History of the Chalon dans la Rue Festival
1987
The city of Chalon’s century-old carnival tradition undoubtedly made it the ideal place to host what would become one of France’s two most renowned street arts festivals.
In addition to this, two artists from a traveling troupe—Jacques Quentin and Pierre Layac, known to everyone simply as Pierre and Quentin—have joined the group, with a plan to bring together street performers.
That was all it took for Chalon dans la rue to be born in 1987. Well, almost all it took.
On the streets, in this unusual year, equestrian tourism and urban enthusiasts are coming together—those who, since 1970, have sought to engage with the public, to be close to them, to challenge a rigid establishment, and to reclaim public space.
1989
A turning point for Chalon dans la rue. Place Saint Vincent becomes a pedestrian zone, café terraces expand, and the festival takes advantage of it. A storm of scandal sweeps through Chalon. In this bicentennial year, a real-fake Queen of England waves from the balcony alongside the mayor. British flags fly over the city, but the Théâtre de l’Unité erects a revolutionary scaffold. The guillotine falls relentlessly.
1991
The butchers are leaving the Abattoir, and street performers are taking their place. By providing a permanent home for this young festival, the city is working to ensure that street arts have a year-round presence.
1992
The Pont de Bourgogne is inaugurated, and Chalon dans la rue to six days, now including July 14. Poetic touches here and there, and Générik Vapeur’s “Petite Reine” makes a stop in Chalon. Yet it’s not always time for fun; the Théâtre de l’Unité’s “l’Avion” crashes in Georges Nouelle Park, while another causes a cataclysm or challenges the conscience of passersby... Where is the truth and where is the fiction? At the Cloître, the modesty of the bodies rubs shoulders with the absurd and hilarity. And the Compagnie Off’s float is no slouch when it makes a grand entrance from Saint Vincent Cathedral and out onto the street.
1996
Over the past 10 years, street theater has established itself, proving that it is just as adept at minimalism—creating wonders with the barest of resources—as it is at grand-scale productions—building elaborate machines. These artists, who thrive in the public sphere and on the road, have definitively won over audiences. Chalon dans la rue with the “Eclats” festival in Aurillac to produce the new creation by Les 26000 Couverts, “Sens de la visite.”
1999
Royal de Luxe creates a show tailored to the audience; chance determines the order of the scenes in “Petits Contes Nègres.” “Everything’s fine,” Kumulus seems to tell us through its actors embedded in city billboards, while the 26,000 Couverts, for their part, captivate their audience during “Direct.”
2003
Chalon dans la rue a venue for expression and a space for action. After divided opinions on whether or not to call for a general strike, the artists opt for an “Artistic Occupation.” Hope, anger, and raw emotion—Chalon and the steps of City Hall make the front pages of the national press. The movement resonates deeply with a sympathetic and supportive public.
2004
Pedro Garcia has been appointed director of the festival. As a pioneer of contemporary art, he is developing multimedia experiences and visual art installations.Chalon dans la rue
Chalon dans la rue become a major focus for companies, and we are seeking to support them. The Auteur d’Espace selection is created in collaboration with the SACD.
Despite the painful events of 2003, the public has remained loyal. Attendance by international audiences and industry professionals is on the rise.
2005
L'Abattoir has been designated a National Center for Street Arts, along with nine other organizations in France.
2006
20 years! A time for memories and emotions from the past. Historic street theater companies are gathering under the auspices of the Théâtre de l’Unité. Just a stone’s throw from downtown, right on the Saône River, an installation floats on the water. Along the riverbank, there is a pop-up museum of street arts, specially designed for this occasion. It features an impressive collection of works from previous editions.
2009
With “Les Studios de Cirque de Marseille,” angels descended upon the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, showering thousands of festivalgoers—who were in the midst of a waking dream—with a ton of feathers… The 2009 edition was a dance-filled and intense one! From the miniatures of Pernette to the gigantism of Générik Vapeur, from the intimate experience with Ici-Même [Grenoble] to the public, protest-driven display of KompleXKapharnaüM. The 2009 edition will be remembered for the multidisciplinary nature of street arts and for a dream come true…
2011
25th edition! The transnational street arts festival is deeply rooted in society and closely tied to current events. The program features iconic artists who address pressing social issues. Street arts present performances that reflect current global events and the future of our planet. This edition places a strong emphasis on the visual element, which plays a prominent role in the IN’s project concepts.
2013
This transnational street arts festival is best experienced with your nose in the air. The artists invite you to join them at the tip of a crane, on a tightrope, in a tree, along building facades, or even high in the sky... A city and the performing arts seen from a different perspective.
Four new organizations dedicated to street arts have been awarded the CNAR label.
2014
This edition was marked by the crisis involving freelance workers, with strikes taking place during the festival. With 1,255 performances scheduled, these strikes prevented all performances from going ahead as planned, particularly on the first day.
On April 16, 2014, Aurélie Filippetti launched the National Mission for Art and Culture in Public Spaces.
2017 - A New Era
Pierre Duforeau and Bruno Alvergnat take the helm of CNAREP and the Chalon dans la rue Festival.
With a blank page serving as their poster, this bold duo aims to breathe new life into the street arts sector... The project is based on a strong and renewed connection to the local area and a cross-disciplinary approach to creation in public spaces. The goal: to break down the barriers between artistic disciplines, but also between artistic creation and society. It’s time for experimentation!
The CNARs are becoming the CNAREP (National Center for Street Arts and Public Space).
2018
The “In” and “Off” categories have been replaced by “Sections” and “Official Selections.”
Two new spaces have been created for the festival: “La Place des Publics” and “L’Espace des tentatives.”
A subtitle sets the tone for the year. A theme is explored through artistic presentations as well as meetings, lectures, workshops, and projects with local residents, culminating in a final presentation during the festival.
2020
For the first time in the history of Chalon, the festival has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be replaced by the Rendez-vous d’automne. This series of events features three weekends of performances from August to October, with the final weekend canceled the day before due to the health situation. These events are experimenting with a new, more intimate form of festival and connection with the audience.
2021
For some, the Chalon dans la rue festival was the “festival of barriers”; for others, it was the “festival of health passes.” Nevertheless, for everyone, it was the only street arts festival to take place during this incredibly challenging year.
However, the challenging nature of the event is not the only aspect that can be highlighted about the 2021 festival, because, against all odds, this highly controversial gathering saw genuine engagement from both the audience and the artists in attendance.
The dedication of an organizing team that was able to adapt on the fly to last-minute government decisions. Requiring a health pass for spectators just one week before the start of such an event was nothing short of a feat.
But despite all these constraints, this festival reflected the choices of a dedicated leadership team committed to addressing the urgent challenges facing the industry.
As we have seen, the 2021 edition drew considerable criticism, but after a year’s hiatus, it showcased ambitious and generous projects, giving voice to women artists and women citizens—both young and older—stories rooted in the local community and connected through digital technology, and addressing contemporary social concerns. It inaugurated another space, L'Aube de la Création, for works in development, and, for all these reasons, it will long be remembered in the history of street arts in Chalon.
2022 - New Management
Nathalie Cixous will take over as director of CNAREP and the Chalon dans la rue Festival in July 2022.
This 35th edition of the festival was organized by the team while awaiting the appointment of new leadership.
This edition marks a return to normalcy, following the cancellation of the 2020 edition and the 2021 edition, which was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023
A new edition of the festival curated by Nathalie Cixous. It explores our shared values and celebrates what binds us together through poetry, imagination, celebration, and community. An edition that will seek to sweep you up in a shared momentum, to bring us together around major artistic events in our public squares. With a commitment to forging connections, blazing new trails, and taking over the city... from every angle, including where you least expect it (hospitals, courthouses, prisons...). A diverse and multifaceted edition, a cultural landscape spanning all horizons.
2024 - A Cutting-Edge Festival
In 2024, the Chalon dans la rue festival Chalon dans la rue a Chalon dans la rue date. The organization of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics has prompted major summer events to adjust their schedules. Chalon dans la rue the Chalon dans la rue festival Chalon dans la rue affected, it will take place, exceptionally, one week earlier than usual, between the end of the school year and Bastille Day on Sunday, July 14.