Journées Olympe de Gouges
Feminist cultural festival in Montauban, birthplace of Olympe de Gouges
About Journées Olympe de Gouges
The Journées Olympe de Gouges are a biennial cultural festival organized in Montauban (82000) in March, around International Women's Rights Day. Conferences, theater, concerts, exhibitions, and readings celebrate the legacy of the 18th-century Montauban activist. The 20th anniversary in 2026 promises an exceptional edition. Organized by the City of Montauban.
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Montauban honors its most rebellious daughter
Born in Montauban in 1748, Marie Gouze, known as Olympe de Gouges, was one of the most audacious women of the French Revolution. Author of the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen (1791), abolitionist activist, author of sixteen plays and more than fifty political writings, she was guillotined in 1793 for daring to speak out in the public sphere. Her famous phrase — “Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights” — resonates as a call that is still relevant today.
Since 2006, the City of Montauban has paid tribute to her annually or biennially through the Journées Olympe de Gouges, a cultural festival that combines historical memory and contemporary commitment to equal rights.
A multidisciplinary cultural festival
The Journées Olympe de Gouges are not a mere academic conference: it is a vibrant, popular, and multidisciplinary festival that takes over the performance halls, museums, libraries, and public spaces of Montauban. The program includes:
- Conferences and debates: Researchers, academics, activists, and committed personalities speak to explore themes of equality, citizenship, and the place of women in contemporary society and history. These conferences are open to all and free of charge.
- Theater: Professional companies present new productions and revivals featuring women, their voices, and their struggles. The Théâtre Olympe de Gouges, renamed in her honor in 2006, is the beating heart of the theatrical programming.
- Concerts: Female artists or mixed ensembles perform as part of the festival, crossing musical genres and cultures.
- Exhibitions: Temporary exhibitions in Montauban's museums and galleries explore themes of the condition of women, historical and contemporary feminism, and the work of Olympe de Gouges.
- Readings and performances: Theatrical readings of texts by Olympe de Gouges and other female authors, artistic performances, and meetings with women writers.
Strong territorial roots
The Olympe de Gouges Theater, renamed as such during the first edition of the festival in 2006, is the symbol of this anchoring: a city that chooses to name its main cultural facility after a revolutionary woman, executed and long forgotten, claims a demanding memory and a unique cultural identity.
The Journées take place in several emblematic sites of Montauban: the Musée Ingres-Bourdelle, the Espace Perbosc, La Petite Comédie, Le Fort, the Médiathèque de Grand Air, and neighborhood libraries. This dispersion throughout the city allows the festival to reach diverse audiences and to resonate in all neighborhoods.
Twenty years of cultural struggle
Since its creation in 2006, the Journées Olympe de Gouges has evolved: initially annual, they became biennial in 2018, concentrating their energy and resources for more ambitious editions. The festival has also taken note of contemporary feminist issues, broadening its themes to include intersectionality, inclusion, diversity, and the fight against all forms of discrimination.
The 2026 edition will mark the 20th anniversary of the festival, a time for celebration and review as well as projection towards the future. Twenty years of cultural resistance, twenty years of giving voice to women on the Montauban public stage.
Journées Olympe de Gouges — edition 2026
20th anniversary of the Journées Olympe de Gouges in Montauban: feminist cultural festival from March 13 to 21, 2026, around International Women's Rights Day. Conferences, theater, concerts, exhibitions, and readings in the city's cultural venues.
20th anniversary: an exceptional edition
The Journées Olympe de Gouges festival celebrates its 20th anniversary from March 13 to 21, 2026 in Montauban. Since the first edition in 2006 — when the municipal theater was renamed Théâtre Olympe de Gouges — the festival has continued to grow and establish itself as one of the most significant feminist cultural events in southwestern France.
For this twentieth anniversary, the City of Montauban promises an exceptional program spread over nine days, from March 13 to 21, 2026, encompassing International Women's Rights Day on March 8th.
Conferences and debates
Researchers, activists, writers, and committed public figures will speak at the Espace Perbosc and other venues in the city for conferences and round tables accessible to all. Topics covered will include the legacy of Olympe de Gouges, contemporary feminisms, women's rights in France and around the world, and issues of intersectionality.
Theater and live performances
The Théâtre Olympe de Gouges and La Petite Comédie will host original theatrical creations and revivals featuring women and their struggles. The play Engagements ordinaires, témoignages extraordinaires, presented at La Petite Comédie, is one of the announced highlights of the program.
Exhibitions
The exhibition Engagées éTERREnELLES will be presented at Le Fort from March 13 to April 15, 2026, combining contemporary art and feminist commitment in a dialogue between women artists and activists of yesterday and today.
Concerts and performances
Concerts and musical performances will punctuate the program, blending committed songs, sound poetry, and contemporary music led by female artists or mixed ensembles.
The 20th anniversary of the Journées Olympe de Gouges will also be an opportunity for a collective review and reflection on the future of the festival and the progress made in two decades of cultural struggle for equal rights.
Highlights Journées Olympe de Gouges 2026
- 20th anniversary of the festival, exceptional edition from March 13 to 21, 2026
- Conferences, debates, and meetings at Espace Perbosc and throughout the city
- Theater performances at Théâtre Olympe de Gouges and La Petite Comédie
- Exhibition "Engagées éTERREnELLES" at Le Fort (until April 15)
- Committed artistic concerts and performances
- International Women's Rights Day on March 8th
Prices Journées Olympe de Gouges 2026
Practical information — Journées Olympe de Gouges
Practical Information
Getting to Montauban
Montauban is the prefecture of the Tarn-et-Garonne department (82000), well served by public transport.
- By train: Montauban-Ville-Bourbon station, on the Paris-Toulouse line (TGV in 3h15 from Paris, TER from Toulouse in 30 minutes).
- By car: A62 Bordeaux-Toulouse highway, Montauban exit. Approximately 50 km from Toulouse, 90 km from Agen.
- By plane: Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (50 km), serving major French and European cities.
Festival Venues
The Journées Olympe de Gouges take place in several locations in Montauban:
- Théâtre Olympe de Gouges: Main stage for theater and music performances.
- La Petite Comédie: Performance space for more intimate productions.
- Le Fort: Exhibition and conference space.
- Musée Ingres-Bourdelle: Thematic exhibitions.
- Espace Perbosc: Meetings and debates.
Prices and Booking
Most events are free and open to all. Some theater performances and concerts require tickets. Prices and booking information available from the Théâtre Olympe de Gouges and the City of Montauban.
Contact
- Ville de Montauban: 9, rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, 82000 Montauban
- Phone: 05 63 22 19 79
- Website: montauban.com
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Travel to this festival
Book your train or bus to reach Journées Olympe de Gouges at the best price.
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Where does it take place — Journées Olympe de Gouges
Théâtre Olympe de Gouges et sites culturels de Montauban
Place Nationale, 82000 Montauban