Festival OFF d'Avignon
The world's largest performing arts festival
About Avignon OFF
The Festival OFF d'Avignon: The Global Laboratory for Live Performance Creation
Born in 1966 in the shadow of the Festival IN founded by Jean Vilar, the Festival OFF d'Avignon took an inverse path: where the IN selects, the OFF welcomes. Open to all companies wishing to perform, it has become over the decades the largest gathering of performing arts in the world, a huge marketplace for creation where beginners and seasoned artists, the experimental and the general public, the tragic and the comic mingle.
Organized by the association Avignon Festival & Compagnies (AF&C), the Festival OFF represents a formidable artistic effervescence each year: thousands of artists take over the courtyards of private mansions, medieval cellars, gymnasiums, chapels, and makeshift theaters to present their works to audiences from all over the world.
A Unique and Abundant Format
In 2024, the Festival OFF reached dizzying figures: 1,617 shows presented by 1,316 companies in over 130 venues, for a total of over 4,000 daily performances over twenty-one days. These figures make the OFF a cultural phenomenon without equal in the world.
Unlike the Festival IN, whose programming is finalized several months in advance, the OFF operates on a free registration basis. Companies rent venues, manage their own communication, and perform under sometimes precarious conditions, but with total freedom. This logic of self-production and artistic risk-taking is the very DNA of the festival.
Disciplines Represented
The Festival OFF is resolutely multidisciplinary:
- Theater: the dominant form with thousands of contemporary and classic texts revisited
- Humor: numerous one-man and one-woman shows, solo comedic performances
- Dance: from contemporary to classical, including hip-hop and popular forms
- Circus and Street Arts: jugglers, acrobats, and performers in the city squares
- Music and Musical Theater: a growing musical dimension in the programming
- Young Audiences: a dedicated space, Village TADAMM!, for children and families
A Village and a Community
The social heart of the Festival OFF is the Village du OFF, a space for meetings and exchanges located in the heart of Avignon. Performing arts professionals, artists, journalists, programmers, and spectators gather there daily for informal discussions, show presentations, and debates on the sector's challenges.
For families, the Village TADAMM! offers a selection of shows for young audiences in a friendly and secure environment, making the OFF a festival accessible from the youngest age.
A Key Role in the Performing Arts Ecosystem
Beyond programming, the Festival OFF plays a structuring role in the performing arts sector in France and Europe. Programmers from festivals and theaters worldwide travel to Avignon to discover the OFF's shows and decide on future tours. Every July, hundreds of co-production and distribution contracts are signed, making Avignon the world's leading market for performing arts.
AF&C supports companies throughout the year through training, professional networks, and support programs to help them develop beyond the festival.
A Festival Rooted in the City's History
The simultaneous presence of the Festival IN and the Festival OFF transforms Avignon into a city entirely dedicated to performance every July. Spectators in evening wear and artists covered in posters cross paths in the narrow streets of the medieval city. The city walls disappear under thousands of colorful flyers. Cafes become impromptu stages. This unique atmosphere, unlike any other, is what makes Avignon in July an extraordinary cultural event.
Avignon OFF — edition 2026
60th edition — a double anniversary under the sign of the Mediterranean
The 2026 edition of the Festival OFF d'Avignon celebrates a double anniversary: the 60th year of the festival (founded in 1966) and the 20th year of the Avignon Festival & Compagnies (AF&C) association, created in 2006 on the initiative of companies and theaters. The festival runs from July 4 to 25, 2026, in synchronization with the 80th edition of the Festival d'Avignon (the IN), creating a doubly anniversary July in Avignon.
A jubilee under the sign of the Mediterranean
The theme of this 60th edition honors the Mediterranean, from the perspective of « Lumière » (Light), echoing the Institut français's Mediterranean Season. Sixteen artistic productions from eight Mediterranean countries are featured. The official poster was entrusted to Avignon artist Jérôme Cosh, who highlights the drive and perseverance of artists.
Over 1,780 shows throughout the city
True to its unique format, the 2026 edition hosts over 1,780 shows and events in more than 140 venues scattered throughout Avignon intra-muros and its surroundings. Courtyards of private mansions, medieval cellars, chapels, gymnasiums, and theaters host all forms of live performance: theater, comedy, dance, circus, puppetry, music, and young audiences.
A committed edition
For this jubilee, AF&C strengthens its professional platform TRAVERSE, increases its "Émergence & Création" support budget by 25% (raised to 310,000 euros), and offers a 4th edition of "Son du Off" bringing together over 60 emerging artists. The Village du Off this year offers 100% vegetarian catering, and a partnership with Trenitalia encourages sustainable transport.
The Village du OFF and the Village TADAMM!
The Village du OFF, an emblematic meeting place for professionals and the general public, is once again at the heart of Avignon's festival life. The Village TADAMM!, dedicated to young audiences, offers a selection of shows for children and families.
Registrations and ticketing
Company registrations for AF&C services took place from March 3 to April 15, 2026. The online program has been available since March 2026 on the official website, and the paper program is distributed from July. The Ticket'Off box office opens early June 2026 (online, then on-site at the Village du Off from July 5). The OFF subscription card, available from mid-May, entitles holders to at least a 30% discount on shows.
Highlights Avignon OFF 2026
- Double anniversary: 60 years of the Festival OFF and 20 years of the AF&C association
- 2026 Theme: the Mediterranean from the perspective of « Lumière » (Light) — 16 productions from 8 Mediterranean countries
- Over 1,780 shows in more than 140 venues from July 4 to 25, 2026
- On the same dates as the 80th edition of the Festival d'Avignon (the IN)
- Poster signed by Jérôme Cosh, Avignon artist
Prices Avignon OFF 2026
Practical information — Avignon OFF
Practical Information
Access
By car: Avignon is accessible from the A7 motorway. Parking available near the historic center. In July, it is advisable to use peripheral parking lots with free shuttles.
By train: Avignon TGV station (2h40 from Paris) with a free shuttle to the center during the festival. Avignon Centre station serves Marseille and Nîmes.
Ticketing and Reservations
Unlike the Festival IN, the Festival OFF does not have a centralized ticketing system. Each company manages its own reservations. Most shows can be booked through the companies' websites or on-site at the venues. Global ticketing platforms like Ticket Avignon offer access to many shows.
Prices
- Average price: 12 to 18 EUR per show
- Reduced prices: widely available (Avignon OFF card, AF&C membership)
- Avignon Festival & Companies Card: access to preferential rates in most OFF venues
Contact
Avignon Festival & Compagnies (AF&C)
24 boulevard Saint-Michel, 84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 85 13 08
Website: festivaloffavignon.com
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Where does it take place — Avignon OFF
Multiples lieux dans Avignon intra-muros
24 boulevard Saint-Michel, 84000 Avignon