PRIX LUEUR

Initiated and organized by AFETEA, the “PRIX LUEUR” symbolizes the radiant power of theatre to bring light into people’s lives—signifying both hope and breakthrough.

While the word Lueur literally refers to a faint glimmer in the dark, the award celebrates theatre’s ability to inspire those in challenging circumstances, like a rare and precious beam of hope. The name also evokes the imagery of “light”—a tribute to our lasting impressions of Avignon, the City of Theatre: the first rays of sunlight in the July skies of southern France, the shimmering reflection on the Rhône River, the golden statue atop the Palais des Papes, and the enlightening brilliance passed on from generation to generation on stage.

Through the internationally renowned platform of the Avignon Festival, the Prix Lueur aims to recognize and encourage artists with global vision and contemporary, innovative approaches to theatrical expression. It also seeks to bring greater visibility to works that promote Euro-Asian theatrical exchange and multicultural integration.

I. Establishment of the Award

  • The Prix Lueur was founded on July 17, 2024, in Avignon by Association Française des Échanges Théâtraux Euro-Asiatiques  (AFETEA). Rooted in the platform of the Festival OFF Avignon, the award aspires to become a prominent distinction within the international theatre landscape. It is held annually, with jury deliberations beginning in early July and award announcements released during the final days of the festival.

  • Mission Statement: Prix Lueur is dedicated to advancing theatrical dialogue between Europe and Asia, promoting intercultural collaboration, and championing embodied and cross-disciplinary performance practices. It upholds the guiding principles of visual innovation, artistic fusion, and creative originality.

II. Organizing Committee

  1. Nature: The Organizing Committee is the governing body that initiates and oversees all activities related to the Prix Lueur. Members are nominated and appointed by AFETEA.

  2. Responsibilities:

    • Uphold the mission and vision of the award.

    • Draft and enforce the award regulations.

    • Define eligibility and award categories.

    • Appoint jury members.

    • Recruit administrative staff and volunteers.

    • Coordinate all phases of the selection process.

    • Officially announce the final results.

  3. Official Title: Organizing Committee of Prix Lueur at the Festival OFF Avignon, under the AFETEA. This body manages all daily operations related to nominations, adjudication, and ceremonies.

  4. All operations are non-profit, and committee members serve on a voluntary and unpaid basis.

III. Jury Panel

  • The Jury is composed of distinguished figures from the fields of playwriting, directing, acting, pedagogy, criticism, curating, and production across Europe and Asia. The panel consists of no fewer than five members and includes one Chair and one Secretary-General (who does not participate in voting). All members are officially appointed by AFETEA and publicly announced.

  • Jury members are expected to make selections based on their professional insight and artistic discernment.

  • Jury members must maintain integrity and impartiality. They are required to recuse themselves from voting on any production in which they have participated creatively or administratively.

  • The adjudication is conducted independently and without remuneration. All decisions reflect non-commercial and merit-based considerations.

IV. Eligibility & Submission

  • Productions may enter the Prix Lueur via two channels: self-submission by the production company or nomination by a jury member. Eligible productions must meet the following criteria:

    • Officially registered and performed as part of that year’s Festival OFF Avignon.

    • Listed in the festival catalogue under the following genres: Théâtre (including musicals), Danse, Arts du cirque, Arts de la marionnette, or Pluridisciplinaire.

    • Free from content that promotes extremist political agendas, or racial, religious, or gender discrimination/conflict.

  • Submission Procedure:

    Productions wishing to participate in the Prix Lueur must submit their application by email between January 1 and July 1 of the current year.

    Application email: [email protected]

    The application dossier must include the following information:

    1. Award Category Applied For

    Applicants may submit their production for one or multiple award categories.

    2. Production Information

    Including:

    • Title of the production
    • Synopsis
    • Artistic category (according to the official classification of the festival programme)

    3. Performance Details

    Including:

    • Performance dates
    • Venue/theatre name

    4. Company Presentation and Press Materials

    Including:

    • Company profile
    • Previous awards received
    • Relevant press coverage, reviews, or critical articles

    5. Artistic and Production Team Information

    Including:

    • Full list of artistic and technical team members
    • Short biographies of key creators and artists

    6. Visual Materials

    Including:

    • Official poster
    • A minimum of six production photographs

    7. Promotional Video

    A short promotional video of the production (optional, if unavailable).

