Chalon dans la Rue

The essential reference for street arts

Since its creation in 1987, at the initiative of mayor Dominique Perben and under the artistic direction of Pierre Layac and Jacques Quentin, Chalon dans la Rue has established itself as the unmissable event for public space creation. In nearly four decades, over 2,263 companies have trodden the cobblestones of Chalon-sur-Saône, transforming the Burgundian city into a vast open-air theatre every summer.

A festival at the crossroads of all arts

The programming of Chalon dans la Rue rejects boundaries between disciplines. Street theatre, contemporary circus, dance, puppetry, digital arts, performances, and visual installations coexist in a permanent creative effervescence. The festival is structured around an IN selection — about twenty companies chosen by the artistic direction — and an OFF selection which brings together over 120 companies, mixing established artists and young creators, spectacular forms and intimate proposals.

A National Center for Street Arts

Chalon dans la Rue is much more than a summer festival. The structure is labeled CNAREP (National Center for Street Arts and Public Space), making it a permanent player in artistic creation in public spaces. Throughout the year, the team supports artists in residence, develops territorial projects, and carries out awareness-raising actions for all audiences.

A popular celebration in the heart of Burgundy

Each edition attracts between 200,000 and 220,000 spectators, from all over France and abroad, as well as nearly 1,000 professionals and programmers. The streets, squares, courtyards, parks, and gardens of Chalon-sur-Saône are transformed into ephemeral stages where art springs forth at every street corner. Most of the programming is free to access, making Chalon dans la Rue a true popular celebration, open to all and deeply rooted in its territory.