Are you already busy with organizing the festival?

A question which we receive often. Throughout the year we are working with our team of programming, production, marketing, design, administration, and direction on the realization of the festival in August. At this moment we are working on the preparations of the 40^th edition which will take place from 1 – 11 August 2024.

The programming team is on the road a lot visiting performances and having conversations with new and known artists about their work. Programme producer Dylan is busy looking for new, special and surprising places for performances and has visited many locations in the past few months. For example, he was at the City Hall and at the opening of the Nest, a new cultural spot run by creator Eva van Pelt and others. He is currently talking to artists who are in the middle of their creative process and is thinking about locations that match their wishes and ideas. In some cases he also visits these locations together with the makers.

Moreover we keep on develop and educates ourselves. Our artistic coordinator Nina was in Brussels in November for the international project Performing Gender – Dancing in your shoes. All European partners of this project came together to present the results of the research of Performing Gender to the European parliament. Programmer Gido and public connector Coralie followed the workshop Designing the Accessibility Journey, a workshop of What You See Festival in Utrecht about accessibility. 

Our administration colleagues are deeply involved in the figures. They are, among other things, working on the completion of 2023, but are also working on the first draft budget for 2024 and applying for subsidies from funds. In addition, Marianne provides us with the tastiest cakes and Marlies makes delicious soups and salads.

Colleague Willem from production is also working on budgets for the coming edition. Together with his team, he thinks about the first concepts for designing the festival heart. They recently went for a walk around the grounds.

Writing the applications is a large part of the daily activities of our management, Dana and Tessa. They also make plans for the upcoming edition, contribute ideas to the program and are involved in various projects. For example, director Dana attended the Reykjavík Dance Festival in Iceland in November. This festival is part of apap – FEMINIST FUTURES, the international project in which Theaterfestival Boulevard participates. During this visit to Iceland, several partners of this international project came together. They reflected on Feminist Futures, Feminist Schools and other activities where equality is central and looked forward to the future. 

Kitty, Maartje and Moniek from the marketing team are looking back on the festival in August through evaluations, collecting audience reactions and processing audience surveys. They also look forward by making marketing plans for subsidies and the 40th edition in 2024. Conversations are being held about the website, graduation interns and other partners. Together with the designers, they have worked on a Christmas card and a new corporate identity is being developed. All this while enjoying liters of tea.

Photo: Karin Jonkers