During the month of August, as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the French Institute in Edinburgh opens its doors to artists and companies from France and Scotland as part of the spectacular Vive le Fringe! Festival lineup.
This year, the Vive le Fringe programme offers something for everyone, from musical and multilingual shows for kids to a new production of Antigone. All performances will be in English or in French with English subtitles.
The French Institute in Edinburgh is a cultural centre that promotes the French language and culture in the Scottish capital and Scotland, encouraging and developing cross-cultural exchange through language classes, events and educational activities.
We asked Mr Stéphane Pailler, the Consul General and Director of the Institute, two questions about Vive le Fringe.
Vive le Fringe is a corner of France in the heart of Edinburgh. It offers French performers a wonderful opportunity to showcase their art to Scottish and international audiences. Can you tell us more about “cultural exchange” and how it started?
The French Institute belongs to a worldwide network of cultural institutions supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The objective of these institutions is to promote the French culture and values but also the teaching of our language.
We have taken the opportunity of the Fringe for contributing to these objectives. In the framework of our 14th edition and on the year commemorating the 730th anniversary of the Auld Alliance, we have mixed and selected French (the promise Brel) and Scottish (Lomond Campbell) artists or shows having a link with our theatre legacy (Antigone by Jean Anouilh). The French language awareness is illustrated by a kids’ show highlighting the interest of multilingualism with a performance in French, English and Gaelic languages.
For the past six years, the Institute has partnered with Edinburgh Napier University and its design students to find the perfect poster. How important is it for the institute to partner with a Scottish university?
Each year is organised a contest among graphic design students from Napier University for getting the poster of the “Vive le Fringe !”. We have selected the poster mixing the spirit of the Fringe and French symbols. The poster also needed to be original and eye-catching to stand out from the many posters displayed during the Fringe for the other shows. We are very proud and honoured to partner with Napier with fruitful cooperation in order to get the perfect message we wish to convey through our institute.
This year, 21 students took part in the contest.
We interviewed Annaïg Juhellé, a French graphic designer and winner of this year’s contest
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is known worldwide. Every year, it brings millions of visitors to Scotland and leaves each one with unique memories. What does “Fringe” mean to you?
To be completely honest, Fringe wasn’t a word I knew before coming to Scotland. I had never heard of the festival until the competition was introduced to us. I looked it up and was really surprised by how big and unique it is! I now see it as a great cultural moment, a way for people to connect, discover new talents, and celebrate creativity together. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to contribute to the communication work of the French Institute in Scotland.
Your poster encapsulates the French joie de vivre, it shows dance, music, and, of course, the French colours. How did you learn about the contest and what inspired the design?
I heard about the competition through my graphic design course at Edinburgh Napier University. It was introduced to us by the French Institute in Scotland, and all of my classmates took part. As a French student, I naturally went for well-known symbols from my culture; like the marinière, the beret, the French colours… It felt fun and natural to play with these elements, and I really enjoyed making the illustrations with a playful, expressive approach!
The Fringe posters are known worldwide, and some are part of the permanent exhibition at the V&A Dundee, while the previous Vive Le Fringe posters can be seen in the corridors of the French Institute. As you were creating your Vive le Fringe Poster, did you have the chance to see posters from past editions of the Fringe? Do you have a favourite?
Yes, absolutely! As part of my research, I looked at posters from previous years. My idea was to understand what the French Institute tends to appreciate — the French touch, a clear message, a sense of fun — and reinterpret that in my own way. I was particularly drawn to the 2023 poster. I thought it worked really well and inspired me to create my two characters. I also liked the 2022 poster for its bold use of colour. It offered a fresh, original perspective that I found very inspiring.
You created the poster while you were a student at Edinburgh Napier University. How was your experience at the University?
I studied at Napier University for four months, as part of my Erasmus exchange. It was a truly enriching experience, and I’ll keep great memories of my time there. Back in France, I study at Penninghen, an art direction school in Paris. In our fourth year, we have the opportunity to study abroad, and I chose Scotland for its beautiful landscapes and rich culture. I learned a lot about the different approaches to design between the two countries. The teaching methods are quite different, and I really appreciated the creative freedom we were given at Napier. It was both refreshing and inspiring.
