The Future of the Angoulême Festival Hangs in the Balance Amid Boycott Calls

One of the must-attend events for comic book fans in France (and Europe) might not take place next year for the first time in half a century. The upcoming edition of the Angoulême Festival, scheduled between January 29 and February 1, 2026, is hanging by a thread. Calls from comic book unions and publishers to boycott the festival have intensified in recent weeks, increasing the likelihood that this major cultural event in Angoulême, in the southwest of France, may not occur.

"Comic book publishers (...) understand the position of the authors' unions, as well as the manifesto from 285 illustrators and the message from the Grand Prize winners, to not participate in the 2026 edition. Given this significant movement, publishers believe the next edition cannot take place," stated the National Publishing Union, the main organisation of companies in the sector, in a statement on Wednesday.

This situation, according to the newspaper 'Le Monde', means that "it has never been so close to cancellation." 'Libération' went even further, publishing an article this morning assuming the festival would not be held next year. "Why the Angoulême Festival will not take place in 2026," was the title of the publication by this progressive newspaper. If this cancellation is confirmed, it would be the first time this has happened since the event's inception in 1974.

However, the organisers have denied 'Libération's information with a statement. "We remain hopeful that ongoing discussions will lead to a solution for the 2026 edition to take place, in defence of the comic ecosystem's interest and out of respect for a passionate audience," they stated. Will last-minute negotiations prevent its cancellation? Or is confirmation of its cancellation just a matter of hours or days?

Despite being held in a small town far from Paris, the Angoulême Festival attracts over 200,000 visitors each year and is the most important comic book event in Europe. Its cancellation would not only be a severe blow to the powerful Francophone comic book industry but also to the prestige of French culture in general. Nevertheless, this possibility seems plausible given the intense standoff for months between illustrators and organisers.

This controversy began in January during the 51st edition. The four days of that comic book festival were marked by the controversy sparked by a report from 'L'Humanité'. This newspaper revealed the case of a worker who was violated during a party in Angoulême in 2024 and that the organising company had dismissed her after she filed a complaint. Following the revelation of the poor handling of this case of gender-based violence, other criticisms emerged against the group 9eArt+, responsible for organising the festival since 2007. Its president, Franck Bondoux, has been criticised for his opaque management, overly hierarchical approach, lack of rigour regarding labour rights, and lack of responsiveness to illustrators' requests.

Due to pressure from unions and other comic book artist groups, both Bondoux and Delphine Groux, president of the Festival Association, resigned. The organisers have committed to holding a public competition in 2028, opening the door for another company to organise it. However, these measures have not fully convinced the illustrators. They believe it is a way for 9eArt+ to buy time, as it expressed its desire to obtain the concession again.

"It is impossible for the mobilisation to wane while that company is in charge of the event," warned several unions and author collectives in a joint statement on Tuesday. The situation is completely deadlocked. Beyond next year's edition, the future of the Angoulême Festival is at risk.