The history of the international festival in Avignon
The Festival d’Avignon was born a few years after the Second World War. Suggested to Jean Vilar by the art critic Christian Zervos and the poet René Char, the idea of a week of dramatic art appealed to the actor, director and troupe leader. Against a backdrop of reconstruction and cultural renewal, the project won over the town council and came to life in September 1947, with the organisation of “Une semaine d’art en Avignon”.
The festival quickly became a huge success, attracting a growing number of enthusiasts and curious onlookers. In 1966, an initiative originally led by André Benedetto gave birth to the Festival Off d’Avignon. This alternative festival ran in parallel with the original Festival d’Avignon, called In, and took over the whole city, giving pride of place to independent theatre companies.
Every year in July, for almost 3 weeks, Avignon becomes the biggest theatre stage in the world. Hundreds of performances are staged as part of the In and Off festivals, in venues ranging from the most prestigious monuments to the most unusual venues.
