Festival Presentation
Since 1996, Errobiko Festibala has brought together every July artists from around the world and the Basque Country working in many fields: music and dance, songs and drums, palabres, poetry, and visual arts. An artistic polyphony orchestrated by rhythms of hope and resistance whose writing has never stopped evolving.
At the crossroads of living traditions and the search for new possibilities, the festival remains above all a place of creation. It is there, in the presence of an audience eager to share, that the projects of many artists emerge. The workshops and the palabres also make it a place of exchange and transmission, a space of conviviality and encounters.
Errobiko Festibala is a celebration of the Nive river, “Errobi.” Lively and graceful after descending the Pyrenees in freefall and through a thousand underground networks, it joins the Adour river in Bayonne to flow into the vast ocean. It is in Itsasu, where it carved the wild gorges of the Pas de Roland, at the first rise of the mountains – Artzamendi, Iguzkimendi – that the Festival found its home. A place that invites reverie and freedom, faithful and tireless work. From the heights of Arranomendi and Ezkandrai, one can see the ocean. “Itsasoa.” At the crossroads of sea, land and sky, Itsasu is a place at the center of the Tout-Monde.
Errobiko Festibala is therefore an invitation to navigate, to stroll, to take flight. A journey along the furrows carved by artists from the living popular traditions of the world. Through encounters, tracing back to the source, improvised arts and creative interpretation are irrigated and reborn on their own – signs of a living heritage. In the Basque language, according to the poet Josean Artze, to remember, "Gogoratu," means "Presente egin" – to relive. It is about being reborn in fertile reunions with a living tradition.
“More than we choose it, it is the song that chooses us. The singer then only has to fly to other hearts.” — Josean Artze
Before leaving us in 2018, Josean Artze expressed it this way: “More than we choose it, it is the song that chooses us. The singer then only has to fly to other hearts.” From the heights of Itsasu, Errobiko Festibala is an invitation to fly toward the unknown – toward that space philosopher Edouard Glissant defined as “where dispersion allows for gathering, and where cultural clashes, disharmony, disorder and interference become creative.” Let us move forward into the beautiful adventure of the Tout-Monde…
The Association : Ezkandrai
The Ezkandrai association was created in 1996 by a group of artists from the Basque Country seeking to develop the territory through artistic creation. It organizes events welcoming artists and audiences while producing and distributing numerous projects in parallel. By supporting demanding works of creation, it builds networks with numerous partners.
Since its creation, several generations have mingled there. Some were born and grew up in it. Alongside invited artists and philosophers, we form a broad family. Among them were Édouard Glissant and Patrick Chamoiseau, whose foundational visits contributed essentially to the enrichment of our thought – a thought that has become archipelagic. Starting from our roots, we aim to develop our culture and territory by linking them to those of the world.
Conscious of the importance of “cultural biodiversity”, we defend the concept of Creolization, which seems to us the best safeguard against the temptation of identity withdrawal. A process where living arts, step by step, act as catalysts for a broad process of creation.
Our roots are Basque, our artistic language of expression is Euskara, but the projects we carry out know no stylistic barriers. Traditional music, jazz, dances, poetry, improvisation, and polyphonies of the Tout-Monde cross and intertwine here. Like trees, we develop our roots and branches to better reach the Other while cultivating our own soil.
Partnerships
Ezkandrai is firmly rooted in its territory while being resolutely outward-looking. We weave artistic and cultural links both locally and on national and international scales, thus enriching our creative process and our projects.
Local partnerships and artistic collaborations
We work closely with major cultural stakeholders in the Basque Country and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including:
- Malandain Ballet Biarritz
- Kukai Dantza
- Hebentik / Xiru
- Collectif Bilaka
- Scène Nationale du Sud Aquitain
- Loraldia
These partnerships nourish our activity and reinforce the cultural dynamism of our region.
Networks and collaborations beyond the Basque Country
Our openness is also reflected in collaborations with national and international organizations:
- Lost In Traditions / La Grande Folie (Limousin) – In 2023, we released the album Haratago with the label La Grande Folie, continuing a long-standing artistic relationship with their collective.
- Zone Franche Network – A network dedicated to world music, active in France and internationally.
- FAMDT (Federation of Actors of Traditional Music and Dance) – Beñat Achiary contributed to the founding of this federation, which we plan to join in 2025.
- Souffle Collectif (Paris) – Julen Achiary regularly collaborates with this artistic network, in Paris, Ségriès, Rome, and elsewhere.
These exchanges allow us to broaden our horizons and enrich our productions, including Errobiko Festibala.
Support from our institutional partners
Our actions are made possible thanks to the valuable support of:
- Departmental Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
- Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Basque Country Agglomeration Community
- DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Itxassou City Council
- Basque Cultural Institute
- Ministry of Labor
These institutional partnerships support our desire to create, disseminate and share a living culture open to the world.
Together, let’s continue to make creation resonate!
Cultural Rights
At Ezkandrai, we place cultural rights at the heart of our approach. Our commitment is reflected in a particular focus on several essential dimensions:
A committed legacy: feminism and artistic family
Ezkandrai is above all a family of artists and enthusiasts. Founded in 1996, the association was chaired until 2021 by Maite Achiary Etchemendy, who dedicated her life to defending women's rights and voices. This commitment is part of our DNA and is reflected in all our actions, including the Errobiko Festibala.
Social ties beyond the stage
The artists of Ezkandrai and our collaborators mostly come from popular music and dance, deeply rooted in their communities. Their role goes beyond professional practice: art – whether popular or experimental – becomes a real vector of connection and cohesion.
Transmission: the foundation of a living culture
To sustain these ties, we place great importance on transmission – of song, instruments, and dance. Learning, sharing, and practicing are fundamental rights that nourish the cultural vitality of a region. This is why we are committed to making this knowledge accessible.
Euskara: a living and creative language
Euskara is a pillar of our identity. We promote it through:
- Bilingual communication (written and oral)
- Its integration into our creations, including in their conception process
A culture open to the world
Cultural rights in the Basque Country are not just for Basques! Since the beginning, Ezkandrai has explored the richness of intercultural exchange, far from exclusive visions. Inspired by the concept of “Creolization” (Édouard Glissant), we offer artistic experiences where encounters with the Other transform us without erasing our roots. This vision is reflected both in our creations and in the Errobiko Festibala, which welcomes artists who are both rooted and open to otherness.