International Festival of Caricature, Press Drawing and Humor
The oldest and largest caricature festival in the world
2026
About Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival
Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival — edition 2026
The 45th International Cartoon, Press Drawing and Humour Festival runs from Saturday, September 26th to Sunday, October 4th, 2026, at the Espace Loup in Saint-Just-le-Martel, open daily from 9 am to 7 pm. The summer municipal bulletin features 30 exhibitions, including a New Yorker retrospective and collections by Wolinski, Dubout, Cristina Sampaïo, and Fernando Sendra. The official poster was designed by Antonio Antunes.
45th Edition: September 26th to October 4th, 2026
The festival takes place at the Espace Loup from Saturday, September 26th to Sunday, October 4th, 2026, with continuous opening hours from 9 am to 7 pm. The opening ceremony will be held on the eve, Friday, September 25th, at 7 pm, followed by a free community evening event called "Les Feux de l'Humour".
The summer 2026 municipal bulletin highlights 30 exhibitions in Saint-Just-le-Martel, categorized into staff picks, spotlights, tributes, historical showcases, youth-oriented displays, international works, and collective exhibitions. Four "aperitif" exhibitions are hosted by institutional partners in Limoges, along with three additional partner exhibitions in Limoges and Brive.
The poster for this 45th edition was created by cartoonist Antonio Antunes.
As of mid-August 2026, the list of attending cartoonists and the daily schedule of events have not yet been released by the Saint Just Culture Loisirs association.
Highlights Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival 2026
- 30 exhibitions at Espace Loup, including a New Yorker retrospective and a Wolinski collection
- Official poster for the 45th edition by Antonio Antunes
- Opening ceremony on Friday, September 25th at 7 pm, followed by "Les Feux de l'Humour": food trucks, fireworks around 9:30 pm, and a dance; free admission
- Four "aperitif" exhibitions in Limoges and three partner exhibitions in Limoges and Brive
- Tactile drawings from the "L'humour vachement accessible" project created with Ali Hamra
- Free admission for those under 16
Programme Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival 2026
Friday, September 25th, 2026: Opening and Community Evening
- 7 pm — Opening ceremony of the 45th edition · Espace Loup · open to all residents
- From 7:30 pm — "Les Feux de l'Humour", a community-organized evening · near the village hall · food trucks, catering stands, and refreshments · free admission
- Around 9:30 pm — Fireworks display, followed by a dance at the village hall
Saturday, September 26th to Sunday, October 4th, 2026: The Festival
Espace Loup, open daily from 9 am to 7 pm. 30 exhibitions are scheduled on-site.
Staff Picks
- Michel Roman, La vigne, le vin et les vignerons (France)
- Nol, 50 ans de carrière (France)
- JY, Lune et autre (France)
- Samson, Happy End (France)
- Cambon, humorist cartoonist (France)
Spotlights
- Dubout, Le Monde de Dubout (France)
- Daullé, 80 balais en 2026 (France)
- Wolinski, press cartoonist (France)
Nods to
- Govin, Cro…Bars (France)
- Plop & KanKr, Ébullitions (France)
- Jacques Bulot, Jacques Bulot, revoir ou découvrir (France)
Tributes
- Ricor, French cartoonist (France)
Historical Exhibitions
- Roubille (1872-1955), modern-style humorist cartoonist (France)
- Cabrol (1895-1956), master of caricature and portrait-charge (France)
Youth Audience
- Adène, press cartoonist (France-Spain)
- Centre International and EDF, Terre Happy ! (France)
- L'École des Justins, Par ici l'humour (France): drawings created throughout the year by children with cartoonist Lydia Roche-Tuffreau
- Centre International and LudiMuséo, L'humour vachement accessible (France): tactile caricatures from workshops held in schools and medical-social facilities with cartoonist Ali Hamra
International
- Cristina Sampaïo (Portugal)
- Saad Hajo, Un président sans raison : une honte (Syria)
- Samuel Ojo, Nigerian cartoonist (Great Britain)
- Fernando Sendra, Les phrases célèbres (Argentina)
Collective Exhibitions
- France Cartoons, Faites l'humour pas la guerre
- Marge, a collective of young cartoonists
- Librexpression, De la critique à l'intelligence artificielle
- Ali Hamra and Moufak Kat, Le rire sous les décombres (Syria)
- Fadi Abou Hassan, Les enfants et la guerre
- The New Yorker, Rétrospective (USA)
- Cagle Cartoons, Guerre en Iran
- Bagley, Mc Kee and Wexler, Les présidents à l'œuvre (USA)
Also on display
- Drawings by the 2025-2026 amateur competition winners on the theme "The Intelligence of Humour": Friederich Tasser, Fernando Pica, and Delphine Dumont (adults); Léa Dufosset, Lison Amiard, and Arthur Petit (12-16 years old); Anil, Aria, and Maya (9-11 years old)
"Aperitif" Exhibitions in Limoges
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Maison de Limoges: Jean-Louis Savignac
- Haute-Vienne Departmental Council: Devo, Exceptionnelles 2
- CHS Esquirol: Alf, Laïcité mon Amour
- CCI of Limoges: a selection of caricatures
Partner Exhibitions
- Maison des Francophonies, Limoges: Kazanaveski, Vert Soleil
- Campus La Borie, University of Limoges: Ballouhey, Écologie et climat
- IUT Library of Brive: Librexpression, Femmes battues. Contre les violences faites aux femmes
Ongoing throughout the ten days
- Meetings with cartoonists and live drawing sessions
- Book signing sessions
- A show and various activities announced by the organizer, with details to follow
- Award ceremonies, with times and titles to be announced
- Launch of the 2026-2027 amateur competition, with the theme revealed during the festival
The day-by-day program (schedules for activities, the show, and award ceremonies) and the list of attending cartoonists have not been published as of mid-August 2026.
