Festival MIMI

Forty years of innovative music

The Festival MIMI was created in 1986 by musician and producer Ferdinand Richard, founder of the association A.M.I. (Aide aux Musiques Innovatrices). From its inception, the festival has set out to disseminate innovative music to new audiences, becoming an international reference over the decades for its trans-aesthetic programming — at the crossroads of experimental, improvised, electronic, and world music traditions.

Hôpital Caroline: a unique venue

Since 2001, the MIMI Festival has been held at the Hôpital Caroline, a former 19th-century quarantine hospital located on the Frioul Islands, an archipelago opposite Marseille in the heart of the Calanques National Park. This historic building, accessible only by boat, offers a spectacular and timeless setting for open-air concerts. The sea crossing is an integral part of the festival experience, and the ticket price includes shuttle transport from the Old Port.

A trans-aesthetic program

The MIMI Festival's programming defies usual classifications. Experimental music, improvised music, electronic music, noise, world music, radical jazz, and sound performances are featured in the same edition, creating unexpected encounters between artists and aesthetics. The festival hosts internationally recognized artists in their fields as well as emerging talents, always with the aim of surprising and challenging listening habits.

A traveling festival in Marseille

While Hôpital Caroline remains the heart of the MIMI Festival, some evenings take place in other Marseille venues: the rooftop terrace of Friche la Belle de Mai, the U.Percut venue, or Le PIC-Télémaque in L'Estaque. This itinerant approach allows the festival to reach different audiences and integrate innovative music into various urban contexts.