Zik & Z'Arts Festival

The Zik & Z'Arts Festival: Art and Life in Tribute to Baptiste

The Zik & Z'Arts Festival is an event of music and living arts rooted in memory and conviviality. It is held every summer on the Pâtis de Tonnerre, in the Yonne region, around the bandstand named in honor of Baptiste Chevreau, a 24-year-old young man from Tonnerre, killed during the Bataclan attacks on November 13, 2015.

This festival was born from a family and civic initiative led by the Association Le Kiosque à Baptiste, created by Baptiste's loved ones to transform the pain of grief into a celebration of life, music, and creation. As Baptiste's father-in-law, Patrick Petitjean, summarized: “The only thing we can oppose to hatred, with our small means, is joy.”

A Rebuilt Bandstand, A Rebuilt Symbol

Even before the festival, the association carried out an ambitious project: to rebuild and restore the stone and wrought iron bandstand in the Pâtis, which had been in poor condition for many years. Inaugurated in October 2017 in the presence of some 500 people, the Kiosque Baptiste-Chevreau became a place for life, gathering, and artistic creation in the heart of Tonnerre. Its inauguration was marked by a first concert by the Dijon-based singer Yves Jamait, in June 2018, given with free admission.

Zik & Z'Arts: Three Days of Celebration, Sound, and Color

The first edition of the Zik & Z'Arts Festival took place in July 2022, inaugurating a format designed to last: three days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) around the bandstand, in the shade of the remarkable trees of the Pâtis. The festival offers an ambitious program with nationally renowned artists, in a resolutely popular and accessible spirit.

Headliners of French Chanson

From its very first edition, the festival has attracted recognized artists from the French scene. The 2022 lineup included:

• Yves Jamait (Friday), the singer-poet from Dijon, a figure of chanson à textes
• Debout Sur Le Zinc (Saturday), the festive collective with multiple influences, between folk, ska, and rock
• Barcella (Sunday), a singer with a sensitive and melancholic universe
• Lili Cros & Thierry Chazelle, a duo of singers with refined lyrics
• Hélène Piris, an artist with an enchanting voice
• Turbo Niglo, a surprising band mixing gypsy influences and rock energy

Each evening, the concerts begin in the late afternoon, creating a festive atmosphere that continues under the stars.

The Visual Artists' Village

Alongside the concerts, an artists' village is set up on the Pâtis from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. Painters, sculptors, ceramists, graffiti artists, photographers, and sketch artists gather there to exhibit and create in public. Local associations — Arts en Tonnerrois, Mouv'Arts d'Auxerre, Libre Expression de Migennes — mingle with professional artists in a creative and accessible effervescence for everyone.

A Free Festival, Driven by Associative Commitment

The Zik & Z'Arts Festival is a free admission event. Spectators' financial participation is left to their discretion, in a spirit of generosity and sharing. Catering is provided by local associations, thus extending the festival's roots in the social and cultural fabric of the Tonnerrois region.

The Association Le Kiosque à Baptiste coordinates the entire event with a team of dedicated volunteers. Beyond the festival, the association carries out artistic and educational projects throughout the year: ceramic murals in schools, percussion workshops, participatory art projects, demonstrating a lasting commitment to culture and living together in the Yonne.

A Natural Setting in the Heart of Burgundy

The setting of the Pâtis de Tonnerre is a major asset of the festival. This large green space, bordered by centuries-old trees, right in the heart of the town, offers a sumptuous natural stage and enveloping acoustics. Tonnerre, a medieval town in the Yonne, is known for its architectural heritage — the 13th-century Hôtel-Dieu, the Saint-Pierre collegiate church, the Fosse Dionne — and its renowned vineyards. The festival adds a contemporary and popular cultural dimension, true to the open and curious spirit of Baptiste Chevreau.