Prices Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival 2026
2-day pass: €13 full price, €8 reduced price.
Reduced price: job seekers, students, people with disabilities, groups of 10+ people.
Free: under 16s, medical-social homes, schools.
Tickets available online via the Centre International ticketing service and on-site.
"Les Feux de l'Humour" evening on Friday, September 25th: free admission.
Practical information — Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival
Practical Information
Opening Hours
During the festival, the Espace Loup is open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
2026 Admission Fees
1-day ticket: €10, or €5 at the reduced rate. 2-day pass: €13, or €8 at the reduced rate. The reduced rate applies to job seekers, students, people with disabilities, and groups of more than 10 people. Admission is free for those under 16, medical-social care homes, and school groups. Tickets can be purchased online via the Centre International website or on-site by cash, check, or credit card.
Getting There
Saint-Just-le-Martel is located 12 km from Limoges via the D941. The village is also accessible by bike via the V93 Limoges - Vassivière cycle route. The nearest train station is Limoges-Bénédictins.
On-site Facilities
Refreshment bar, restrooms, Wi-Fi, parking, and an outdoor park. All exhibitions are on the ground floor, and seating is provided throughout the rooms for visitors to rest.
Contact
Centre International de la Caricature, du Dessin de Presse et d'Humour, Espace Loup, 7 route du Château d'Eau, 87590 Saint-Just-le-Martel. Phone: 05 55 09 26 70. Email: [email protected].
The Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival: World Temple of Caricature
Since 1982, the small village of Saint-Just-le-Martel, on the outskirts of Limoges, has hosted a unique event each autumn: the International Festival of Caricature, Press Drawing and Humor. Founded by Gérard Vandenbroucke, former mayor of the commune, this festival has become, over more than forty years, the undisputed world reference for press drawing and caricature.
An Iconic Venue: Espace Loup
Initially held under a traveling tent, the festival has had its own dedicated space since 2011: the Espace Loup, an international center of 2,000 m² named in homage to one of the first cartoonists to attend the festival. This permanent building, located at 7 route du Château d'Eau, houses both the temporary exhibitions of the annual festival and a permanent center dedicated to press drawing, open year-round.
The Grand Prix de l'Humour Vache
The festival's supreme award, the Grand Prix de l'Humour Vache, is presented each year to an internationally renowned cartoonist. Its trophy is as unique as the festival itself: an authentic Limousin cow worth 1,000 euros. Among the laureates are the biggest names in global press drawing, including many cartoonists from Charlie Hebdo. After the attack of January 7, 2015, Maryse Wolinski donated her husband Georges Wolinski's desk to the center, strengthening the unbreakable link between the festival and the defense of freedom of expression.
A Major International Event
For ten days, over 150 cartoonists from around the world gather in Saint-Just-le-Martel for thematic exhibitions, signing sessions, live drawing, creative workshops, and debates on press freedom. The festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year and provides a fantastic space for encounters between artists, journalists, and the general public, centered on the power of the line and humor.
A Commitment to Freedom of Expression
Much more than just an artistic festival, the event in Saint-Just-le-Martel is a militant act in favor of freedom of expression and press freedom. In partnership with organizations like Cartooning for Peace, the festival defends the right to satirical drawing and pays tribute to persecuted cartoonists worldwide. It has become a place of memory and resistance through the pen.
Where does it take place — Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival
Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival in brief
History of Saint-Just-le-Martel Festival
Edition 2025 Sep 2025Other festivals near Saint-Just-le-Martel
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)