NEUFNEUF Festival

“The world is all around us, not just in front of us. Each person is a center, creating a free space where everything is constantly changing.”
Merce Cunningham

It is against a disastrous geopolitical backdrop and in a climate that is detrimental to the performing arts that I, together with the entire team at Lieu NEUFNEUF, am launching the 17th edition of the festival with unwavering consistency and the same confidence. Faced with the storm looming in the coming months, the festival stands firm, holds the helm steady, and stays the course, confident in its importance as a guarantor—with every edition—of respected freedom of expression and a strong capacity to support production and dissemination.

For three weeks, NEUFNEUF creates a space for visibility, where the power of words, the poetry of the body, the desire for movement, and a surge of emotions come together to battle growing obscurantism. Featuring large-scale productions and group pieces from France and across Europe, punctuated by intense solos, debut performances, and sensitive, incisive, and radical performances, the festival has decided to stand its ground by showcasing the power of dance when it comes together.

It is therefore with a deep desire for freedom—and a firm belief in the necessity of public service in the arts and culture and in its benefits—that I invite you to come and meet unique, socially engaged artists from our local, regional, national, and European communities. All of them are ready to guide you on your journey as audience members, to shift your perspectives, and to challenge your beliefs; they are ready to share their thoughts and engage in discussion about the featured works and the sad transformations of a society in turmoil.

Building on its maturity, the NEUFNEUF Festival, through its programming, calls on artists and audiences, operators, technicians, and curators to rally around the works in order to ensure respect for the values that underpin our cultural system—a system that is unique and envied by many artists and citizens around the world.

Building on your commitment and loyalty, I look forward to seeing you on September 3, 2026, at Lieu NEUFNEUF for our season-opening event. Come get a sneak peek at the 2026–2027 program, as well as the artists and highlights of the 17th edition of the NEUFNEUF Festival!
Enjoy the festival, everyone!
Samuel Mathieu