Artjoyette
International meeting of live and street arts in Saint-Varent
About Artjoyette
Artjoyette: Twenty Years of Live Arts in the Streets of Saint-Varent
Since 2002, the village of Saint-Varent, a small commune of 2,500 inhabitants in the Thouarsais region, north of the Deux-Sèvres department, has hosted a live performance festival each June with rare ambition for a rural area. Artjoyette—a joyful contraction of art and joy—is an international meeting of street arts that attracts about fifteen professional companies from all over France and sometimes beyond each year.
A Multidisciplinary Festival
Artjoyette's programming covers the entire spectrum of live arts: gestural theater, contemporary circus, dance, mime, live music, song, poetry, and street arts. Performances follow one another over three days, from Friday to Sunday, taking over the village streets, the church square, parks, and surrounding natural spaces. This diversity makes Artjoyette a unique event in the cultural landscape of the Deux-Sèvres.
The Adillons Leisure Base: A Natural Setting
For some editions, the festival extends its programming to the Adillons Leisure Base in Luché-Thouarsais, offering an exceptional natural setting for outdoor performances. The bodies of water, wooded paths, and meadows then become improvised stages, where companies play with the environment to create immersive artistic experiences.
Free Entry and Voluntary Contribution
True to the spirit of street arts, Artjoyette is a festival with free entry and voluntary contribution. This access policy, driven by a strong conviction that culture must be accessible to all, allows it to reach a broad and diverse audience, from families with children to seasoned live performance enthusiasts.
Over Twenty Years of Associative Commitment
The festival is driven by a team of passionate volunteers, united around a dedicated association. In over twenty years of existence, Artjoyette has hosted hundreds of companies, offered thousands of performances, and helped make Saint-Varent a recognized venue in the national network of street arts festivals. The festival has notably hosted companies such as Cie Bravache, Chicken Street, Cirque Kilombo, and the French Quarter Trio.
A Festival that Shines in the Thouarsais Region
Beyond Saint-Varent, Artjoyette enriches the Thouarsais region, a rural territory in the north of the Deux-Sèvres department. The festival contributes to the cultural and tourist animation of this area, attracting visitors from a wide radius and promoting the charms of a often-overlooked region.
Artjoyette — edition 2026
The 24th edition of the Artjoyette festival will be held on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, 2026 at the Base de loisirs des Adillons, in Luché-Thouarsais (Deux-Sèvres). Two days of open-air performing arts, with about fifteen professional companies programmed in street theater, circus, dance, puppetry, music, and brass bands. Free admission, hat participation.
Artjoyette 2026 — 24th edition on June 13 and 14 in Luché-Thouarsais
For its 24th edition, the Artjoyette festival, as every year, takes over the Base de loisirs intercommunale des Adillons, in Luché-Thouarsais, a few kilometers from Saint-Varent. For two days, Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, 2026, about fifteen professional companies will perform in this natural and bucolic setting of lakes, meadows, and wooded paths.
A multidisciplinary program
The 2026 edition combines street theater, contemporary circus, dance, puppetry, song, mime, poetry, and brass bands. The festival opens on Saturday evening with the Rekupertou brass band, followed by the official inauguration. Sunday offers a dense program from day to evening.
An edition designed for all audiences
Artjoyette 2026 offers a performance in sign language for the deaf public, as well as the presentation of works carried out with the children of the École de la Joyette throughout the year. Circus workshops are also organized in local schools prior to the festival.
Free access, voluntary participation
True to the spirit of street arts, the festival remains with free admission and voluntary participation. Piggy banks are placed on the site for public contributions. Food trucks are present on Saturday evening, and you can also picnic on site.
Eco-responsible commitments
The festival implements an eco-responsible approach: waste sorting, reusable cups, encouragement of carpooling. The Adillons base offers camping areas and chalets for those who wish to extend their stay on site.
Programme Artjoyette 2026
Artjoyette 2026 Program
Saturday, June 13, 2026
The day opens with the Rekupertou brass band, followed by the official inauguration of the 24th edition. The evening continues with circus shows, songs, and theater, including the creation “Rien?” and clown acts. Food provided by food trucks in the evening.
Sunday, June 14, 2026
A dense program throughout the day: puppet portraits, giant bubbles, juggling, musical and mime shows.
Announced Companies and Artists
- Rekupertou — brass band
- Afozic
- Marcocelli
- Laodice Kolk
- Cie Eliane — original stage proposal
- Kikiristan (l'Impérial du Kikiristan)
- David Orta
- Théâtre du Vide-Poche
- Cie Poc
- Compagnia Circolabile
- Les Dodos
- Rosie Volt
In total, about fifteen professional companies are programmed over the two days. The detailed program with schedules will be published on the official festival blog and its Facebook page closer to the event.
Highlights Artjoyette 2026
- 24th edition of the Thouarsais street arts festival
- About fifteen professional companies over two days
- Natural setting of the Base de loisirs des Adillons (lakes, meadows, wooded paths)
- Free admission, hat participation
- Performance in sign language for the deaf public
- Food trucks on site Saturday evening
- Eco-responsible festival (sorting, reusable cups, carpooling)
Prices Artjoyette 2026
Practical information — Artjoyette
Practical Information
Access
By car: Saint-Varent is located north of the Deux-Sèvres department, 10 km from Thouars and 70 km from Poitiers. Free parking near the performance venues.
Prices
Free entry with voluntary contribution.
Contact
Association Artjoyette
3 place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 79330 Saint-Varent
Tel: 06 09 60 65 08
Email: [email protected]
Blog: artjoyette.blogspot.fr
Facebook: Festival Artjoyette
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Vous avez repéré une erreur ou une information manquante ?
Aidez-nous à garder cette fiche à jour. Toute proposition est relue par notre équipe avant publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No review yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Where does it take place — Artjoyette
Village de Saint-Varent et Base de loisirs des Adillons
3 place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 79330 Saint-Varent