Festival d'Avignon
Encyclopedia
The Festival d'Avignon, or Avignon Festival, is an annual arts festival
held in the French
city of Avignon
. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar
, it is the oldest extant festival in France and one of the world's greatest. The festival consists of two parts, "In" and "Off".
In 2008, some 950 shows were performed during three weeks.
Amongst other places, the "In" Festival is performed in the "Cour d'Honneur" - the honours courtyard - of the Palais des Papes
, the place of residence of the Avignon papacy during most of the 14th century.
Arts festival
An arts festival is a festival that focuses on the visual arts in all its forms, but which may also focus on or include other arts.Arts festivals in the visual arts are exhibitions and are not to be confused with the commercial art fair. Artists participate in the most important of such festival...
held in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
city of Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar
Jean Vilar
Jean Vilar was a French man of the theatre, who created in 1947 the Avignon theatre festival.After he gave up his literature studies, in 1932 he followed in Paris a course of philosophy of Alain and the theatre courses of Charles Dullin...
, it is the oldest extant festival in France and one of the world's greatest. The festival consists of two parts, "In" and "Off".
In 2008, some 950 shows were performed during three weeks.
The "In" Festival
The festival is organised by a non-profit organisation (since 1980), which is administered by a board of trustees composed of: the French state, the city of Avignon, the Département du Vaucluse (county), the Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (super-county), and seven public figures competent in the field of theatre.Amongst other places, the "In" Festival is performed in the "Cour d'Honneur" - the honours courtyard - of the Palais des Papes
Palais des Papes
The Palais des Papes is a historical palace in Avignon, southern France, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe....
, the place of residence of the Avignon papacy during most of the 14th century.