Cosmin Chivu, Sibiu International Performing Arts Market: “Art evokes emotion, the audience responds, and true connection emerges in the space between the two.”

Cosmin Chivu, a visionary theatre director and acting professor based in New York, stands among the most articulate voices in contemporary performing arts. With deep Romanian roots and a distinctly international trajectory, he serves as moderator of the Performing Arts Market at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS), where he facilitates meaningful connections between artists, producers, and cultural institutions, advancing creative dialogue and global artistic exchange.

Born in Romania, Cosmin Chivu graduated from the “George Enescu” University of Arts in Iași in 1996. He explored the freedom of creation through independent projects across Europe and participated in a U.S. tour organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute. His contact with the American scene sparked a desire to continue his artistic and academic journey there.

After returning to the U.S. to co-direct a performance dedicated to the Romanian Revolution of 1989, he decided to stay and pursue a master’s degree in directing at the University Actor Studio. In his American career, he was the final assistant director to the legendary Liviu Ciulei for A Month in the Country by Turgenev, staged at New York University.

Chivu stood out for the boldness of his directorial vision and was invited to stage several of Tennessee Williams’ lesser-known plays, works considered too experimental during the author’s lifetime. His production of The Mutilated received critical acclaim, becoming a "critic’s pick" in The New York Times and Time Out New York, and earned a 2014 Drama League Award nomination for Best Revival.

His directing career spans over 50 professional and university productions in the United States, Austria, England, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, and Thailand. Since 2010, he has served as an associate professor at Pace University in New York, where he trains new generations of actors and directors. His productions combine artistic excellence with deep intercultural understanding and are often part of international theatre exchange programs.

At Sibiu International Performing Arts Market, as moderator and curator, Cosmin brings with him a wealth of experience, an open-minded vision, and a genuine passion for promoting performance arts that are relevant and connected to the artistic realities of today’s world.

"I believe the Market has reached its full potential, not merely because it is necessary, but because it has the power to guide entire generations of artists navigating an increasingly uncertain landscape. We are at a pivotal moment, where the professions we teach today may hold little relevance tomorrow. It is imperative that we open new paths, create space for transformation, and empower young artists to express their authentic voices, free from the burden of repeating our own mistakes."

First and foremost, the Performing Arts Market is a meeting place, a place where artists connect with those who help bring their work in front of an audience. The notion of the "creative producer" is relatively new, even though it describes a very old profession. Someone with a vision partners with someone who can realize and elevate that vision.

What we are currently missing is that “match made in heaven,” as the Americans say, a space where these people can meet. I believe that Sibiu International Performing Arts Market (SIPAM), which we all know is a unique place not just in Romania but in this part of Europe, succeeds in bringing together these two essential entities in the performing arts world.

The Market has evolved in close connection with the Festival. Why? Because when high-quality shows are brought in, productions that have already been tested with audiences around the world and truly mean something, not only do those artistic personalities contribute by presenting their work, but their presence also elevates the creative and professional level of the Market.

I believe the interest we've built, and nurtured like a child, has now reached a level that is at least satisfying, without overstating it. I believe the Market has reached its full potential, not merely because it is necessary, but because it has the power to guide entire generations of artists navigating an increasingly uncertain landscape. We are at a pivotal moment, where the professions we teach today may hold little relevance tomorrow. It is imperative that we open new paths, create space for transformation, and empower young artists to express their authentic voices, free from the burden of repeating our own mistakes.

Personal fears were the greatest obstacle. The vision for the Market has always been clear, and the models we’ve drawn inspiration from, many internationally recognized, are well established. However, in the early years, a reluctance to engage with the high-profile figures we aspired to involve slowed our progress. Fortunately, those hesitations have diminished over time, and today we are confidently setting our sights higher than ever.

That’s a very important and complex question. Cultural diplomacy must balance the organic development of the artist with the cultural vision of a government, political party, or coalition, which often promotes outdated values and operates based on budget allocations.

Cultural diplomacy must acknowledge that not only the younger generation, but also emerging values, must be supported. Space must be made for new things to happen. And those holding financial power must allow themselves the freedom to learn from past mistakes, and sometimes, hit the reset button.

I don’t think so. Yes, you can create with limited resources, but not with none at all. Creativity is closely linked to the means by which productions reach the public. Just like any social media platform requires investment, we must create a structure that allows artists, what I like to call “young people of all ages”, to express themselves and bring value to what they know and feel.

That’s a very interesting question. I think both share the desire to do good, to reach a broader audience, and to move past certain exclusive or elitist attitudes that create unnecessary obstacles. They both want to build communities and tell stories.

After all, our earliest memories are linked to stories. We all know that a beautiful story could calm us as children, and a powerful film could help us sleep more peacefully. That warmth, that feeling of love, knowing there are beautiful and meaningful things in this world, connects us. I believe what unites these two communities is far greater than what separates them.

I see it as a constraint. Because we can never truly predict social impact, we try, but often that effort limits us. It holds us back from taking risks or giving ourselves and others a chance to try and fail.

Art evokes emotion, the audience responds, and true connection emerges in the space between the two. That space between what we offer and what the audience reflects back is where equilibrium must happen.

It’s actually a very old concept. Ancient Greek theatres were built near hospitals. People would go there to heal through stories, through positive energy. It was a kind of salvation through art.

Problems arise when we focus only on presenting ourselves and forget the person in front of us. Then it becomes a one-way street and that never works.

Too rarely. I believe it’s time for the academic world to shift its focus to the future. To abandon the rigid, wooden language that no longer communicates with today’s youth.

The university system is not financially corrupt, but morally, because it clings to a past that no longer serves us. Of course, we’ve learned a lot from the past, but we must use that knowledge to avoid repeating its mistakes and to build an inclusive future.

Through accessibility. How can a child, perhaps gifted, perhaps not, gain access to what’s happening in the arts? We must stop thinking in boxes, labeling, and judging. We should begin with ourselves: look in the mirror and ask every morning, “How can I be better for the community I serve?”

Art can change the present and influence the future. It must rise above politics. Investing in the arts is more valuable than any bank investment.

We need to realize that money and politics should serve art, not the other way around.

I’d need an entire year to answer that fully. First and foremost, I’d thank Mr. Chiriac for dreaming this festival into existence and then making it real. I remember my first year in Sibiu: I saw seagulls and wondered, “Where’s the sea?” Mr. Chiriac, who comes from the northeast of Romania, is that seagull, he came here and built something extraordinary, with the help of a world-class professional team.

And I’d also like to thank the people who recognize this festival as something natural, who form a family, a united one, where people understand and support one another. That’s why so many international artists return each year.

The real challenge is not who will come next year, but that so many want to come back. And if that’s our biggest problem, let it be.