Festival de l'Imaginaire

Festival de l'Imaginaire: Performing Arts from Around the World in Paris

Since 1997, the Festival de l'Imaginaire has been a unique event in the Parisian and French cultural landscape. Organized by the Maison des Cultures du Monde, it annually offers a platform for peoples and contemporary civilizations through music, dance, theater, and performing arts from all global traditions.

A Bridge Between Tradition and Modernity

The festival explores the alchemy between tradition and modernity, between ancestral customs and living transmissions. Each edition highlights rare or little-known artistic forms — Andalusian flamenco, classical music from the Arab world, Korean ritual dances, Brazilian shadow theater, Argentinian chamamé, Armenian duduk — in an intercultural dialogue that forms the beating heart of the festival.

The Maison des Cultures du Monde

The Maison des Cultures du Monde, founded in 1982 by Chérif Khaznadar, is an institution dedicated to cultural diversity and intangible cultural heritage. It is also the French Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognized by UNESCO. Its Parisian headquarters are located at 101 boulevard Raspail in the 6th arrondissement, while it also has a center in Vitré, Brittany, at the Prieuré des Bénédictins.

Exceptional Venues

The festival unfolds in several prestigious venues: the Théâtre de l'Alliance Française (Paris 6th), the Théâtre équestre Zingaro (Aubervilliers), the Théâtre municipal Berthelot-Jean Guerrin (Montreuil), and Parisian bandstands for free open-air concerts. This diversity of venues reflects the variety of artistic forms presented.

An Irreplaceable Legacy

Over twenty-eight editions, the Festival de l'Imaginaire has introduced French audiences to hundreds of artistic forms from all continents, contributing to the preservation and transmission of humanity's intangible cultural heritage. The 28th edition, in June 2025, marked the last edition of this unique adventure in its current form, paving the way for new forms of dissemination.