Festival Jacques Brel
The national springboard for French-language song in Vesoul
About Festival Brel
The Festival Jacques Brel: twenty-five years serving French-language song
Created in 2000 by the Théâtre Edwige Feuillère, a conventioned stage in Vesoul, the Festival Jacques Brel has become a must-attend event for French song. Every year in October, it opens the theater's cultural season by highlighting French-language musical creation, from established artists to emerging talents.
The Springboard: a talent revealer
The centerpiece of the festival, the Festival Jacques Brel Springboard is a national competition that offers a real launchpad for young singer-songwriters. After a call for applications open from February to March, five finalists are selected to perform on the stage of the Théâtre Edwige Feuillère. Each artist has thirty minutes to convince a jury composed of ten professionals — authors, composers, programmers, journalists — as well as a youth jury and the public.
The winner of the 1st Prize Ville de Vesoul receives a grant of 3,000 euros and becomes an associate artist with the theater for two years, benefiting from creation residencies, professional advice, and programming in the following festival. The 2nd Prize Fondation La Poste is endowed with 1,500 euros. A Public Prize completes the awards.
Artists in the City
A highlight of the festival, "Artists in the City" transforms Vesoul into an open-air stage for a day. The winners of previous editions take over unusual venues — cafes, music schools, post offices, shops — for free, intimate concerts that make the Haute-Saône city vibrate to the rhythm of French song.
A supported and recognized festival
Supported by the Fondation La Poste, the City of Vesoul, and the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, the Festival Jacques Brel has gained national recognition. It perpetuates the spirit of Jacques Brel — artistic excellence, generosity, and love of words — while concretely supporting the new generation of French-language song. Each edition is sponsored by a renowned artist: in 2026, singer Coline Rio will hold this role.
Festival Brel — edition 2026
The 26th edition of the Jacques Brel Festival takes place from September 30 to October 17, 2026, at the Théâtre Edwige Feuillère in Vesoul, sponsored by singer Coline Rio. The program includes: eight francophone song events, headliners (Jeanne Cherhal, Solann, Delgres, Gringe), the "Artists in the City" day on Saturday, October 11, and the national Tremplin competition on Sunday, October 12.
26th Edition — September 30 to October 17, 2026
For its 26th edition, the Jacques Brel Festival opens the season of the Théâtre Edwige Feuillère in Vesoul with a 100% francophone program, sponsored by singer Coline Rio. Established artists perform alongside young talents revealed by the Tremplin, in the generous and popular spirit of Jacques Brel.
Highlights
Les Artistes dans la Ville (Saturday, October 11) transforms Vesoul into an open-air stage: free and intimate concerts in atypical venues of the Haute-Saône city. The Tremplin du Festival Jacques Brel (Sunday, October 12) pits five finalists against each other before a professional jury, a youth jury, and the public. The winner of the 1st Prix Ville de Vesoul receives 3,000 euros and becomes an associate artist at the theater for two years; the 2nd Prix Fondation La Poste is awarded 1,500 euros, complemented by a Public Prize.
The call for applications for the Tremplin was open from February 2 to March 22, 2026, followed by jury auditions in April and the announcement of finalists in June.
Programme Festival Brel 2026
Tuesday, September 30, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Alee et Mourad Musset
Friday, October 10, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Jack Simard
Saturday, October 11, 2026
- 11:00 AM — Les Artistes dans la Ville (free concerts in the city)
- 8:30 PM — Jeanne Cherhal
Sunday, October 12, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Tremplin du Festival Jacques Brel (competition of five finalists, until 7:00 PM)
Tuesday, October 14, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Solann
Thursday, October 16, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Delgres
Friday, October 17, 2026
- 8:30 PM — Gringe
Highlights Festival Brel 2026
- Sponsorship by singer Coline Rio
- Headliners: Jeanne Cherhal, Solann, Delgres, Gringe
- Les Artistes dans la Ville (Saturday, October 11) — free concerts
- National Tremplin competition for francophone song (Sunday, October 12)
Prices Festival Brel 2026
Practical information — Festival Brel
Access
Théâtre Edwige Feuillère: Place Pierre Renet, 70000 Vesoul. In the city center, a 10-minute walk from Vesoul SNCF station.
By car: A36 motorway (Vesoul exit), direction city center. Free parking near the theater.
By train: Vesoul station, served from Paris-Est via Belfort (approx. 3h) or from Besançon (1h).
Prices
Springboard: Usual theater prices (from 8 to 25 EUR depending on the shows).
Artists in the City: Free.
1st Prize: 3,000 EUR + two-year artistic residency.
2nd Prize: 1,500 EUR (Fondation La Poste).
Ticketing
Online at theatre-edwige-feuillere.fr or at the theater's ticket office.
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Where does it take place — Festival Brel
Théâtre Edwige Feuillère
Place Pierre Renet, 70000 Vesoul