Relevance to the Theme of the Module
The Aix-en-Provence Festival is a prime example of cooperation on environmental issues and digitalization. The Festival has developed new ways to conceive opera sets with a sustainable process. Also, the Festival has developed since the Covid crisis a digital scene. This project aligns with the module’s focus on the role of creative industries in touristic attractivity, heritage valorization and environmental issues.
Presentation
The Aix-en-Provence Festival is one of the major players in the world’s lyrical, artistic and creative landscape; 64000 people benefit from the Festival each year. With ADEME and the Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Festival d’Aix has developed all its sets in 100% eco-designed, by applying new construction processes. To go even further, the Festival is partnering with the 17h25 Collective, which brings together five lyric organizations – Aix-en-Provence Festival, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris Opera, Lyon Opera and Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie – to develop a unique project based on the standardization of structural elements of the sets and hypothesize that the large-scale diffusion of standard structures will produce environmental benefits, without restricting the creative force that makes each of these institutions so rich. Members of this project named “Structures standard” share a common ambition to improve and strengthen their practices through innovation and the pooling of their human, technical, and financial resources and means. Their association also aims to promote their values in the cultural sector and contribute to the sharing of best practices within it.
Since the Covid crisis, The Aix-en-Provence Festival has developed a digital scene, which is free of access, and offers replays of operas, interviews and specific contents. The digital scene is available on its website and promotes the cultural heritage on opera pieces, artists and composers, enhancing visibility and attractivity.
Enhancing Cultural Tourism and Cultural preservation: By developing a digital scene, the Festival aims to develop its audience and attractivity, when also it preserves and disseminate living cultural heritage.
Economic Benefits: The Festival contributes to the local economy by attracting visitors and promoting cultural tourism also in the year.
Environnemental issues: by developing modules for standardization of structural elements of the sets, the Festival helps cultural institutions to decrease the carbon footprint.
Collaborative Model: The emphasis on partnerships between cultural organizations from various regions, and the community of professionals can be replicated to ensure broad-based support and sustainability.
Innovative Solutions: The project’s use of innovative solutions for mutualized new structures can be applied in other regions with CCIS facing similar challenges.
Outcomes, Results, and Impacts
The Festival has achieved significant outcomes:
64000 tickets in 2025
83 performances
50 meetings and other events
In 2025, 5 new operas have been produced with the “Structures standards”.
Potential for Replication in Other Regions
The Aix-en-Provence Festival offers a great model for other regions aiming to enhance their commitment for environmental issues, mutualization, innovation and digitalization.
Scalability: The concept can be adapted to different scales, from local to international events