Let’s gather in 2019 in the European Capital of Culture for an international meeting on travelling theatre

Let’s gather in 2019 in the European Capital of Culture for an international meeting on travelling theatre

The « raison d’être » of the project

Making the European Capital of Culture 2019 the headquarters for a project on travelling theatre? An obvious choice!

Travelling theatres are on-the-move creative structures of performing arts. The CITI’stravelling theatre companies are professionals and directed by an artistic team. Theychoose to share their work with the public by use of a “mobile structure”. The companiesuse these structures and adapt them according to their artistic choice, scenery, itinerary and lifestyle. Whatever the form, it allows them to set up in public spaces that are not necessarily equipped for performing arts.

This aspect is linked to the 4 developments for Plovdiv 2019:

•   TRANSFORM (neighbourhoods rehabilitation)

•   FUSE (minorities)

•   RELAX (environment)

•   REVIVE (urban projects)

  It’s in this perspective that PLOVIDIV CARAVANA, the international meeting on travelling theatres, will be held in 2019. Reclaiming public space, taking a step towards the Other, making travels a meeting point; those are the goals of this project.

  Did you say International Center for Travelling Theaters?

  For those who choose to expand the places of artistic representation:

  A purveyor of experience, of memory. A platform for exchange and reflection.

  To...

  Rise above our daily paths
  Make them known to others
  Discover true experiences
  Create a communication network of competences Establish our differences in richness

  The CITI (Centre International pour les Théâtres Itinérants) was initiated by a cosmopolitan company, emblematic of travelling street theatre: the Footsbarn Travelling Theatre. The first meeting organised by the CITI at the end of 1999 gathered more than30 companies under the name ‘Travelling theatres’ as well as the ‘Companions of the road’: friends, guests, associates, local partners, technicians and researchers. Soon afterthis event, the CITI created other professional meetings, a printed publication, awebsite.... Following a year of reflection, CITI redefined its missions and functions toallow the activity to follow its rapid development on the principle of a democratic and participative functionality, the new association emerged in Brussels during the Constituent Assembly on the 15th and 16th April 2002.

Today CITI has around sixty travelling companies as well as around ten ‘Companions of the road’ as active members. A professional organisation and a network of people at thesame time, CITI is supported by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication as well as by the WBI (Walonnie-Bruxelles International). Furthermore, CITI is a member of UFISC (Cultural Structures' Federal union of intervention) and as members theysigned the manifesto “For another economy of art and culture”. CITI works inpartnership with HorsLesMurs (French national information centre for street arts and circus arts) and Syndicat des Cirques et Compagnies de Création (Circus Creation Trade Union). CITI regularly organizes meetings about travelling theatre, exchange times grouping performing arts professionals, politicians, architects, researchers, sociologists, journalists, administrators, curious,...