Festival 12000 Signes
Edition 2026 Music Theatre Literature

Festival 12000 Signes

The short story festival in Nancy

Nancy — Meurthe-et-Moselle (54) Since 2019
Dates 06 Nov — 08 Nov 2026
Location Nancy (54)
Prices
Status Cancelled

About 12000 Signes

The Festival 12000 Signes was a literary festival entirely dedicated to the art of the short story, organized every autumn in Nancy by the theater company Les Fruits du Hasard and the literary association 3 Patttes à 1 Canard. Created in 2019, the festival offered three days of musical readings, literary banquets, narrated walks, conversations with authors, and writing workshops in various locations in Nancy. After six editions, the festival ended in 2025.

Travel to this festival

Book your train or bus to reach 12000 Signes at the best price.

Book a trip on Trainline

Sponsored link

A unique festival dedicated to the short story

The Festival 12000 Signes was a unique literary event, entirely dedicated to the art of the short story, a short literary genre which, as its name suggests, is traditionally limited to 12,000 characters. Created in 2019 by Benoît Fourchard and supported by the theater company Les Fruits du Hasard and the association 3 Patttes à 1 Canard, the festival has created a unique meeting point in the Nancy literary scene.

The short story in all its forms

For three days, the festival presented the short story in various and inventive forms:

  • Musical readings: actors and musicians brought short stories to life in staged readings accompanied by live music
  • Literary banquets: festive meals where dishes were accompanied by readings and literary performances
  • Narrated walks: tours through Nancy punctuated by short story readings related to the places visited
  • Author conversations: meetings with contemporary short story writers, discussions on the creative process
  • Writing workshops: introductions to writing short stories, guided by professional authors

Iconic venues in Nancy

The festival took place in various cultural venues in Nancy: the LEM (Lieu d'Expression Musicale), the Jardin Botanique, independent bookstores, literary cafes, and other spaces in the city. This itinerancy offered an immersive and renewed literary experience.

A patron for each edition

Each edition of the festival was placed under the patronage of a renowned author. The first edition, in 2019, had the short story writer Claire Castillon as its patron. Subsequent editions hosted other figures from contemporary French literature.

The last edition: Le Chant des Signes

The sixth and final edition of the festival was held from November 7 to 9, 2025, under the title “Le Chant des Signes”. This final edition, presented in a reduced format due to budget cuts, marked the end of a festival that had highlighted the art of the short story and created bridges between literature, theater, and music for six years.

A literary heritage

Despite its end, the Festival 12000 Signes leaves a precious legacy: that of having demonstrated that the short story, often considered a minor genre, deserves a festival in its own right and can reach a wide audience through inventive and accessible presentation formats.

12000 Signes — edition 2026

No edition in 2026. The festival ended after its 6th edition in November 2025 due to budget difficulties.

Prices 12000 Signes 2026

Festival discontinued.

Practical information — 12000 Signes

General Information

The Festival 12000 Signes ended after its sixth and final edition in November 2025. The information below is provided for historical purposes to document this cultural event that marked the literary life of Nancy from 2019 to 2025.

Festival Venues

The festival was held in various locations in Nancy, investing a varied cultural geography each year:

  • Le LEM (Lieu d'Expression Musicale): performance venue hosting musical reading evenings and literary performances with music
  • The Jardin Botanique Jean-Marie Pelt: a bucolic setting for outdoor readings and narrated walks among the plant collections
  • Independent bookstores: meetings with authors, signing sessions, and intimate readings in partner bookstores in Nancy
  • Literary cafes: literary banquets and author conversations in convivial settings
  • High schools and universities: interventions with students to raise awareness of the short story genre

Festival Format

The festival took place over three days in November, offering a dense program of musical readings, literary banquets, narrated walks, author conversations, and writing workshops. Each edition was placed under the patronage of a renowned author (godmother or godfather). The first edition in 2019 had the short story writer Claire Castillon as its godmother.

Organizers

The festival was driven by two complementary structures:

  • The theater company Les Fruits du Hasard: founded by Benoît Fourchard, creator of the festival, specializing in theatrical readings and staged readings of literary texts
  • The literary association 3 Patttes à 1 Canard: an association dedicated to promoting the short story and contemporary literature

Legacy

Despite its closure, the Festival 12000 Signes leaves a precious legacy in the cultural landscape of Nancy. It helped to make the short story genre known and appreciated by a wide audience, to create encounters between authors and readers, and to invent original forms of literary mediation combining theater, music, and literature.

Website and archives

Company website: lesfruitsduhasard.com
Archives of the festival and programs from past editions can be consulted on the website of the company Les Fruits du Hasard.

Festival-goer photos

No photo yet. Share yours!

Share your photos

5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)

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 — 12000 Signes

Divers lieux à Nancy

Divers lieux, Nancy, 54000 Nancy

Contact 12000 Signes

12000 Signes in brief

Music Theatre Literature Poetry Young Audience Family Participatory Meurthe-et-Moselle

History of 12000 Signes