Festival of Storytelling and Calligraphy

The Festival of Storytelling and Calligraphy: a unique meeting between word and writing

Since 1997, the Festival of Storytelling and Calligraphy in Amiens has woven a unique link between two secular arts: oral storytelling, the art of living word, and calligraphy, the art of gesture and writing. This original alliance makes this festival an unparalleled event in the French cultural landscape.

ACIP, an association dedicated to culture for all

The festival is supported by ACIP (Association Cultures Insertion Prévention), an Amiens-based organization committed to access to culture for underserved audiences. Through its Social Life Space, ACIP develops cultural and social activities throughout the year in the neighborhoods of Amiens. The festival is the culmination of this approach, a highlight that shines throughout the city.

A festival spread throughout the city

One of the particularities of the Festival of Storytelling and Calligraphy is its itinerant nature. Performances and workshops take place in a network of partner venues across Amiens: the municipal library network (Bernheim, Édouard David, Petit Prince, Léopold Sédar Senghor), the ACIP Social Life Space, the CSC Étouvie, the puppet theater Chés Cabotans, as well as numerous partner schools (Sagebien, Guy Mareschal, Rosa Parks middle schools, Condorcet and Edmond Rostand nursery schools).

Storytellers from the world and calligraphies from all cultures

Each edition invites storytellers from France and around the world. African griots, oriental storytellers, Picard storytellers, feminist storytellers, or oral poets: the diversity of voices and narratives is at the heart of the programming. Performances often mix music, song, and storytelling, creating hybrid forms that renew the art of narration.

The calligraphy workshops are the other pillar of the festival. Professional calligraphers introduce the public to different world scripts: Arabic, Chinese, Latin, Hebrew, Japanese, and medieval calligraphy. These workshops, open to all ages, are moments of discovery and concentration where the gesture of writing becomes an artistic meditation.

A commitment to intercultural dialogue

The Festival of Storytelling and Calligraphy upholds a strong vision of dialogue between cultures. By inviting artists from all backgrounds and offering calligraphies from all traditions, it affirms that cultural diversity is a richness and that art can be a powerful vector for mutual understanding. This commitment is reflected in particular in school-based activities, where storytellers and calligraphers work with students to foster curiosity and open-mindedness.