“It would be heartbreaking” if the 2026 edition was cancelled, the city’s mayor said

The festival, scheduled for January 29 to February 1, was the target of a boycott by writers that caused major publishers to cancel their participation.

“This will be very heartbreaking”if the 2026 edition of the Angoulême International Comic Festival is indeed canceled, estimates Thursday November 20 at franceinfo mayor, Xavier Bonnefont, who “Think of the authors and publishers who were first impacted”.

When this situation occurs, “For public investors, it seems more complicated for us to organize the maintenance of the 2026 edition”supports the mayor of Angoulême. “Given the absence of writers, editors, publishers. We ask the organizers, the FIBD (international comics festival) association to draw conclusions forced by this reality.” The 2026 edition scheduled for January 29 to February 1 was the target of a boycott by authors, leading major publishers to cancel their participation.

The authors are supported by several unions and collectives that are in open conflict with the company organizing the festival, which they accuse of financial opacity, trade excesses and of having fired, in 2024, an employee who had just filed a complaint about a rape that occurred on the sidelines of the festival. Neither the withdrawal of 9eArt+’s general delegate, Franck Bondoux, nor the removal of FIBD association president Delphine Groux, nor the new government proposed on Monday by the public partners for the organization of future events, was able to quell the rebellion.

However, according to the Mayor, in the proposed new organization, “there is reason to hope” with this “overhauling governance, creating a festival that is managed across professions”. Despite everything, “This work will continue and may be carried out in the coming weeks and months to ensure that a new operator can be appointed for the 2027 edition and the organization” this edition “can be done with professional expectations”hopes the Mayor of Angoulême.

Xavier Bonnefont “Think of the world of publishing, the first-time authors affected by not being published, if this happens in the future”he said. “The effects will be felt throughout the year for them in terms of major comic issues, album releases”. Cancellation “will have an impact” economy, he worries. Therefore, this will be necessary “See to what extent we can help local economic actors. I’m thinking about restaurateurs, hoteliers, booksellers,” Xavier Bonnefont List.

To allow the return of calm and the holding of the Angoulême Festival edition in 2027, “we will reshuffle an association called ADBDA, the Comics Development Association in Angoulême. In this overhaul of the law, we will create more space for inter-professionals, for publishing, for writers, for writers to ensure that future specifications can be agreed with them”he explained. The purpose is, “transparent”to build “criteria for appointing new operators”but also agree “the way we evaluate every project and every project leader to ensure that the choice of a new operator will not be criticized tomorrow.”