Festival ''25 hours of non-stop theatre'', Ed. IX-a

BIS THEATER. A Theater-Based Company located in Sibiu, Romania.

In autumn 2006 a group of young actors proposed another type of theater shows in Sibiu, which were gonna take place in cafeterias and in less conventional venues. In 2009, this initiative group gave legal form to its artistic preoccupations, founded the BIS Cultural Association, an NGO that runs various cultural projects, including the "25 HOURS OF NON-STOP THEATER" festival, which this year is going to celebrate the 9th edition.

The events (theater performances, workshops, conferences) will take place in approximately 15 different venues in Sibiu. Ten independent companies will be invited, with their most recently produced shows.

The core of the project, the most visible part of the Independent Theater Marathon Festival, "25 Hours of Non-Stop Theater", involves events unfolding for more than 25 hours in several venues throughout the city.

Since the first editions, the festival has been aimed at encouraging young people's initiative, supporting dialogue and cultural mobility at national level, which is why our attention has been directed to contemporary local dramaturgy, the invited companies which are going to perform are to bring to the attention of the public, fresh romanian texts, a collaborative process between playwright, director, and team of actors.

Thus, with each new edition, we have contributed to the development of the artistic taste of the public and to the initiation of a dialogue between local, national and international communities. Theater companies from different cities of the country (Sibiu, Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Târgu-Mureş, Galaţi) but also from abroad (Moscow, Leeds).

The aim of the project was and continues to be the development and promotion of the young, independent, theatrical phenomenon. Since the first edition, the motto of the festival has been "Breathe. Theatre.", A motto that has was also taken over in the eight subsequent editions of the theater marathon. The concept of theater marathon (theater plays without stopping, more than 25 hours) attracts attention also at the national level, being the only festival in this country to that type.

The festival also enjoys a growing network of volunteers. We also involve young people in welcoming guests, promoting performances or arranging spaces, thus familiarizing them with the organizing and implementation process of the festival. Through the "25 Hours of Non-Stop Theater" Festival, they have the opportunity to learn more about their field of interest and to actually know young artists and the forms of cultural survival they practice.

Independent artists across the country are in constant search for spaces and means to implement their independent projects so that the "25 Hours of Non-Stop Theater" festival becomes a meeting and stage center for the most fresh theater productions in the country. The medium-term effects of the festival are thus already visible among the independent theater companies in the country, who want - in increasing numbers - to participate in the festival. The artists' interest in this festival is based both on the number of performances recorded in the festival from one edition to the next edition and on the number of new projects and collaborations that are taking place after and thanks to the festival itself. First-time debut artists return over the years with productive qualitative productions, with a touch of maturity and understanding of the independent theater phenomenon, which is meant to bring the theatrical act closer to the viewer, in a sometimes non-formal, unconventional context. Medium-term effects are found in the development of the independent theater movement in the country and the raising of standards in terms of the quality of performances and the timeliness of topics addressed by companies.

The impact, already visible from the latest editions, is also about the independent artists in the country, who are increasingly willing to attend the festival. This interest also arises from the number of new independent projects that are born after the festival, from one edition to the next.

Long-term effects are among young people (volunteers). The young people (students and students) need a space of action and involvement in well-coordinated and implemented projects that develop their skills, prepare them for a competitive territory, redefine their skills and qualities in the direction of the individual initiative, and collective, to help them form a critical sense and increase their creativity, a very valuable quality in almost every field of work. In this respect, our project will have a long-term impact on young people.

The latest marathon releases were broadcast on all major national TV channels. Both the variety of performances and the novelty of events within the project have attracted attention. We have had effective partnerships with the local and national press. These partnerships will also be valid for the 2019 edition, and more so, they will be enriched and diversified. Radio Romania Cultural is the official partner of our first edition. We have partnerships with bloggers in the country. Some of them will be present at the festival and will write in real time about what is happening at the festival and impressions, opinions and reviews at the end of the festival.