(Un)Learning
for possible
Futures

(Un)Learning for possible futures There can be no return to normal, because normal was the problem in the first place

FAVORITEN – the theater, dance and performance festival of the independent scene in North Rhine-Westphalia – has been held every two years in Dortmund since 1985. It is one of the oldest festivals of the independent performing arts in Germany and is aimed equally at the people of the city and region as well as at a nationwide and international (professional) audience. For the 2022 and 2024 editions of the festival, Anne Mahlow, Margo Zālīte and Sina-Marie Schneller will be the artistic directors of FAVORITEN for the first time.

Under the motto (Un)Learning for possible futures, Anne Mahlow, Margo Zālīte and Sina-Marie Schneller will address the challenges of the present and the future on an artistic and discursive level for the FAVORITEN Festival. They place the joint, continuous process of learning and growing together between genders, generations, classes and borders at the center of the festival. They want to grow together with Dortmund and the city society and at the same time put out feelers on a global level via the digital space and in doing so also learn with and from international partners.

Anne Mahlow, Margo Zālīte and Sina-Marie Schneller pursue a collective way of working. What they have in common is an excellent knowledge of the independent scene in North Rhine-Westphalia, a reflection on the perspectives of this very scene, and a great interest in shaping cultural policy and in regional, national, and international cooperation. The previous festival work of all three is characterized by a broad perspective on a wide variety of artistic genres.

This year, the artistic direction of FAVORITEN has been advertised directly for two editions. The longer-term perspective should enable a more sustainable collaboration with artists, partners and networks and support an even stronger anchoring of the festival in the city.

The next festival edition will take place from September 5-15, 2024 in Dortmund and digitally.