Festivals as Crossroads: intercultural exchange, artistic risk, and community resilience in a shifting world
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This session brings together leaders and representatives of international performing arts festivals and markets from diverse regions to discuss how they can act as platforms for intercultural exchange, artistic solidarity, and community resilience. Through case studies and dialogue, participants explore how festivals are responding to local and global challenges supporting emerging artists, building inclusive audiences, and fostering sustainable international networks in an increasingly complex cultural landscape.
The gathering featured a diverse array of voices from across four continents, each contributing powerful testimony about the evolving role of festivals in an uncertain world, moderated by Cosmin Chivu:
- Siri Løkholm Ramberg (International Fosse Festival / Det Norske Teatret, Norway)
- Criss Henderson (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, USA)
- Maxime Robin (Carrefour international de théâtre de Québec, Canada)
- Richard Jordan (Richard Jordan Productions, UK)
- Jørgen Knudsen (Black Box teater / Oslo Internasjonale Teaterfestival, Norway)
- David Kapan (The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, USA)
- Mazen El Gharabawy (Sharm El-Sheikh International Theatre Festival for Youth, Egypt)
- Miriam Prestøy Lie and Torkil Sandsund (Theatre Festival in Fjaler, Norway)
- Koray Alper and Eray Eserol (Turkish State Theatres)
Giving voice through legacy
From Norway, Siri Løkholm Ramberg explained how the International Fosse Festival has evolved: "We used the phrase from the Nobel committee, 'giving a voice to the disabled', as a gateway to rethinking the festival's purpose. It's about stories not yet told, voices that are waiting to be heard, and shedding new light on Fosse's legacy through plurality and inclusion." She elaborated that the Fosse Festival is shaped by the legacy of Jon Fosse, but expanded with themes of giving voice to the disabled and creating a plurality of voices through international programming and social inclusion.
Festivals as cultural collision zones
UK-based producer Richard Jordan emphasized the urgency of today’s cultural landscape. He mentioned nimbleness, authenticity, access, and education. He also described innovative outreach programs such as sentencing youth offenders to theater work and producing inside hospitals: "Festivals are about survival. They are about being nimble. This is possibly the most important time in their history... Festivals break the 'five-minute city' model. They create collisions. And they must always ask: why does this festival need to exist?"
UK-based producer Richard Jordan emphasized the urgency of today’s cultural landscape. He mentioned nimbleness, authenticity, access, and education. He also described innovative outreach programs such as sentencing youth offenders to theater work and producing inside hospitals: "Festivals are about survival. They are about being nimble. This is possibly the most important time in their history... Festivals break the 'five-minute city' model. They create collisions. And they must always ask: why does this festival need to exist?"
From the streets of Chicago to 250 parks
Criss Henderson, the founding chief executive of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, explained the impact of the University of Chicago’s cultural mapping study and how it led to the creation of ‘Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks,’ which evolved into a citywide Night Out in the Parks program in 250 parks. Criss reflected on how outreach shaped their mission: "We realized that most residents were not coming downtown to cultural buildings. So we took the work to them. That became 'Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks,' and now it's a citywide initiative in 250 parks... We even had gunfire at some performances. But engagement and understanding evolved through this contact."
Criss Henderson, the founding chief executive of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, explained the impact of the University of Chicago’s cultural mapping study and how it led to the creation of ‘Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks,’ which evolved into a citywide Night Out in the Parks program in 250 parks. Criss reflected on how outreach shaped their mission: "We realized that most residents were not coming downtown to cultural buildings. So we took the work to them. That became 'Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks,' and now it's a citywide initiative in 250 parks... We even had gunfire at some performances. But engagement and understanding evolved through this contact."
Curating with complexity in Norway
Jørgen Knudsen of Black Box teater stressed the importance of diverse curation. He highlighted artistic risk-taking, the need for political-cultural funding balance, and Black Box’s work with Safe Muse in supporting at-risk artists: "What resonates for Ukrainian immigrants may not resonate with the Norwegian middle class. That’s why we invite guest curators. It changes how we meet people."
