Both the festival programme and the performances are generally designed in line with feminist principles (such as being self-critical and transparent; equal and clear relationships and doing less with more focus). Read more about this at the bottom of this page. 

This also reflects the idea of initiating a critical assessment of cultural institutions and the way they work on decision-making processes, traditional hierarchies and power constellations, and customary terms of payment. 
 

The result of the inspiring collaborations between the different European partners was a program on 4 days of our festival. At Boulevard you could see artistic contributions from: 
 

• Chiara Bersani (IT) - SOTTOBOSCO
• Buren (BE) - T-Shirt conversations
• Anna Gaïotti and Tatiana Julien (FR) - Une Nuit Entière (A whole night)
• Noëmie Lakmaier (GB) - Welcome
• Selma Selman (NL) - The pink room of her own 

This project took place in the frame of the Feminist Futures Festival which is part of the apap – FEMINIST FUTURES, a project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

 
Feminist school

Parallel to the performance program, Boulevard hosted the Feminist School, which took place from 6 to 10 August 2023. 

During these days students and other interested parties and people can participate in an extensive programme of workshops, discussions, lectures and (film)screenings. The aim is to enable a practice-oriented exchange and discussions between the participants and artists of the apap network. 

The Feminist School is intended to be a place where people can learn from each other and an opportunity to encounter and engage in different concepts and experiences related to feminism. In addition, the Feminist School also creates time and space for reflection, discussion, doing nothing, celebrating and meeting in a relaxed environment. 
 

The Feminist School took place in the frame of the Feminist Futures Festival which is part of the apap – FEMINIST FUTURES, a project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

You can find the programme here.
 

Feminist business model for the performing arts

Central themes within the apap network are reflecting on current, often hierarchical, ways of working within the performing arts addressing inequity, and instigating change towards an intersectional feminism. 

A dedicated task force, composed of partners and artists, regularly meets to elaborate, propose and test what could be a feminist business model that fosters transparency, fairness, equity and sustainability in the performing arts. The work sessions are led by Pauline Legros, consultant in strategy for cultural organizations and teacher at Sciences Po Paris. The Feminist Futures Programme and School are the chosen case studies to research, experiment and implement actions towards a feminist business model in the performing arts. 
 

Exchange with Lia Rodrigues' Escola Livre De Dança Da Maré 

An important part of the project outside of Europe is the exchange with the Maré Art Center of Lia Rodrigues in Rio de Janeiro, in the form of residencies there and for Brazilian artists at some of the apap partners.  
 
There was also a partner meeting in 2022 in the Escola Livre de Dança da Maré.. This place, which is located in the Favela Maré, houses both a free dance school and Lia's company. Our director Dana Kibbelaar was present on behalf of Boulevard. 

The apap partners had the chance to encounter the work of more than twenty impressive artists and collectives. It was a week full of learning about art, culture, memories and identities, the power of black women and the many social projects of the network Redes da Maré. The meeting was mainly about the responsibility of art in socio-political environments. The visit contributes to promoting knowledge about how inclusion, openness and mutual support can be used in daily life and in specific local circumstances. 

Goals of the project

1. Enabling a new generation of artists to create socially relevant projects. 
2. Develop an ecological and sustainable business model for international cooperation. 
3. Facilitate access to (performing) arts for all types of underprivileged/discriminated groups. 
4. Strengthen exchanges between institutions, artists and audiences across Europe and raise awareness of equality issues.