Festival Pour les Oiseaux

Festival Pour les Oiseaux: twenty years of experimental music in Le Havre

Created in 2005 by the PiedNu association, the Festival Pour les Oiseaux (PLO) is one of the most unique events on the French music scene. Dedicated to experimental music, improvisation, and innovative sound forms, this festival offers a demanding and curious program every October, going against the grain, in a warm and intimate atmosphere.

PiedNu: a venue and an association dedicated to sound experimentation

The PiedNu association is based at the Fort de Tourneville, a former military structure perched on the heights of Le Havre, repurposed as a venue for the creation and dissemination of experimental music. Throughout the year, PiedNu organizes concerts, artist residencies, and music practice workshops. The Festival Pour les Oiseaux is the annual highlight of this activity, bringing together artists from around the world around a common passion for sound exploration.

A program balancing demands and accessibility

Concerts and performances

Each edition of the PLO features around twenty concerts and performances, mixing instrumental and vocal improvisation, electroacoustic music, prepared harp, experimental guitar, unconventional clarinet and violin, vocal performances, and spatialized setups. Internationally renowned artists — such as Sophie Agnel, John Butcher, Julien Desprez, or Biliana Voutchkova — share the stage with emerging creators in a non-hierarchical program.

Unique formats and family workshops

The festival stands out for the diversity of its offerings: sonic massages (immersive listening sessions), experimental cinema in partnership with the MuMa (MuMaBOX), listening walks in the city, circuit games with sound marbles for families, and concerts for toddlers from 18 months old. These varied formats reach a wide audience, far beyond just the initiated.

Strong territorial roots

The Festival Pour les Oiseaux is supported by the City of Le Havre, the DRAC Normandie, the Department of Seine-Maritime, and the Normandy Region. Its partnerships with the MuMa, the university library, and the Conservatoire Arthur Honegger make it an event deeply rooted in Le Havre's cultural fabric, contributing to the city's influence as a hub for contemporary music creation.