About BIG BANG Festival

BIG BANG is a one-of-a-kind festival of musical adventures. It invites children and their families on a colourful journey featuring a rich array of sound concepts whose diversity and originality make the festival a hit wherever it goes. Already a fixture in a dozen European cities, BIG BANG was a huge success in Ottawa, the first North American city to host this high-profile event.

BIG BANG festival started over 20 years ago, when the it was launched in Ghent, Belgium. Titled Oorsmeer, meaning “ear oil”, it brought together innovative artists, unique sound installations, and a large and enthusiastic audience eager for new experiences. Renamed BIG BANG in 2010, the festival is now held in various locations all over Europe: from Tallinn to Lisbon, from Antwerp to Athens, from Seville to Dublin, from Lille to Enschede by way of Ghent, Brussels, Rouen, and soon Reykjavik and Rennes.

BIG BANG’s identity and dynamism are based on the concept developed by Zonzo Compagnie, which has been the driving force and catalyst behind the festival since the beginning of the adventure. The programming of each edition of BIG BANG is developed in close collaboration with Wouter Van Looy, the festival’s founder, artistic director of Zonzo Compagnie, and stage director.  He has created unique stage experiences that shed a whole new light on such composers as John Cage (Listen to the Silence) and Miles Davis (Mile(s)tones) – this creative and slick concert was seen last year during the NAC’s first Big Bang Festival...

For its first two editions in Ottawa, the BIG BANG occupied the entire NAC building, happily invading every nook and cranny with resounding performances, and attracting more than 8,000 visitors on each occasion.