Jørgen Knudsen of Black Box teater stressed the importance of diverse curation. He highlighted artistic risk-taking, the need for political-cultural funding balance, and Black Box’s work with Safe Muse in supporting at-risk artists: "What resonates for Ukrainian immigrants may not resonate with the Norwegian middle class. That’s why we invite guest curators. It changes how we meet people."
The festival as institution and infrastructure
From Egypt, Mazen El Gharabawy shared a roadmap for long-term vision. He spoke passionately about optimism, youth empowerment, COVID-era adaptations, and growing SETFI into a global media, academy, and production network: "We must act as professional associations. It’s not just a festival. It’s a network for production, training, and diplomacy. Young artists must be led with vision, not fear."
From Egypt, Mazen El Gharabawy shared a roadmap for long-term vision. He spoke passionately about optimism, youth empowerment, COVID-era adaptations, and growing SETFI into a global media, academy, and production network: "We must act as professional associations. It’s not just a festival. It’s a network for production, training, and diplomacy. Young artists must be led with vision, not fear."
Reimagining festivals in a town of 900
David Kapan, director of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, discussed creative reimaginings, black participation, the founding of a graduate institute for critics and directors, and why they’re transitioning to a pop-up festival model due to rising local costs. He explained their bold pivot: "We housed over 100 artists in a town of 900. But it’s no longer affordable. So we’re turning into a pop-up festival, creating events in Brazil, Japan, and Cyprus. We also created a graduate institute for future critics, because the challenge is not just production, but interpretation."
David Kapan, director of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival, discussed creative reimaginings, black participation, the founding of a graduate institute for critics and directors, and why they’re transitioning to a pop-up festival model due to rising local costs. He explained their bold pivot: "We housed over 100 artists in a town of 900. But it’s no longer affordable. So we’re turning into a pop-up festival, creating events in Brazil, Japan, and Cyprus. We also created a graduate institute for future critics, because the challenge is not just production, but interpretation."
Listening, disturbing, serving
Maxime Robin reflected on the need for white men in leadership to listen better, disturb comfort zones, and turn festivals into nourishing places of encounter and community responsiveness. He added a moment of reflection: "As a white man, I believe my role is to listen better, disturb comfort zones, and help make our festival a place of nourishment, where people can meet and feel seen."
Maxime Robin reflected on the need for white men in leadership to listen better, disturb comfort zones, and turn festivals into nourishing places of encounter and community responsiveness. He added a moment of reflection: "As a white man, I believe my role is to listen better, disturb comfort zones, and help make our festival a place of nourishment, where people can meet and feel seen."
The village Is the festival
Miriam Prestøy Lie and Torkil Sandsund from Fjaler turned lack of infrastructure into a strength. They emphasized community infrastructure building, international youth exchange, and the festival as a collective village effort: "We didn’t even have a hotel or proper stage. So we made the whole village part of the experience. We brought international artists to live with locals. And the village became the festival."
Miriam Prestøy Lie and Torkil Sandsund from Fjaler turned lack of infrastructure into a strength. They emphasized community infrastructure building, international youth exchange, and the festival as a collective village effort: "We didn’t even have a hotel or proper stage. So we made the whole village part of the experience. We brought international artists to live with locals. And the village became the festival."
Taking theatre to the mountains
Koray Alper and Eray Eserol described a unique mobile theater model with trains and trucks bringing theatre to rural villages and border areas, generating local drama clubs and community participation. They shared the inspiring story of Turkey’s mobile theatre: "We turned a truck into a traveling stage and brought theatre to the furthest mountain villages. They cooked for us, watched us, and started their own theatre clubs. Theatre became a dialogue."
Koray Alper and Eray Eserol described a unique mobile theater model with trains and trucks bringing theatre to rural villages and border areas, generating local drama clubs and community participation. They shared the inspiring story of Turkey’s mobile theatre: "We turned a truck into a traveling stage and brought theatre to the furthest mountain villages. They cooked for us, watched us, and started their own theatre clubs. Theatre became a dialogue."
Together, these voices painted a complex and courageous portrait of the modern performing arts festival, a space where resistance, innovation, and care come together. As artistic borders become increasingly politicized and resources strained, the festival emerges not as a luxury, but a necessity. A place of cultural rearmament in a world too focused on militarization. A place, above all, for encounters.
