Video Mapping Festival
The international video mapping festival in Lille
About Video Mapping Festival
The Video Mapping Festival is a unique international event dedicated to video mapping and digital arts, organized by the Rencontres Audiovisuelles association in Lille. Every spring, it offers a nocturnal tour of video mapping creations projected onto the facades of monuments in the city center and Vieux-Lille, an international competition, a creation residency, a professional conference (IBSIC), and events in about fifteen towns in the Hauts-de-France region from April to October.
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The Video Mapping Festival: Lille, world capital of video mapping
Created by the Rencontres Audiovisuelles association, the Video Mapping Festival has become in a few years one of the world's reference events in the field of video mapping and digital arts. Every spring, it transforms the facades of Lille's historic buildings into giant screens for breathtaking visual creations.
A spectacular nocturnal tour
The highlight of the festival is the Lille opening, two evenings during which about twenty video mapping creations are projected onto the facades of monuments in the city center and Vieux-Lille. Spectators walk through the streets to discover these monumental works that combine light, sound, 3D animation, and visual storytelling, transforming architecture into a medium for artistic creation.
International competition and residency
The festival includes an international video mapping competition, where artists from around the world present their creations projected onto the facade of the La Voix du Nord building in Lille. An international residency for writing and production allows selected artists to create an original work, with the support of a production grant.
Video Mapping Awards
The Video Mapping Awards annually reward the best video mapping creations worldwide. Candidate works are projected before the public and a professional jury during the festival's opening evening.
IBSIC: the professional conference
The IBSIC (Image Beyond the Screen International Conference) is the professional conference associated with the festival. It brings together artists, technicians, researchers, and professionals in video mapping and digital arts for three days of exchanges, presentations, and feedback.
Regional and international reach
Beyond the Lille opening, the Video Mapping Festival extends to about fifteen towns in the Hauts-de-France region from April to October, offering projections and events in heritage sites. The festival enjoys international recognition, attracting artists and professionals from all over the world.
Video Mapping Festival — edition 2026
9th edition of the Video Mapping Festival with Lille opening on April 10 and 11, 2026, IBSIC conference from April 9 to 11, and events in 15 cities of Hauts-de-France.
9th Edition - Opening on April 10 and 11, 2026
The 9th edition of the Video Mapping Festival opens in Lille on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11, 2026 with about twenty creations to discover during a nocturnal tour in the city center and Vieux-Lille. The IBSIC conference takes place from April 9 to 11. The Video Mapping Awards will reward the best video mapping works of 2025 on April 11. The festival continues in about fifteen towns in the Hauts-de-France region from April to October 2026.
Programme Video Mapping Festival 2026
2026 Program
- April 9-11: IBSIC conference
- April 10-11: Lille opening - nocturnal video mapping tour
- April 11: Video Mapping Awards
- April to October: events in 15 towns in Hauts-de-France
Highlights Video Mapping Festival 2026
- 9th edition of the festival
- Lille opening on April 10 and 11, 2026
- Video Mapping Awards and IBSIC conference
- International call for submissions
Prices Video Mapping Festival 2026
Practical information — Video Mapping Festival
Practical Information
Locations
The festival opening takes place in the city center of Lille and Vieux-Lille. Video mapping projections are displayed on the facades of remarkable buildings: the La Voix du Nord building, churches, historic buildings in Vieux-Lille, and monuments in the city center. A marked route guides spectators from one projection to another. From April to October, projections take place in about fifteen towns in the Hauts-de-France region: Arras, Amiens, Dunkerque, Valenciennes, Roubaix, and other partner municipalities.
Access and transport
By metro: Lines 1 and 2 of the Lille automatic metro. Stops « Rihour » (line 1), « République Beaux-Arts » (line 1), or « Gare Lille-Flandres » (lines 1 and 2) for the Lille tour. The tour is entirely walkable from these stations.
By train: Gare Lille-Flandres (TGV, TER) or Lille-Europe (Eurostar, Thalys). The city center is a 5-10 minute walk from the stations.
By car: Underground parking lots in the Lille city center: Grand Place parking, Opéra parking, Vieux-Lille parking. Note: As projections take place in the evening, parking spaces are generally available.
Dates and times
Lille opening: two evenings in April (usually a Friday and Saturday evening). Projections begin at nightfall (around 9 PM in April) and continue until about midnight. The tour is free and can be followed in any order.
Regional events: from April to October in partner towns. Dates and locations announced on the official website.
Prices
Public space projections are completely free, both during the Lille opening and in the towns of Hauts-de-France. The IBSIC conference is subject to a fee (professional rate, online registration). The Video Mapping Awards are free to access.
Who is it for?
The festival is for all audiences: families, digital art enthusiasts, technology lovers, the curious. Public space projections are spectacular and accessible without any prior knowledge. The IBSIC conference is aimed at industry professionals.
Practical tips
- Projections are only visible at night - come after dark.
- Bring warm clothing for the April evenings (it can be cool in the evenings).
- The tour takes about 1.5 to 2 hours if you want to see all the projections.
- Check the route map on the official website before your visit.
- Projections are canceled in case of heavy rain - check social media on the day.
Contact
Rencontres Audiovisuelles: videomappingfestival.com
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Travel to this festival
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Where does it take place — Video Mapping Festival
Centre-ville de Lille et Vieux-Lille
Centre-ville et Vieux-Lille, 59000 Lille