On Tuesday, February 21, start in Italy FuturoPresente, an international programme that puts the spotlight on contemporary Dutch youth arts for a year. This programme is an initiative of the Dutch Foundation for Literature, the Performing Arts Fund, See NL, the Cultural Participation Fund together with the Dutch embassy and consulate general in Italy. In it, a selection of Dutch theatre makers, writers, illustrators, choreographers and filmmakers present themselves to Italian audiences and professionals. With the aim of strengthening the network between the countries, entering into new collaborations and sharing experiences.
FuturoPresente builds sustainable exchange professionals
Key partners of FuturoPresente its Bergamo and Brescia, the cultural capitals of Italy in 2023, opening their venues, film houses and galleries to Dutch youth arts. Like major festivals such as the Bologna Children's Book Fair, the Giffoni Film Festival, Festival RomaEuropa, the Turin Book Fair, Segni d'Infanzia and Internazionale Kids. There will also be several master classes and artistic exchanges and a symposium on cultural participation and cultural education between the two countries.
Youth arts in demand in Italy
In recent years, Dutch artists have been doing remarkably well in Italy. For instance, theatre-maker Jetse Batelaan won a Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale, writer Annet Schaap was winner of the Strega Prize and director Flynn von Kleist triumphed at the Giffoni Film Festival 2021. The extent to which children's and youth culture is nestled as an art form in its own right in the Netherlands earns admiration as does the extent to which inclusion and representation are given a place. Unlike in Italy, challenging and sometimes controversial themes are not shunned for children and young people, such as divorce, emancipation, gender identity, climate crisis, racism, war and sexuality.
Willem van Ee, the Dutch ambassador to Italy highlighted:"Italy is the ideal stage to present Dutch cultural projects for youth and the very young. The cultural sector here is very lively and looks with interest at youth arts from the Netherlands. It is special that in this programme we bring together young generations from both countries!".
Fonds Podiumkunsten brings creators and youth performances to Italy
With professional theatre and dance for children and youth, the Performing Arts Fund focuses on major theatre festivals such as the Festival RomaEuropa and Festival de Segni d'Infanzia, as well as multidisciplinary festivals such as Festival Letteratura Mantua and the GenderBender Festival where performing arts are part of a larger offering that also includes other arts disciplines. Thus, makers such as De Dansers, Simone de Jong, Meneer Monster, Het Houten Huis, Het Filiaal, Makiko Ito, De Stilte, Maas Theatre and Dance, Andreas Denk/plan-D and Dadodans will travel to Italy with performances.
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