The 25th edition of the Maintenant festival will take place in Rennes on October 1st.
From October 1 to 11, 2026, Rennes becomes the nerve center of digital creation and exploratory music. Organized by the association Electroni[k], the festival Maintenant celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. A quarter of a century of existence during which the event has established its signature: breaking down barriers between disciplines and making the most daring visual and sound works accessible.
For eleven days, the festival will take over eleven iconic venues in the metropolitan area. The Théâtre du Vieux Saint-Étienne, the beating heart of the event, will host interactive works questioning our relationship with the living and technology this year. The approach aims to be immersive: the visitor is no longer just a spectator but an actor in the installation, engaged by sound, light, or material.
Brazilian artist Rafaela Mascaro signs the visual identity of Maintenant 2026 with her creation Now Bodies.
Meanwhile, the Salle de la Cité takes charge of the musical aspect. The Ambiances Électroniques evenings will bring together emerging figures from the international scene for hybrid performances where sound intertwines with visual arts.
Innovation, ecology, and social inclusion.
Beyond technical performance, Maintenant addresses contemporary societal issues. At a time when digital technologies are questioning their own environmental and human impact, the programming highlights artists using reuse, low technology, and systems of artificial intelligence repurposed for poetic ends.
The festival's territorial anchoring is also based on an inclusive mediation model:
- A democratized access: a large part of the exhibition path and workshops remains free to access.
- Local engagement: strengthened partnerships with the Carte Sortir! initiative and organization of visits tailored for audiences distanced from cultural offerings.
- Practical workshops: moments of transmission to get acquainted with sound design, creative coding, or digital fabrication.
In 25 editions, the Maintenant festival has risen to be one of the reference events in Europe for emerging arts. This new anniversary confirms the event's ability to capture the times and offer an informed, curious, and poetic reading of the digital world that surrounds us.
- Practical: Exhibitions at the Ateliers du Vent (59 rue Alexandre Duval) open from Wednesday to Sunday from October 1 to 11, 2026. Complete programming and ticketing on the website: https://www.maintenant-festival.fr
