Arts en Scène

Culture Closer to Rural Areas

Arts en Scène is a unique cultural initiative led by the Conseil départemental d'Eure-et-Loir. For several seasons, this traveling festival has taken on the ambitious challenge of bringing performing arts to rural towns in the department, where cultural offerings are often limited. Each year, over 45 towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, spread across the Eure-et-Loir territory, open their doors to professional artistic companies for performances close to the residents.

Theater, Dance, Music, Circus, and Reading

The Arts en Scène program is distinguished by its multidisciplinarity. Theater, dance, music, circus, and reading performances take place throughout the months, offering a rich and varied panorama of contemporary performing arts. Each season, around thirty artistic companies subsidized by the Department are selected to offer shows adapted to the village halls, multi-purpose rooms, and outdoor spaces of small towns. The performances are for all audiences, from families to contemporary art enthusiasts.

A Partnership Between Artists and Towns

The originality of Arts en Scène lies in the close partnership between artistic companies and the towns. Artists do more than just perform: they work with elected officials and residents to create moments of sharing and exchange. Workshops, meetings, and cultural mediation activities accompany the performances, allowing the public to discover the behind-the-scenes of artistic creation. This participatory approach encourages residents to engage with culture and strengthens social bonds in rural areas.

An Exemplary Territorial Network

From Barjouville to Senonches, from Vert-en-Drouais to Brou, via Maintenon, Nogent-le-Phaye, Rouvres, and Fontenay-sur-Eure, the festival weaves an exemplary cultural network across the entire department. The season runs from September to June, with performances scheduled throughout the school year. This regularity helps to build a loyal and growing audience, making Arts en Scène an anticipated cultural event in each participating town.

A Departmental Commitment to Culture

Arts en Scène demonstrates the commitment of the Conseil départemental d'Eure-et-Loir to cultural democratization and support for performing arts companies. By subsidizing artists and assisting towns in organizing performances, the Department contributes to the cultural vibrancy of its territory and the maintenance of quality performing arts in rural areas. This initiative has become a model for territorial cultural policy, praised for its ability to reach audiences far from major cultural institutions.