The Main Festival Program and the Closing Ceremony

The main program is the backbone of the festival. It consists of performances presented by up to 10 attending schools from all corners of the theatre world. The Selection Committee selects from the pool of submitted art schools (typically around 40 art schools respond to our open call). Every year, the aim is to create a platform for sharing innovative theatre techniques and practices. But on top of that, the individual performances should stimulate discussions for which the festival tries to secure as safe an environment as possible in which visitors feel free to debate and reflect. During the last edition of the festival, nine schools from eight different countries attended the festival with ten original performances as part of the main program. The expert jury attends every performance of the main program. The main program culminates in the Closing Ceremony on the last day of the festival. The Closing Ceremony includes the awarding of participants by the festival jury. By providing the main artistic frame of the festival, technically sophisticated and socially engaged performances of the main program help to create not only an environment for sharing innovative theatre techniques and practices but also a much-needed platform for free debate and reflection on the problems and challenges afflicting the V4 region.