In 2004, the Association ECLAT, producer of the Festival equipped itself with the "PARAPLUIE - International centre of artistic creation, research and influence for the street theatre" and first ”lieu de fabrique” (making place) entirely conceived for street theatre. Located in Naucelles, in the built-up area of the Community of Aurillac,“The Parapluie” is composed of genuine spaces of work (specific workshops, rehearsal studios and an outdoor space fitting for big tops) and so allows the companies welcomed in residence to make and implement the shows they planned. On top of the accommodation place, this ”lieu de fabrique” gives the Aurillac Festival the means to welcome and to accompany the artists throughout the process of creation all year long.

In 20 years, street theatre became a major cultural characteristic of the Aurillac area. Each summer, more than 100,000 persons are attending the Festival which is recognized on a national and international scale. The Festival first met the local audience which little by little has made the Festival its own. The construction and the opening of the international center of artistic creation, research and influence for the street theatre “The Parapluie” represents a major step in the development of the Festival, the street arts creation and the cultural influence in this area.

> « The Parapluie », why?
In the French cultural background the history of the Aurillac Festival is very unconventional. The Festival, voluntarily set into a rural territory, never stopped since its creation in 1986 to impose itself as one of the major events of the living arts in France, a reference festival to the Public authorities, and also on an european and international scale in terms of street Arts.

While opening its programme to very different forms, Michel Crespin, then Jean-Marie Songy and their teams created strong and long-lasting relationship with the artists. This Festival has been built thanks to and with the artists of this sector of the living arts. Since the beginning, the number of companies has never stop increasing: in 1986, Aurillac welcomed 6 official companies and 1 “off” company; now, the official programme brings together about 20 companies; a programme both recognized for its quality and the way it is opened to all and to every kind of expression. At the same time, about 500 companies are coming to make up the great fair of street arts.

> Success with the general public and taking root in the territory
The Festival has a massive success: during the Festival, the Aurillac population increases three folds, more than 100,000 persons meet and pass during these 4 days. It's a very diversified audience, intergenerational and with all social classes mixed. At the same time, the inhabitants of the Aurillac area have made the Festival their own. Through the 20 editions a local and enlightened audience has merged and this audience is now fond of theatre. This has been demonstrated by the inmediate and increasing success of ”The Preliminaries” (Les Préalables), started in 1999, which proposes venues out of the Festival time in the cities and villages of Aurillac area, in the Cantal and in Auvergne. Following this work, the 2004 edition was a turning point, the Festival asserts: decentralized with ”The Preliminaries” from 7 to 17 August it went back to its original formula with the Rendezvous of the “off” companies (18 official companies and 450 “off” companies) from 18 to 21 August 2004.

> A Festival focused on contemporary creation
Beyond the event, the core of the Festival essentially lies in the interest it takes in the contemporary creation. This interest developed under different forms: the Festival welcomes artists for residences of writing, construction and rehearsal; the Festival co produced major street shows these last ten years (Royal de Luxe, 26000 couverts, Générik Vapeur, Teatro del Silencio, Delices DADA, Compagnie Off, Métalovoice…); the Festival participated in the permanent installation in Aurillac of the Chilean company “Teatro del Silencio”; the Festival follows attentively the work of the young company “Trace(s) en poudre” composed with former pupils of the Drama class of the Lycée Emile Duclaux (secondary school) in Aurillac. The Festival is also involved in the training domain through the partnership with the option Theatre-drama expression of the Lycée E. Duclaux and the direct commitment of the association Eclat in the course of the FAI AR (advanced itinerant training of the street arts) since 2005. Likewise many contributions of the Festival to the evolution of the street theatre in France and in Europe that have been reinforced by the opening of “The Parapluie” which so strengthens and supports this development.

> “The Parapluie”, how?
To support the development of the Festival and to meet the needs of the association Eclat, the Community of Aurillac built-up area (CABA) committed itself to the construction and the planning of the “Parapluie” as a first example in France of such a construction: a specific place dedicated to street arts (activities usually directed to premises resulting from the reconversion of industrial wastelands). Thus the CABA acquired a domain of four hectares, located on the commune of Naucelles one kilometre from the town and less than three kilometres from Aurillac, at the crossroads of the communication route and distant from any habitation to work in optimal conditions.

> A place designed for and with the artists
If street show is an artistic work which results from public spaces, draws its inspiration from it and comes back to it, its “manufacturing” process requires particular technical conditions: an indoor place of rehearsal, vast enough to welcome works intended to public spaces; outdoor spaces of rehearsal; workshops designed to this kind of work. And, obviously, all the other conditions necessary to the creation of a living show: writing, documentation, research, rehearsal, construction (props, scenery, costumes, machines...); a training studio.
Brainstorming and exchanges between Jean-Marie Songy, the Eclat team, companies (ilotopie, Teatro del Silencio, Générik Vapeur, L’Illustre Famille Burattini, Décor Sonore…) and the architect in charge, Daniel Marot, made it possible to take in consideration all these factors in the definition of the specifications and to determine some elements such as volumes, areas, different equipments. This way, the set of the two buildings that form the “Parapluie” offers a colour voluntarily of shades of grey, main materials being concrete (floors included) and metal to highlight the “construction site” look of the place. The “Parapluie” was integrated into the landscape thanks to excavation works that lower the visible heights of the construction so that it does not stand out too much against the natural relief of the soil. A roof in shape of a flag (or evocating an umbrella, a traditional and contemporary emblem of Aurillac...) stretches out up to the workshops and slops gently to the soil.

> Visit of “The Parapluie”
Designed and drawn by Daniel Marot, architect.
“The Parapluie” is composed of two buildings:

A construction space: (1375 m2). main element, it is intended to the making of the scenery elements and to rehearsals. To be adaptable to different kinds of creations, the main space has a volume free of any structural element (27x27 m; height 11 m).

A studio (316 m2). it offers different spaces specialized in the actor's training and documentary research. It is composed of different elements:

Outside, 3,000 m2 are equipped to receive big tops with a mineralized space in concrete and tar, an electricity terminal, a water access. This space can be also used as a working and rehearsal place.

> Residences since 2004

Since 2004, the Festival welcomed numerous companies in residence at “The Parapluie”:

Décor Sonore, Générik Vapeur, L’illustre Famille Burattini, KompleXKapharnaüM, Le Phun, Trace(s) en Poudre, Teatr Strefa Ciszy, Turak, Teatro del Silencio/Karlik Danza Teatro, Sèmola Teatre, Le Nyctalope, Le Théâtre du Voyage Intérieur, La Machine, (Les) Souffleurs, FAI AR, 26 000 Couverts, Brut de béton, L’Eléphant Vert, Compagnie Carabosse, Les Colporteurs, Brut de Béton, Délices Dada, Theatr Strefa Ciszy, 2 Rien Merci, Théâtre Group', 3 Points de Suspensions, Les Piètons, Compagnie Amoros et Augustin, Teatro del Silencio, Générik Vapeur, Puce Muse, Lackaal Duckric, Kumulus, Le Cercle de la Litote, Illimitrof' Compagny, Les Alama's Givrés, Compagnie Off, Transe Express, Metalovoice, Arcat Gran Reyneta.