Launched in 2018 and organised by CHRONIQUES, the Biennale des Imaginaires Numériques is the highlight of digital arts and culture in the Sud region. By exploring the visual arts, sound art and the performing arts, the Biennale examines the presence and use of digital technology and new technologies in art, takes over public spaces and gives a voice to national and international artists from diverse backgrounds.
For this fifth edition, the Biennale will take place across several towns and cities in the South region — Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Avignon, Arles, Istres and Port de Bouc — with a multidisciplinary programme featuring French, Mediterranean and international contributions, running from late October 2026 to January 2027.
This theme explores how digital practices – whether drawn from performance, installation, the performing arts, augmented reality, video or algorithmic writing – can become spaces for symbolic, political and aesthetic struggle.
Having previously welcomed Quebec, Taiwan, Belgium and Lithuania, this fifth edition forms part of a broader Mediterranean narrative, celebrating the diversity of its artists and creators engaged in a wide range of digital art forms, and will be a highlight of la Saison Méditerrannée 2026.
The curatorial programme will be structured around a central theme that will serve as the guiding thread throughout the programme, enabling the richness and diversity of digital practices in the Mediterranean, France and internationally to be explored from a variety of perspectives.
Following a fourth edition that attracted over 102,500 visitors, the Biennale returns with a rich programme accessible to all, taking place across more than fifteen partner venues in the Région Sud.
The Biennale is organised around several key events:
Three opening weekends in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Istres, featuring free-to-attend exhibition openings, an outdoor art trail, audiovisual concerts, performances and many other events.
A series of exhibitions suitable for all ages, to be enjoyed on your own, with family or with friends, with a wide range of workshops and guided tours on offer throughout the three-month programme.
The Marché des Imaginaires Numériques brings together artists, curators, cultural institutions, production companies and venues to explore the challenges of creating in a digital environment. This event, designed for professionals, fosters the development of regional, national and international collaborations.
A closing weekend in January 2027, dedicated to the performing arts and contemporary stage writing: new forms of theatrical, choreographic and musical creation.
Born out of the contrast and diversity of its dual identity, rooted in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, CHRONIQUES is now not only a renowned international arts festival but also a people-centred organisation whose driving force has remained unchanged for over 20 years: the quest for new aesthetics and imaginations that shed light on the ambivalence of our relationship with technology.