Premières Rencontres Festival

« Arts, early childhood and living show » – European  biennial event in Val d’Oise and Seine-et-Marne.

A major event 

Les Premières Rencontres were born thanks to artists willing :

To move forward on the European creation theme and to stimulate the circulation of European artistic works for early childhood in “Ile de France”, either by scheduling shows or by participating in the forum with other French or foreign partners and professionals.

To carry out an in-depth work on the sensitive and concrete knowledge of childhood with a co-working spirit (partnership with parents, children and professionals) and to create a dedicated period for debates, training sessions on how arts can contribute to improve our knowledge of childhood, exchanges and experience sharing.

To strengthen a European and international network of artists and professionals operating in the field of culture and childhood in order to share strategies.

This initiative was set up in 2004 to answer a high level of demand for European and international exchanges in Ile de France.

It has now become a major national, European and international event that needs support to maintain and develop itself.

Since 2004…

A European spirit shared, cultivated, developed and anchored in the Paris region, between artists, parents, professionals working in culture and childhood…

7 europeans forum of 2 days at Villiers-le-Bell
21 weeks of european festival
In 16 to 19 cities in the Paris area
Europeans and internationals speakers
Cultural activity: workshops and residences of European artists

A springboard for the movement of creations and European shows:
842 performances including 348 of foreign shows between 2004 and 2016
59 000 viewers for Europeans and internationals exchanges
220 persons during early childhood trainings, Art and living show (professionals working in the early childhood and  culture together)
An important media coverage
A positive image of he territory

… thanks to this exchanges forged since 12 years, the expectation of the cities involved is bigger at each edition, the 8th edition, will be hold in march and april 2018 !

Europe is in Villiers-le-Bel, Val d’Oise and Seine-et-Marne, Île de France :

The ACTA Company – with a broad experience acquired in theatrical creations and tours, conferences and debates  for the early children and the adults who accompany them – wanted to seize the opportunity in its surrounding territory by offering towns located in Roissy pays de France and Val d’Oise to host European shows dedicated to early childhood and using various artistic languages.

Our town of residence, Villiers le Bel, the “Conseil départemental du Val d’Oise” (French Administration at the “Département” level) and the “Communauté d’Agglomération”.

“Roissy Pays De France” (local authority made up of several towns) were the first to enter into an active partnership with “Les premières Rencontres” (“The first encounters”) and we are glad that they pursue their commitment by our side in order to develop this main event.

The “Conseil Régional d’Ile de France” (French Administration at the « Région » level), with its support to the ACTA Company’s initiative mixing European and local, enabled an increasing development of European and international actions during the 5th  (2012) and the 6th (2014) editions of the “Premières Rencontres”.

10 ans de Premières Rencontres :