    8. Contact Information

    Contact details of the company representative, including:

    • Email address
    • Office telephone number
    • Mobile phone number
    • Other relevant contact information

V. Award Categories

The Prix Lueur is presented across twelve award categories:

1. Prix for Best Production
Awarded to a production that demonstrates outstanding artistic vision, thematic depth, originality of expression, and overall coherence in its artistic realization.

2. Prix for Best Performance
Awarded to an actor, performer, or ensemble whose performance demonstrates exceptional artistic expression, stage presence, and emotional resonance.

3. Prix for Best Dramatic Text
Awarded to a work that demonstrates excellence in dramaturgy, writing, narrative structure, and theatrical language.

4. Prix for Best Direction
Awarded to a director whose work demonstrates a distinctive artistic vision, innovative approach, and strong creative coherence.

5. Prix for Best Visual Creation
Awarded for outstanding achievement in stage design, scenography, lighting, video, costume, makeup, or other visual elements contributing to the theatrical experience.

6. Prix for Best Physical Performance
Awarded to a production or artist demonstrating exceptional exploration of the body as a medium of artistic expression, including movement, gesture, physical theatre, dance, circus, mime, and puppet performance.

7. Prix for Best Young Audience Production
Awarded to a production created specifically for children and young audiences, demonstrating artistic quality, creativity, and meaningful engagement.

8. Prix for Best Original Music
Awarded for outstanding achievement in original composition, musical creation, arrangement, sound design, or live musical performance within a theatrical work.

9. Jury Special Award
Awarded by the Jury to a production or artist that demonstrates exceptional artistic qualities or a unique contribution to contemporary theatre.

10. Special Award for Cultural Exchange
Awarded to a production, organization, or artist that contributes significantly to intercultural dialogue, international artistic exchange, and the integration of diverse cultural perspectives.

11. Prix for Best Emerging Production
Awarded to an outstanding emerging work created by an artist or company presenting their first or second theatrical production.

12. Prix for Best Artistic Education Production
Awarded to a production that demonstrates excellence in artistic education, audience development, and the use of theatre as a means of learning and cultural engagement.

VI. Adjudication Process

Phase I: Preliminary Selection

  • Over 3–15 days, each juror will attend no fewer than 15 performances within designated categories.

  • Each juror selects 1–2 entries per award category for consideration.

  • Finalist selections are pooled, and 2–3 nominees per category are shortlisted through internal vote.

  • Posters nominated for design awards must be submitted as image files.

Phase II: Final Deliberation

  • Jurors vote from among finalists to determine one winner per category.

  • In the event of a tie, discussion and re-voting will occur until a clear winner (or no winner) is selected.

  • A minimum of two-thirds of jurors must be present for votes to be valid.

  • No proxy or substitute voting is allowed.

Phase III: Announcement & Presentation

  • Winners are announced on the AFETEA official website during the final days of the Festival OFF Avignon.

  • If a live ceremony is held, jurors or guest presenters will confer certificates on behalf of the committee.

  • Each certificate includes:

    • Name of the awarded production

    • Name(s) of the awarded company and artists

    • City of origin

  • Specific vote counts and scoring details are not disclosed publicly.

VII. Final Provisions

Interpretation and final authority over this regulation rest with Association Française des Échanges Théâtraux Euro-Asiatiques (AFETEA)

Organizing Committee

Zhao Miao (Chair) | Célia Dumont Malet | Cao Lu | LEE KWANG-BOK | Rao Song

 

Asia Task Force

Administrative Representative
Zhao Yang

 

Producer
Zhen Ni

 

Liaison Representatives
Wang Xiaoyuan | Wang Jianqiu | Zhang Yang

 

Project Coordinators
Wang Xiaoxiao | Deng Ruonan | Wu Yiqian | Zhu Dan

 

Volunteers

Wang Sai | Lai Xueyang