House on Fire

In the past few years, a radical change has taken place in the performing arts and the arts world at large. Artists, curators, theatre directors and cultural agents have started to claim their place in the public debate about social, environmental and political issues, arguing that artists have an active role to play in society and that artistic creation offers a specific, yet valid source of knowledge and experience. Thematic approaches to artistic creation have once again come to the forefront in contemporary performing arts and have moulded a new paradigm that is sometimes referred to as the new Reality Trend in the arts. Much of the politically engaged theatre being created today or the notable surge in documentary theatre are examples of this trend.

The HOUSE on FIRE network includes ten theatres and festivals from ten different European countries that in recent years have shown an active interest or have even played a central role in the development of this new paradigm. They see theatre as a place of reflection and critical debate, a meeting place in the centre of the city for the public and artists, where artistic creation offers a unique type of experience and knowledge. HOUSE on FIRE wants to foster and develop this creative knowledge on a transnational level, through a sustained policy of international co-production on the one hand and a joint investigation of the critical potential of artistic creation on the other.

The co-organizers of HOUSE on FIRE will join forces to further develop the critical potential of the performing arts in Europe. In close collaboration and on a transnational scale, they aim to implement three types of activities:

1.    International commissioning and co-production of issue-based creations in the performing arts – an approach guided by artists.

2.    Co-organization of multidisciplinary cultural events dedicated to topics and issues that are considered current – an approach guided by curators.

3.    Publication of a series of online copybooks about art and society, based on the activities of the network and the work of the artists and thinkers involved – an approach guided by theoreticians.

	With the support of the CULTURE programme of the European Union. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.