With 5 performances, 5 demos and 25 production pitches, the Performing HEL event will showcase the finest work from Finland right now. Taking place in the Finnish capital 31 August–2 September 2018, the event will encompass the full range of performing arts, including circus, dance and theatre, also delivered in exciting yet difficult-to-define combinations. The featured productions have been chosen for their high artistic merit and international resonance in mind. Curated by Helsinki Festival Director Topi Lehtipuu and Finnish National Theatre Director Mika Myllyaho, the programme features performances of all shapes and sizes.
A carefully selected group of international buyers, programme coordinators and other leading industry figures will be invited to attend, with the aim of matching them with the artists appearing on stage. The event also encompasses a seminar focusing on the international scope of the performing arts sector and the resources and opportunities that make it possible for artists to engage with international markets and audiences. The seminar’s keynote speakers are leading practitioners in their field in Finland and internationally. The seminar will be open to all professionals active in the performing arts sector.
Another purpose of the seminar and the showcase as a whole is to gather information on the types of support Finnish performing arts practitioners would like to have access to as they pursue opportunities internationally. What is required of artists wishing to work internationally and how can institutions in Finland respond to their needs? The showcase is envisaged as a pilot that will lead to the creation of both a permanent event and a new platform for promoting Finnish artists abroad.
The showcase is organised by the Finnish National Theatre, Helsinki Festival and Helsinki’s Svenska Teatern, Swedish-language theatre. Also participating are CircusInfo Finland and TINFO Theatre Info Finland, with financial support from, among others, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Goethe Institute and Finnish cultural institutes internationally.
Further information on the Performing HEL event is available on the Helsinki Festival website.
Alternatively, please contact Eeva Bergroth, Producer, | +358 (0)40 4873620