La Nature is conceived over the long term. Its artistic direction does not aim to illustrate an idea, but to give form to a sensitive state. A state shaped by attentive listening to the site, to the living world, and to uses and movements, refined across editions. The festival prioritises continuity, depth and coherence over conceptual renewal.

The living world constitutes its matrix. Not as a decorative backdrop, but as a structural logic: movement, interconnection, cycles and transformation. The natural site is not a surface to be scenographed, but an active structure, an existing sculpture. Human intervention is inscribed with restraint, in dialogue with what is already there.

Abstraction is a central language. It allows the festival to avoid imposed narratives, literal illustration and explicit symbolism. The proposed forms are contemporary, open-ended, at times unsettling. Meaning is not delivered; it emerges through lived experience. This indeterminacy is embraced as a condition of freedom.

The principle of less is more guides all artistic decisions. Reduction is not a style, but an ethic. Each element must be necessary and precise. Scarcity generates intensity. Emptiness is fully part of the composition.

Scenography favours immersion over frontality. The audience does not face a spectacle; it moves through spaces. Micro-environments, unannounced surprises, detours and non-linear pathways shape an active, personal experience. Getting lost is part of the process.

Space unfolds horizontally and vertically. Fabrics, suspensions, light and tensioned volumes invite shifts in perception and movement. Even when static, forms must suggest transformation and motion.

Materials are chosen for their capacity to resonate with the site: natural or raw matter, wood, textile, rope, metal. Fabric becomes a tool for spatial transformation. Night is treated as a material in itself, allowing for shadow, chiaroscuro and enveloping atmospheres.

Sound is an invisible but fundamental architecture. Its quality is non-negotiable. It structures space and shapes the perception of time. Audiovisual projects are integrated without technological display, always in service of immersion.

The relationship with the audience is based on gentle, non-imposed interaction. The festival creates conditions for connection between people, works and places. Spaces for intimacy, encounter and breathing are as essential as moments of intensity.

Local anchoring and authenticity are structural values. Real know-how and long-term collaborations are prioritised, in opposition to interchangeable event formats. Artistic programming values boldness, singularity and coherence with the site, without seeking immediate readability.

This manifesto is intended to guide the artistic development of La Nature Festival in the years to come. It establishes a shared frame of reference for scenography, construction, installations, performances and open calls. Every artistic decision must strengthen a sensitive, living and precise experience, in dialogue with the place and with those who inhabit it.

Criteria

• Application period: 08.01.26 → 28.02.26.

• The open call is exclusively open to artistic performances and installations. Music projects will not be considered.

• The proposed budget must be realistic and consistent with the project’s needs.

• The project must demonstrate relevance to the festival’s universe and scenography.

• The proposal should offer a strong immersive and/or interactive quality.

• The project’s ability to integrate harmoniously into the natural environment (forest setting) will be a key consideration.

• A sustainable approach is encouraged: respect for the environment, upcycling practices, use of biomaterials (appreciated but not mandatory)

The festival is looking for projects that are particularly relevant to the following disciplines: