SVSN2026
Professional Symposium
Discussion and debate sessions between live performance professionals and the digital and immersive creation community, to better understand the sector’s challenges and build bridges between these ecosystems.
Wednesday, July 8 8 - Le Grenier à sel
9h00-9h45
Networking
Welcome Coffee
9h45-10h00
Opening
Introduction
Véronique Baton | Managing Director, le Grenier à sel
Marie Point | Director, Dark Euphoria
Mathieu Rozières | Founder, Dark Euphoria
10h00–11h15
Panel discussion
Bodies, hacking, and resistance: subverting dominant technological narratives
Claudix Vanesix | Artist
NSDOS | Musician, performer, researcher
Kevin Peter He | Artist, Collider programme, Lincoln Center
Hosted by Michel Reilhac | Author and curator of Venice Immersive
In English
11h30-12h45
Panel discussion
AI on stage: who speaks? who writes?
Julie Valéro | Lecturer in Performing Arts, Université Grenoble Alpes
Simon Senn | Artist (Focus XR Suisse)
Laurence Devillers | Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Sorbonne University, researcher at the CNRS; her latest book is “Living with AI”
Hosted by Gwénola David | Managing Director, ARTCENA
14h00-14h30
KEYNOTE
Registers of (Unstable) Presence: Changing representations of human bodies in immersive performance
Christopher Salter | Professor for Immersive Arts and Director of the Immersive Arts Space, Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
In English
14h30-15h15
Pitch
SVSN Prize – Pitch Session
The selected projects will be announced in June
Hosted by Marie Point | Director, Dark Euphoria
15h30-16h45
Panel discussion
Public policies and digital stages: culture or innovation – shall we choose?
Fabrice Casadebaig | Culture Advisor, General Secretariat for Investment (SGPI)
Arnaud Roland | Deputy Director of Digital, National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC)
Franck Bauchard | Digital Policy Coordinator, DGCA, Ministry of Culture
Claire Fillot| Video Game – Digital Project Manager, Directorate of Culture and Heritage, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region
Moderated by Anne Le Gall | General Delegate and Co-founder, TMN lab
17h00-17h30
KEYNOTE
Creating Performance in Multiple Realities
Tupac Martir | Founder and artist, Satore Studio
In English
17h30-18h00
Pitch
SVSN Prize – Award Ceremony
Véronique Baton | Managing Director, Le Grenier à sel
Cyrielle Garson | Senior Lecturer in English and Theatre Studies, Avignon Université
Hannah Loué | Head of Artistic Residencies at the Directorate for Mobility and International Events, Institut Français
Frédérique Payn | Managing Director, Malraux Scène Nationale Chambéry Savoie
18h30 - 20h00
Networking
Opening cocktail at Grenier à sel
Thursday, July 9 - La Villa Créative
9:30–10:00
Networking
Welcome Coffee
10h00-10h15
Opening
Introduction
Eve Lombart | General Manager, Festival d’Avignon
Luca Messina | Business Manager for the Cultural and Creative Industries, Université d’Avignon
10h15 - 11h30
Panel discussion
Should we create to fit formats? Artistic freedom vs distribution and tech constraints
Matilda von Weissenberg | Managing Director, & Espoo Theater, Finlande
Clémence Debaig | Dance Artist, Maker & Creative Technologist, Unwired Dance Theatre
Amminadab Jean | Music Director and mentor of New Kids (residency for performing arts and new technologies), 16 Neto, Mozambique
Hosted by Cyrielle Garson | Senior Lecturer in English and Theatre Studies, Avignon Université
In English
11h45 - 12h30
Keynote
AI & creativity: releasing the tension
Solenne Savoia | Managing Director and Co-Founder, Frankie Institute
In English
14h00 - 15h30
Pitch
Le Vivier : 1 writing programme, 6 artists to discover
With the artists
Esther Meunier Corfdyr, Norma Conrath Suzanne, Stéfane Perraud, Pierre Godard (France) and Wen-Yee Hsieh, Coco Shen (Taiwan)
Hosted by
Joris Mathieu | Stage Director, Cie Haut et Court
Géraldine Farage | Managing Director, Pôle Pixel
15h45 - 17h00
Panel discussion
Not suitable for under 13s? Immersive Experiences for Young Audiences
Emilie-Anna Maillet | Metteuse en scène, Cie Ex-voto à la Lune
Paul-Emile Skler | Directeur de production, Cie le Clair Obscur
Vincent Penru | Chargé de programmation spectacle vivant, Le Cube Garges
17h15-18h00
Keynote
Performance Operating System: An engine for future performances
Ania Catherine & Dejha Ti | Artist duo, Operator
In English
18h00 - 20h00
Networking