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EFFE Awards 2019-2020: Romeo Castellucci, artists and the arts in focus at EFFE Awards Salon

9 September 2019

Romeo Castellucci is confirmed laudator in honour of Frie Leysen during the EFFE Awards Salon at BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts Brussels on 26 September. Next to Frie Leysen, founder of the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels, longstanding Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick will be honoured for his career as innovative festival maker (laudator to be announced next).

Lebanese artist Rabih Mroué will be in conversation with Frie Leysen about her vision and approach of working with artists.

Romeo Castellucci is one of the many examples of how Frie Leysen put her festival in function of the artist and invited them to be daring with absolute artistic freedom. “The way how Frie throughout the various positions and contexts she worked in, always put the artist central and aimed for a longer artistic parcours together with the artist is unique in all the relations I have built up in my work. The attention and care that go along with this specific attitude deserve respect from the entire artists community.” says Castellucci.

Next to the lifetime achievement awards, 24 festivals that are in the running for the EFFE Awards will be put in the spotlight. The EFFE Laureates represent a great variety of festivals from all over Europe that have signed up for the Awards. For the first time, also EFFE’s Audience Choice is given to one of the 24 EFFE Laureates.

The winners will be announced at the EFFE Award Ceremony on 26 September 2019 in BOZAR, Brussels (see programme). The ceremony will be livestreamed from 15:00 to 19:00 on the Facebook page of the European Festivals Association. 100 guests including Frie Leysen, Dieter Kosslick, European Commissioner Tibor Navrascisc, European Parliament Culture Committee Chair Ms Sabine Verheyen, festivals from all over Europe, artists, cities, and the EFFE International Jury will be present.

A press lunch is planned from 13:00-14:30 where you can meet and interview all EFFE Laureates, Dieter Kosslick, Frie Leysen and the EFFE International Jury members.


(c) Slava Filippov