Odyssées en Yvelines

Odyssées en Yvelines: The festival that invents youth theater

Since 1997, Odyssées en Yvelines has held a unique place in the French cultural landscape. It is the only festival entirely dedicated to theater creation for children and youth, a strong artistic commitment that has earned it recognition from the Ministry of Culture and support from the Department of Yvelines.

The concept is original: for each edition, the Théâtre de Sartrouville et des Yvelines – CDN commissions six original creations from six artists, giving them complete freedom on the subject, form, and stage language. The shows, designed for audiences ranging from 4 years old to teenagers, explore various artistic territories: theater, music, dance, magic, choreographed circus, musical theater.

A traveling festival that reaches the entire department

The strength of Odyssées en Yvelines lies in its traveling distribution model. The six creations are not only performed at the Théâtre de Sartrouville: they go on tour in over 55 towns in Yvelines, totaling more than 200 performances at each edition. The shows are presented in a wide variety of venues: municipal theaters, classrooms, colleges, community centers, media libraries, village halls, and neighborhood centers.

Meeting all audiences

This capillary distribution allows the festival to reach over 30,000 spectators per edition, a large proportion of whom are young people who do not have access to traditional cultural structures. Performances in priority neighborhoods and rural areas of the department are the specificity of Odyssées en Yvelines, which fully assumes its mission of cultural democratization.

Over twenty-five years of artistic excellence

Created in 1997 under the name Odyssées 78, the festival initially operated biennially. Its first edition featured six creations commissioned from directors such as Philippe Adrien, Joël Jouanneau, and Claire Lasne, performed in 55 towns for over 30,000 spectators. In 2008, for its 7th edition, the festival took the name Odyssées en Yvelines.

Over the editions, the festival has been enriched by an artist support component with the Cité-Odyssées program, which extends the encounter between the creations and the local residents through workshops, residencies, and mediation activities.

A nationally recognized model

Odyssées en Yvelines has gained national recognition as a model for youth theater creation festivals. The Ministry of Culture regularly praises the "great dynamic" of this festival, which combines artistic excellence and accessibility, making the Yvelines department a benchmark territory for youth theater creation.