Based in Marseille, Parallèle is a production and programming platform for dance, theater, visual arts, and performance, dedicated to a rising generation of local, national, and international artists. Parallèle supports artistic projects in development, accompanies artists in their evolving careers, and fosters the renewal of forms and languages.
Festival Parallèle, developed in partnership with several local cultural spaces and one of our annual highlights, shares these forms with an ever-growing and highly-attentive audience. At the heart of the festival are the artists and projects supported by our platform. Featuring dance, theater, performance, and visual arts, this international, multi- and trans-disciplinary event is a boon for their visibility, revealing the aesthetic prowess and sharp intelligence of today’s emerging artists.
Each year, Festival Parallèle attracts a number of international programmers. It acts as an incubator, a space of qualitative visibility for artists. Its impact becomes increasingly clear year after year, as we watch these artists go on to share their work in some of France and Europe’s most influential spaces.
Making art accessible to people of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds is central to our ethos. Festival Parallèle programming also includes art classes for children, critical thinking and visual workshops for teens and young adults, as well as immersive projects for young arts professionals. Headquartered at Coco Velten, a shared space in Marseille’s Belsunce neighborhood, Parallèle organizes its events — from artist talks to ateliers — with the help of our neighbors and other locals.
Parallèle is a part of several informal networks and co-op projects around the world: Be My Guest, international network for emerging practices; More Than This, and Festivals of the Future, both supported by the European Union.