Festival d’Avignon is now underway, running until 25 July across the historic city of Avignon in southern France. Celebrating its 80th edition, the festival once again transforms theatres, courtyards and public spaces into one of Europe’s most important stages for contemporary performing arts.
Each summer, artists and audiences gather in Avignon for a programme that spans theatre, dance, performance, music and interdisciplinary works. Rather than focusing on a single venue, the festival unfolds throughout the city, making the urban landscape itself part of the experience.
This Year’s Focus: Korean as the Guest Language
One of the defining features of this year’s festival is its selection of Korean as the Guest Language. Following previous editions that highlighted English, Spanish and Arabic, the 2026 programme places Korean language and culture at the centre of the festival’s international focus.
The choice reflects the growing global recognition of South Korean culture. While many international audiences first encounter Korea through K-pop, K-dramas or cinema, Festival d’Avignon takes a different approach. Its programme introduces visitors to Korean theatre, dance and contemporary performance, alongside traditional art forms such as pansori and nongak, reinterpreted by today’s artists.
According to the festival, the aim is to showcase Korean culture beyond its most internationally recognised exports. By bringing together established performers, emerging artists and contemporary reinterpretations of traditional practices, the programme offers audiences a broader perspective on Korea’s performing arts and the social questions shaping them today.
More Than an International Showcase
The Guest Language programme has become one of the festival’s distinctive features. Rather than simply presenting work from another country, it creates space for audiences to engage with different artistic traditions through language, performance and cultural exchange.
This year’s focus also reflects a broader shift across international festivals. Increasingly, cultural events are introducing audiences not only to established artistic centres, but also to the ideas and perspectives emerging from different parts of the world. In that sense, Festival d’Avignon is not only presenting performances, but also encouraging new cultural conversations.
With performances continuing until 25 July, there is still plenty of time to experience this year’s programme. Whether you are interested in contemporary theatre, dance or discovering Korean performing arts from a new perspective, the festival offers one of Europe’s most distinctive cultural experiences this summer.
The Details
Event: Festival d’Avignon 2026
Dates: 4–25 July 2026
Location: Avignon, France
Further information: Official Festival d’Avignon website
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