The purpose of the Festival for the Independent Field of Performing Arts is to present the performing arts in various formats, genres and forms of expression, showcase artists from the independent field and their works, and highlight the national and international potential of the works. The festival presents both young and experienced artists from different backgrounds, references and disciplines, and with experimental forms of expression. They may for example have a background in choreography, physical theatre, playwriting, performance, sound art or the visual arts. The ‘independent field’ here refers to the production conditions, i.e. the works are typically produced in a non-institutional setting.

This year, the festival programme has been organised by a three-person curatorial team consisting of performer, actor and artistic director Marina Popovic (NO), artistic director, curator and performance artist Andreas Constantinou, and playwright and dramaturgist Gritt Uldall-Jessen, who have selected 11 productions from the 52 proposals submitted. The international guest production Every Body Electric by Doris Uhlich(AT) is curated by Erik Pold and Gritt Uldall-Jessen who are the artistic directors of Selected Works Festival.

Selected Works Festival was held for the first time in 2014. It has so far been held six times and has presented more than 70 works from the independent field. This seventh edition of the festival will for the first time take place in both Copenhagen and Aarhus. The festival is presenting the performances in collaboration with Toaster: Husets Teater and Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art, as well as at AFUK Scene in Copenhagen and at Bora Bora, Åbne Scene and Kedlen at Godsbanen in Aarhus. In addition, the festival is also collaborating with the Development Platform for Performing Arts in Copenhagen and the Performing Arts Platform in Aarhus.

“From a large number of submitted applications we have selected works that have captured our attention in their authentic expressions, artistic intentions, and over all clarity in their craft. We have prioritized works that speak coherently and have the ability to open doors for journeys of understanding, reflection and empathy on a variation of different themes.

In a world where we are bombarded with headlines, click bait, and pop culture depictions, it becomes ever more burning for art and artists to defy the shallow and break the shell in order to get to the meat. I believe artists have a responsibility no matter what their artistic language is, to speak clearly to an audience. What do you want to tell us? Why do you want to tell it? And how do you engage us in the conversation?

Contents, intentions, motivations and how clearly these have been translated from ideas on paper to actual coherent artistic practice have been the criteria to the selection process. Each selected work has some sort of artistic urgency, unpretentious expression, and attempt to build a bridge for communication with an audience. Therefore these selected works demonstrate individualistic expressions veering away from contemporary art/theatre/performance trends or fads and seek artistic agency for themselves.

This year’s program attempts to highlight a diverse, powerful and unfiltered representation of what is happening in the independent performance scene across Denmark right now.”

— Artistic Director/Curator/Performance Artist, Andreas Constantinou (DK/IE/CY/UK)

“It has been a privilege to select this year’s program for Selected Works Festival and to dive into the large pool of vibrant and urgent works across the Danish independent scene. I am inspired by the range of formats, traditions and approaches, and this year’s programming has aspired to give space to the variety that is present in the field.

The selected program consists of work that has caught our attention by its urgency, playfulness and joyf eagerness to communicate with the audience. Many of the works engage with crucial social themes and invite a reimagining of our way of being together. They do so by questioning what performance is and can be and what perspectives are at play, without compromising the sheer joy of performing. I am thrilled that this year’s programme is filled with risk taking and agency and hope these experiences and dialogues will be shared across the two cities and amongst audiences and artists.

The works chosen are all coming from a place of intimate and dedicated research and are devoted to honest storytelling in a shared space. In my view, this is becoming a rarity in our world, and something we must nourish together. I am looking forward to doing exactly that at this year’s festival. “

— Performer/Co-Artistic Director, Marina Popović (NO)

“It is important to contribute to the circulation of experimental performing arts in this country, and to give audiences in the two cities an opportunity to experience works they would not otherwise be able to see, as well as to give artists a longer outreach with their performances. Our vision is to give the performances a longer life, reach new audiences, and inspire the performing arts communities in both cities. There is a need for greater visibility of the independent field, and the festival format has proven to be useful for that purpose, as the works are presented in a concentrated form and within a framework. The need to secure access to stage capacity for the independent field has not diminished since we began more than ten years ago, as an extension of our cultural political commitment to the conditions of the field. That’s why we’re putting on the festival for the seventh time.”

— Gritt Uldall-Jessen and Erik Pold, artistic directors of Selected Works Festival.