed event for theater and street arts enthusiasts.
Every August, Aurillac is transformed into a giant open-air stage, attracting artists and spectators from all over the world.

Festival history

The history of the Aurillac Festival is particularly atypical in the French cultural landscape. Created in 1986 and deliberately set in a rural area, it has continued to establish itself as one of France’s leading performing arts events, and a benchmark festival on a European and international scale for street theater and the arts in public spaces.

Orchestrated by ÉCLAT, the event is a powerful symbol of the diversity and multidisciplinarity of artistic forms in public spaces. Alongside the official program, the Festival d’Aurillac brings together some 20 companies and over 650 visiting companies, making it an exceptional event for artistic creation and dissemination.

Professional meetings, conferences and public gatherings are also part of these creative events.

This event is a huge success, attracting over 130,000 people from the 4 corners of the world over 4 days, bringing together audiences of all ages and social classes.

Touring the region and beyond for 10 days to 3 weeks in August, CHAMP LIBRE, a Cantalien tour of 5 to 6 shows, is organized in close collaboration with the communes.

By 2023, more than 25 communes will have made the committed choice to promote culture and enthusiastically welcome artists and audiences alike.

Festival Experience

For four days, Aurillac vibrates to the rhythm of artistic performances. Streets, squares and even the most unexpected corners of the town become stages for hundreds of theatrical companies. Shows range from intimate performances to spectacular large-scale productions, offering a diverse range that appeals to all audiences. Aurillac welcomes nearly 2000 artists and 3000 performances to enchant the town and poeticize the streets. An exceptional place for artists, festival-goers, Aurillac residents and tourists to meet and share emotions.

Edition 2024

For this 37th edition, the Festival welcomes eighteen shows featuring theater, dance, opera, circus, installations, performances and even cinema. The Festival International de Théâtre de Rue runs from August 14 to 17, preceded by the “Champ Libre!