FITA - International Action Theater Festival
Engaged theater for living together
About FITA
Created in 2002 by the Compagnie Ophélia Théâtre and its founder Laurent Poncelet, FITA is a biennial festival that takes place in November in the Grenoble metropolitan area and in Isère. For more than two weeks, it brings together international companies for engaged performances, films, participatory workshops, and citizen forums. FITA mobilizes residents, associations, and social structures to make theater a tool for meeting, debate, and social transformation, particularly involving audiences furthest from culture.
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FITA: When Theater Becomes Citizen Action
Since 2002, the International Action Theater Festival (FITA) has established itself as a unique cultural event in France, driven by the Compagnie Ophélia Théâtre and its founder, author and director Laurent Poncelet. Scheduled biennially in the Grenoble metropolitan area with decentralization throughout the Isère department, FITA embodies a militant and generous vision of performing arts: one that questions the world, brings people together, and transforms.
A Festival Rooted in the Territories
FITA is not limited to indoor performances. For nearly three weeks each November in even-numbered years, the festival takes over about thirty territories in Isère and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Performances are held in emblematic venues such as the Espace 600, the Théâtre Prémol, the TMG - Grand Théâtre de Grenoble, as well as in community centers, shelters, schools, and neighborhood halls. This decentralization is at the heart of the festival's identity: reaching out to audiences rather than waiting for them to come.
Action Theater: An Engaged Approach
The concept of "action theater" goes beyond simple stage performance. It is an artistic movement born in Belgium in the 1970s, which places theater at the service of social and civic emancipation. FITA fully embraces this tradition by offering performances that address strong societal themes: exile, inequality, racism, violence against women, precariousness, living together, minority rights, and environmental issues.
Each creation presented at the festival questions our relationship with the world and with others, blending theater, dance, storytelling, song, puppetry, slam, and clowning. Invited companies come from all over the world—Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe—offering cross-cultural perspectives on universal issues.
Citizen Participation at the Heart of the Project
What distinguishes FITA from other theater festivals is its deep commitment to resident participation. In collaboration with over 80 partner structures—social action associations, community centers, MJCs, women's shelters, asylum seeker reception centers, schools—the festival organizes meetings between artistic teams and the public, especially those most marginalized and furthest from cultural institutions.
Artistic practice workshops, participatory forums, film screenings, exhibitions, and festive cabarets complement the performance program. Collective creations are also staged with non-professional residents, offering everyone the opportunity to become an actor in their own voice.
International Reach
FITA is part of an international network of action theater that connects companies and festivals worldwide. This international dimension fuels the richness of the programming and allows for intense artistic and human exchanges. Each edition mobilizes between 40 and 50 volunteers and brings together thousands of spectators around twenty performances and events.
FITA — edition 2026
The 13th edition of FITA - International Action Theater Festival will take place in November 2026 in Grenoble and Isère. This biennial festival will offer nearly three weeks of international engaged performances, participatory workshops, screenings, exhibitions, and citizen forums, mobilizing residents and social structures around action theater.
13th Edition of FITA — November 2026
The FITA - International Action Theater Festival returns for its 13th edition in November 2026 in the Grenoble metropolitan area and throughout the Isère department. Organized by the Compagnie Ophélia Théâtre, led by Laurent Poncelet, the festival will continue its mission of citizen mobilization through theater.
A Program Balancing Artistic Excellence and Social Engagement
As with every edition, FITA 2026 will bring together international companies from multiple continents to present creations addressing major contemporary issues. The program will blend theater, dance, storytelling, slam, puppetry, and visual arts, in a diversity of forms that is the festival's hallmark.
Performances will be held in the festival's emblematic venues—Espace 600, Théâtre Prémol, TMG—as well as in partner venues and halls, decentralized across about thirty territories in Isère.
Workshops, Forums, and Participatory Creations
Beyond the performances, FITA 2026 will offer artistic practice workshops open to all, participatory forums bringing together artists, residents, and social actors, film screenings, and exhibitions. Collective creations involving non-professional residents, particularly those facing hardship, will enrich the program.
The festival will work with its network of over 80 partner structures—community centers, MJCs, shelters, associations, schools—to prepare and organize meetings between artistic teams and residents.
Information to Come
The detailed program for the 13th edition will be announced in the fall of 2026 on the festival's official website. Registration for workshops and forums will open in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Programme FITA 2026
Provisional Program for FITA 2026
The official program for the 13th edition will be unveiled in the fall of 2026. As always, the festival will offer:
- International Performances: About ten professional creations from France and abroad
- Participatory Creations: Performances staged with non-professional residents
- Films and Documentaries: Screenings followed by discussions
- Exhibitions: Visual arts related to the festival's themes
- Artistic Workshops: Practical theater workshops open to everyone
- Citizen Forums: Sessions for debate and collective reflection
- Festive Cabarets: Friendly evenings in the neighborhoods
Visit the website www.fita-rhonealpes.fr for programming announcements.
Highlights FITA 2026
Key Points for FITA 2026
- 13th Edition of the International Action Theater Festival
- Dates: November 2026, approximately three weeks of festival
- Venues: Espace 600, Théâtre Prémol, TMG, and partner venues in Isère
- Engaged International Performances on societal themes
- Participatory Workshops open to all audiences
- Citizen Forums and collective creations with residents
- Over 80 Partners Mobilized across the department
Prices FITA 2026
Practical information — FITA
FITA Practical Information
Dates and Frequency
FITA is a biennial festival held in even-numbered years, generally over a period of two to three weeks in November. The 12th edition took place from November 8 to 24, 2024. The next edition (13th) is scheduled for November 2026.
Performance Venues
Performances take place in several theaters and venues in the Grenoble metropolitan area and Isère:
- Espace 600 — 97 galerie de l'Arlequin, 38100 Grenoble (main venue)
- Théâtre Prémol — 7 rue Henry Duhamel, 38100 Grenoble
- TMG - Grand Théâtre de Grenoble
- Le Prunier Sauvage, Le Lîeu, La Salle Noire, Le Club — Grenoble
- Espace Paul Jargot — Crolles
- Various decentralized venues in the communes of Isère
Prices and Ticketing
FITA offers a Festival Pass giving access to all performances (excluding specific partner venues):
- Full price: €27
- Reduced price: €16 (under 26s, students, people in precarious situations, AAH beneficiaries)
Passes are on sale on-site on performance evenings and through the festival's online ticketing service.
Reservations
For performances at Espace 600: 04 76 29 42 82 or [email protected]
For other performances: 06 23 69 16 95 or [email protected]
Access
By tram: Espace 600, the festival's main venue, is accessible by tram line A in Grenoble, stop "Arlequin". Grenoble city center is served by lines A, B, C, D, and E.
By train: Grenoble station is served by TGV trains from Paris (3h), Lyon (1h30), Marseille, and major French cities. From the station, tram line A connects to the festival venues.
By car: Grenoble is accessible via highways A48 (from Lyon), A41 (from Chambéry/Geneva), and A51 (from the south). Park and Ride (P+R) facilities are available at the entrances to the metropolitan area.
Accessibility
FITA is committed to welcoming all audiences. For any specific accessibility requests, please contact the festival team by phone or email.
Contact
Compagnie Ophélia Théâtre
Maison des associations — 6 rue Berthe de Boissieux, 38000 Grenoble
Tel: 06 23 69 16 95
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.fita-rhonealpes.fr
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Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach FITA at the best price.
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Where does it take place — FITA
Espace 600 et lieux partenaires
97 galerie de l'Arlequin, 38100 Grenoble