International Pastel Festival

The International Pastel Festival: A Quarter Century of Artistic Excellence

The history of the International Pastel Festival began in 2000 when Étienne Fompeyrine, a passionate pastel artist from Feytiat, contacted the French Pastel Society to propose organizing an event dedicated to this ancient technique. Convinced by the motivation of local stakeholders, including Serge Bouty, then president of the Municipal Office of Culture and Leisure, Jean-Pierre Mérat, founding president of the SPF, gave his approval. The first exhibition took place in 2001 and was an immediate success with the public, who were amazed by the beauty and subtlety of pastel.

Unparalleled International Reach

Since its creation, the Feytiat International Pastel Festival has continuously gained prestige and notoriety, becoming the world's largest showcase of pastel art. Each summer, the Espace Georges Brassens hosts approximately 300 works carefully selected by a jury of experts, signed by professional pastel artists from all over the globe: USA, Canada, England, Spain, Italy, Australia, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, and China. The festival has attracted up to 20,000 visitors in a single edition and is the preferred meeting place for discerning collectors and internationally renowned artists.

A Rich and Immersive Program

The International Pastel Festival is not limited to a simple exhibition. The opening weekend features continuous demonstrations by the exhibiting artists, offering the public a rare opportunity to observe the creation of a pastel artwork live. Advanced workshops, led by master pastel artists such as Dany Denis or Alain Voinot, allow amateurs and experienced artists to deepen their practice. Manufacturers of pastels and specialized papers also hold a professional trade show, creating a true ecosystem around this pictorial technique.

Pastel: An Art to (Re)Discover

Dry pastel is a noble and demanding pictorial technique dating back to the 16th century. Contrary to popular belief, pastel is neither chalk nor a simple drawing tool: it is pure pigment bound with minimal binder, offering colors of incomparable intensity and luminosity. From Degas to Chardin, from Quentin de La Tour to Rosalba Carriera, the greatest masters have used pastel. The Feytiat festival perpetuates this tradition while highlighting contemporary artists who constantly renew the possibilities of this fascinating medium.

The Public's Favorite

Each year, visitors are invited to vote for their favorite artwork in the framework of the Public's Favorite. In 2025, over 3,100 votes were cast, and the prize was awarded to Gisèle Hurtaud for her pastel portrait "Au marché de Wallia." This award testifies to the public's engagement and the vitality of a festival that places exchange between artists and visitors at the heart of its approach.