Festival actoral

A crossroads of contemporary arts

The festival actoral was founded in 2001 by director Hubert Colas with the aim of creating a space for encounters between forms of contemporary writing and live arts. Since its creation, actoral has established itself as one of the major events for contemporary creation in France, at the crossroads of theater, dance, visual arts, performance, literature, music, and cinema.

Three autumn weeks in Marseille

Every year from late September to mid-October, actoral takes over several venues in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence for three weeks of shows, performances, readings, concerts, and exhibitions. More than 200 artists from France and abroad are invited to each edition, and the festival attracted approximately 12,000 spectators in 2025.

Writing at the heart of the project

What distinguishes actoral from other multidisciplinary festivals is the central place given to writing—understood in its broadest sense: dramatic, poetic, choreographic, sound, and film writing. The festival champions artists who invent new forms of expression, where text and gesture, sound and image intersect and nourish each other.

Residencies and artistic support

Actoral is not limited to the festival period. Throughout the year, the association hosts around 50 artists in residence, offering them a space for creation and experimentation. The festival also supports artists in production and touring, contributing to the dissemination of contemporary creation in France and internationally. The association is chaired by Stephan Kutniak and artistically directed by Hubert Colas.