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Festival in portrait

Quote of the Week

“Festivals are a strong creative motor that enables us to navigate the changing continent in which we live, identifying the important questions about our society, and building trust and shared values.”

Rose Fenton

France Festivals celebrates 50th anniversary

Paris, Friday, 06-11-2009

France Festivals celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special evening on 13 November. The French federation of international music festivals demonstrates the artistic dynamic and the diversity of programmes of its members with a series of concerts selected by the member festivals.

The programme includes: the Orchestre National de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon, Concert Spirituel, Edna Stern, Quatuor Debussy, Nathalie Stutzmann etc. What’s more, the Association commissioned an international creation: "Ligea" composed by Zad Moultaka. The piece will tour French festivals in 2010 and 2011.

Founded in 1959, France Festivals today includes 91 festivals. The federation's mission is to represent and defend its members' interests before governmental organizations and authorities, and promote the artistic events that its members organize.

These festivals are among the most prestigious French seasonal events with international reputations. They take place throughout France from January to December and are an exceptional asset for cultural development. Thanks to them, France has a reputation as a 'country of Festivals'.

France Festivals actively works to promote the artistic identity of the festivals and underscores the cultural, economic, and social importance of the festivals, both locally and nationally. The festivals represent an important vehicle for economic development for our country, as the following figures show.

The celebrations take place in the framework of the conference on “Festival Audiences” on 12 and 13 November 2009 in Montpellier.