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Festival Readings – Sibiu/Romania, 11-13 June 2013

13 May 2013

The first edition of the European Festivals Association’s Festival Readings took place from 11 to 13 June 2013 in Sibiu, Romania during the Sibiu Performing Arts Open Market and as part of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival. The unique 3-day programme consisted of public lectures and debates, and introduced participants to artistic festival management.

The Festival Readings are a space for discussion embedded into the dynamics of the festival. Participants and distinguished presenters are invited to reflect on festivals’ role in society. The Festival Readings explore how a festival, taking place in a particular context, can be a special and innovative experience and a platform for the art, artists and audiences alike.

Three lectures

The 2013 Sibiu Festival Readings were co-organised by the European Festivals Association and the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (7 to 16 June 2013), the most significant annual performing arts event in Romania. For the first edition of the Festival Readings, EFA selected renowned festival leaders who have been collaborating with the Association for many years, for example as presenters at the Atelier for Young Festival Managers.

  • Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (France) is the President of the Biennale de la Danse de Lyon and the former Artistic Director of the Festival d’Avignon. He explored the question how large-scale festivals can continue to make sharp artistic choices, even for big audiences.
  • Hugo De Greef (Belgium) is the General Coordinator of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers, he has initiated several festivals, and he was the General Manager of Bruges European Capital of Culture 2002. He will discuss festivals as places for innovation for the arts, and look at the development of the festival scene worldwide: from the 1970s, when not many festivals existed, followed by a boom of festivals in the past decades, until today.
  • Nelson Fernandez (UK) is the Director of NFA International Arts and Culture, an arts producer, cultural facilitator, and arts management trainer with working experience in dozens of countries throughout the world.

The programme included cultural performances and meetings with artists and other guests.

The festival partner and the city

Sibiu is a vibrant city that carried the title European Capital of Culture in 2007. The festival is an outstanding opportunity for its expected 60,000 spectators to enjoy more than 350 events with artists from more than 70 countries taking place in 60 venues.

This year, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary. It was an inspiring context for the Festival Readings and for the participants. Furthermore, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival hosted the Sibiu Performing Arts Open Market, a remarkable possibility for international artists to present and promote their latest productions.

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