Save the date and join us for our annual high-level gathering where policy meets theatre and the performing arts, at the heart of Europe's largest theatre festival, the Festival d'Avignon.

Conceived as a space to bring the sector together and strengthen its collective voice, the event will foster dialogue and exchange between theatre professionals, EU institutions, and policymakers.

The European Theatre Talks will take place on Thursday 9 July 2026 at the Cloître Saint-Louis, Salle de Colloques, from 10:30 to 12:30, and will be followed by an ETC networking lunch reception.

In a world increasingly shaped by fragmentation, theatre remains one of the rare spaces where multiple languages, perspectives and cultures can coexist in dialogue. This edition of the European Theatre Talks brings together artists, curators, festival representatives and policy voices from Korea and Europe to explore how international collaboration can be sustained across linguistic and cultural borders.

Focusing on language diversity, translation and intercultural exchange, the discussion examines how theatre networks and festivals can foster meaningful artistic cooperation between Europe and the World, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. From multilingual artistic practices to practical questions of mobility, accessibility and international external relations, the session asks how theatre can continue building connections in an increasingly divided world.

Organised in collaboration with the EU-funded cooperation project DoSeL – Drama of Smaller European Languages and in dialogue with the Asia-Pacific Festivals Connection Partner Network- APFC delegates, the programme of this year’s edition highlights the importance of multilingualism and international cooperation as central values for the future of performing arts and contributes to current European discussions around the future Culture Compass.

Moderator: Marina Maleni, Cyprus Theatre Organisation THOC

Speakers

• Georg Häusler, Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport in the European Commission

• Cláudia Belchior, Executive General Coordinator Centro Cultural de Belém, ETC President

• Kyu Choi, Artistic Director of Seoul Performing Arts Festival

• Rok Bozovičar, General Manager of Prešernovo Gledališče Kranj

• Kyung-Sung Lee, Director, Creative VaQi

• Chou Tung-Yen, Artistic Director of Very Theatre and Very Mainstream Studio

• Joyce Chiou, General and Artistic Director, National Theater and Concert Hall

• Anna Reece, Artistic Director of Perth Festival

• Heidi Wiley, Executive Director, European Theatre Convention