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Understanding the Angoulême International Comics Festival Drama

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Alan Gardner Published: April 22, 2026 2 minutes 0 comments

The Angoulême International Comics Festival is largest comic festival in the world. It has been held annually in January in Angoulême France since 1974. The conflicts that are unfurling now in the news were sown in the early ’00s. This article tries to encapsulate the pivotal moments that led to the cancellation of the 2026 festival and the need for a new event organizer.

One note before we get too deep. To the French, comics (la bande dessinée or BD) is a central and respected part of French culture. It is treated as both serious literature and art. National, regional and municipal governments provide significant public subsidies for comic events and festivals.

This article will continually updated as news events unfold. To send corrections or questions, please email us.

Sequence of Events

Bolded items below have a Who’s Who definition at bottom of page to give you additional context.

• 1974
  • Angoulême International Comics Festival or FIBD first held. Festival is controlled by Association FIBD.
• 2003
  • Association FIBD hires Franck Bondoux to develop festival partnerships.
  • Elected officials push to consolidate the festival with Musée de la bande dessinée to create an EPCC or Public establishment of cultural cooperation. Effort fails.
  • Association FIBD rejected the proposal for fear of losing editorial control of the festival.
• 2006
  • Bondoux appointed Bondoux as General Delegate of the festival.
• 2007
  • Bondoux incorporates 9eArt+
• 2008
  • The International City of Comics and Images (CIBDI) created as EPCC.
  • 9eArt+ wins 10 year contract to be festival organizer overseeing programming, production, and commercial interests. 9eArt+ oversees an annual budget of €2,000,000—half of that coming from public subsidies.
• 2010
  • Renewed conflict over control of the festival begins between the president of The Departmental Council of Charente, the CIBDI and FIBD. Mayor of Angoulême reduces city’s subsidy and CIBDI refuses to increase theirs. Bondoux negotiates a renewable 3 year finance agreement that brings subsidies to previous levels.
• 2012
  • President of The Departmental Council of Charente again threatens withholding subsidies unless the festival and CIBDI do not integrate more tightly.
• 2015
  • Association FIBD announces that it will give 9eArt+ a no-bid renewal contract with 9eArt+ until 2025.
• 2016
  • At the festival award ceremony, the master of ceremonies announces false winners as a hoax.
  • Festival accused of sexism after all-male grand prix prize nominees
  • Several artist, writers, and publishers announce they will boycott the 2017 festival as result of the hoax and alleged sexism.
  • Elected officials advocate for reduction of 9eArt+’s contract period and replacing the Association FIBD with a public institution with greater transparency and accountability with the public subsidies.
• 2017
  • Association for the Development of Comics in Angoulême or ADBDA created by government entities and industry representatives to “ensure better coordination and greater involvement of partners in the important directions of the festival and in the use of the financial resources allocated to it.” Association FIBD is invited to join association.
• 2023
  • 9eArt+ hires “Chloé (not real name)” as communications manager.
• 2024
  • During festival Chloé alleges waking up naked with a co-worker with no memory of the night before.
  • Chloé placed on leave during investigation of her rape allegations.
  • Chloé is fired for “gross misconduct”.
• 2025
  • Humanité publishes story on 9eArt+ describing a toxic culture, financial irregularities and details of Chloé’s rape.
  • Nearly 400 artists call on festival owners to NOT sign a 20-year renewal contract with 9eArt+
  • Association FIBD opens bids for an event organizer.
  • Aug 3 – Nearly 400 artists and 12 associations sign petition to boycott the 2026 unless FIBD ends its partnership with 9eArt+.
  • Nov 8 – Association FIBD announces 9eArt+ wins event organizer contract. Again.
  • Nov 10 – 22 Artists sign statement calling for new festival organizers.
  • Nov 17 – Association FIBD invalidates decision to retain 9eArt+, announces Bondoux retirement, 9eArt+ will organize 2026 and 2027 events.
  • Nov 18 – French government withdraws €200,000 of public subsidies for 2026 event
  • Nov 20 – Mayor of Angoulême calls for cancellation.
  • Dec 1 – 9e Art+ announces cancellation.
• 2026
  • The city of Angoulême organizes a new local, independent festival called Le Grand Off to replace FIBD for that year.
  • ADBDA opens bids for a new event organizer to oversee future festivals.
  • Bondoux, Association FIBD file lawsuit against ADBDA for “unfair competition and parasitic behavior”.
  • ADBDA selects Morgane group to be the new festival organizers.
  • Bondoux, Association FIBD file to include Morgane group to their lawsuit against ADBDA.

Who’s who