The first theatre festival in Sibiu was held unofficially in 1993. It was organized by Romanian actor Constantin Chiriac with the help of Romanian and foreign actors and acting professors from theatre schools. Chiriac’s goal was to create a theatre festival that would draw people to the city of Sibiu and make its community proud. Despite financial issues, the festival was a great success and it was decided to make it an annual event.
The first official edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival was held in 1994. It featured performers from 8 countries. Today the festival welcomes over 2,800 artists from more than 70 countries. Its program runs over 10 days and features nearly 450 performances in more than 60 venues including classic theatre halls, historical sites, churches, pubs, and city streets and squares. The significance of the festival can be illustrated with the fact that in 2007 Sibiu was designated the European Capital of Culture, along with Luxembourg City.
Each year the Sibiu International Theatre Festival attracts over 600,000 visitors from all over Romania and abroad. It also brings together Romanian and foreign artists, theatre and film directors, theatre critics, experts in the field of cultural tourism, cultural ambassadors, and other internationally renowned personalities who come to Sibiu to celebrate the performing arts.
Despite what its name suggests, the Sibiu International Theatre Festival doesn’t focus solely on theatre. It encompasses all kinds and genres of art including music, dance, circus, film, literature, fine art, and more. The program of the festival is packed with performances, exhibitions, conferences, workshops and other exciting events and activities for thousands of performing arts enthusiasts, offering an unforgettable cultural experience.
From 1995 onward, each edition of the festival has had a theme. The theme is a slogan around which the artistic planning of the event takes shape. Past themes include Tolerance, Cultural Identity, Challenges, Creativity, Innovations, Uniqueness in Diversity, Building Trust, and others.
In 2020, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Phorto: Paul Baila
