T.A.T ! Festival

T.A.T ! : the summer festival that makes Vitry the Avignon of Val-de-Marne

The T.A.T ! festival (Théâtre, Amour et Transats) is the summer highlight of the Nouveau Gare au Théâtre in Vitry-sur-Seine. Its genesis dates back to 1998, when director Mustapha Aouar founded "Nous n'irons pas à Avignon" (We won't go to Avignon), a manifesto festival based on a simple conviction: why should everyone travel to Avignon when we can create a quality living art space here, in Vitry, for the residents of Val-de-Marne and the Parisian suburbs? This festival has evolved and changed its name to become T.A.T !, perpetuating the idea of a major, accessible summer gathering for the performing arts.

The Nouveau Gare au Théâtre, a unique venue

The festival's setting is as remarkable as its programming: the Nouveau Gare au Théâtre, located in a former early 20th-century freight depot near the Vitry station, has been transformed by artists into an ambitious multidisciplinary creative space. Its seven halls host theater, music, dance, video, and visual arts within a converted industrial architecture reminiscent of major European cultural wastelands. The T.A.T ! festival harnesses the full potential of this extraordinary venue, even spilling out into its outdoor spaces for open-air performances.

A multidisciplinary and popular program

For two weeks every July, about twenty professional companies perform on the stages of the Nouveau Gare au Théâtre. The program features theater, dance, youth performances, puppet shows, and other multidisciplinary artistic expressions. The schedule is designed to satisfy all audiences: mornings dedicated to youth performances, evenings with performances from 6 PM to 9 PM, nocturnal or candlelit readings, DJ sets as a cultural aperitif, bike rides, and participatory workshops with the artists.

A free and open festival for everyone

The spirit of T.A.T ! is resolutely popular: the vast majority of events are offered free of charge or at very accessible prices, in line with the cultural mission of the Nouveau Gare au Théâtre. Creative workshops, readings, activities, and youth performances are most often free, allowing audiences distant from culture to discover the living arts in an atmosphere of celebration and conviviality. The T.A.T ! 2025 festival was held from July 9 to 12, confirming its position as an unmissable summer event in Vitry-sur-Seine.

Local roots and regional reach

The T.A.T ! festival is deeply rooted in the associative and artistic fabric of Vitry-sur-Seine, a city with 10,000 public artworks and a militant cultural tradition. But its influence extends far beyond the municipal borders: spectators come from all over the Val-de-Marne and the entire Île-de-France region for this event that combines artistic quality, summer conviviality, and economic accessibility, in a place rich in history and projects.