At full price, day tickets are sold at €23 on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and €29 on Saturday. This is €5 more than last year. The four-day pass is worth €60, €15 more than in 2024, it has even almost doubled compared to 2019. The reduced prices have also increased: €25 for 4 days in 2024, €35 in 2025, or €10 moreover.
“The festival, like everyone else, must face an inflationary situation. »
The ticket office has been open since Wednesday November 6 and festival-goers are grimacing. “I have never been to this festival and I was planning to go this year. Living in the Paris region and not having a car, I planned to go there by train. The hotel, plus the price of entry, I don’t think I can buy any album or derivative product at this festival,” writes a user on the festival website.
Some tickets have increased by 25%.
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The general delegate, Franck Bondoux, explains his budgetary needs. To console yourself, all that remains is to look at the programming, which will be fully revealed on Thursday, November 21. We already know that we will find the exhibition dedicated to Posy Simmonds, Grand Prix 2024, and that of the mangaka Makoto Yukimura, the author of “Planetes” and “Vinland Saga”.
Why such an increase at a time when times are also difficult for festival-goers?
It’s not a happy thing. We tried to contain prices but the festival, like everyone else, must face an inflationary situation. Positions, such as energy and security, have increased significantly. To meet public demand, we have also developed the youth district and the manga offering. And we must take into account additional activities, such as the lighting of the chapel on rue de Beaulieu and this will be even more important in 2025. We try to be as efficient as possible.
What costs you so much?
Manga exhibition is becoming more and more complex. The originals have an increasing value, they have to be handled differently and there is a lot of engineering and warranties for anything that comes from Japan. We also hired an Asia artistic director, who interfaces with Japan all year round. We need more and more expertise and human resources. It is also important to modernize the event by being present on social networks and producing more and more content. It is essential if we want to maintain attractiveness, world leadership and remain an international reference in comics. We forget it but the festival has expanded and takes up more and more space in Hall 57 (behind the station), at L’Alpha and at Chais Magelis. People want content and discoveries. This explains our budgetary needs.
What share does ticketing represent in the budget of 6.2 million euros?
Public authorities cover 45% of the budget, the rest is financed a third by sponsors, a third by publishers and the last third by ticketing. The price of stands charged to publishers has increased more than the entrance fees. Partners, publishers and public authorities also have difficulties. Our private partnerships are more important than any other book event. And we are not that expensive, when we compare with the Japan Expo in Paris. Entrance is between €26 and €36. Photographic meetings in Arles cost €30 to €42 per day. A cinema ticket in Paris costs €15.50, an exhibition at the Pompidou €17. And we have not changed our school prices.
On the other hand, the price for the most deprived has increased by €10.
This is the four-day pass. It’s marginal. Most people don’t come for four days. It’s the daily rate that counts.
Are the authors paid when they come to Angoulême?
Never. This is the advantage of being a recognized festival. We pay them the plane ticket, they are reimbursed, that’s all. The authors are paid for their dedication but by the publishers.
Unthinkable today to return to a free offer?
We all want that. But how do we do it? The cultural offer is not free and it is even cheaper than it should be. The goal is not profit but we are always looking for a balance and this balance is precarious. And if we want the public and publishers to continue to come, we need added value. I am aware of what this increase represents for the public, but our situation is no different from theirs. If inflation and energy and implementation costs drop one day, why not also lower the price of entry to the festival…
