Why the answer to nationalism has to be global and diverse.

After stops in Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, the USA and Serbia, the RESISTANCE NOW! Tour continues this fall and will also stop in Vienna. Milo Rau and representatives of the Free Republic of Vienna will discuss together with partners in many European cities the burning question of how resistance can succeed in the face of new nationalism.

‘In Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia, the destruction of a diverse culture is almost complete. It is about the transformation of a diverse society, about the disintegration of a civil society that is no longer "national". What can we do?’ Milo Rau, GUARDIAN

Past dates

30.11. Théâtre du Maillon

Strasbourg | France

The RESISTANCE NOW! Tour will make a stop in Strasbourg at the Théâtre du Maillon on 30 November. Here, the open letter RESISTANCE NOW: FREE CULTURE will be presented by the initiators in the presence of former French Culture Minister Catherine Trautmann. Matej Drlička, former director of the Slovak National Theater, Emmanuel Droit, university professor, Joris Mathieu, director, director of the Théâtre Nouvelle Génération, CDN, Lyon and Heidi Wiley, director of the European Theater Convention discussed the role of art in shaping democratic future perspectives in Europe.

Sign the petition RESISTANCE NOW: FREE CULTURE here!

16.11. Central European Forum

Bratislava | Slovakia

The next stop on the RESISTANCE NOW! tour, the Central European Forum 2024 in Bratislava, will explore the power of misinformation – from early radio and television to social media today. Discussions will examine the links between deception, fear, and the breakdown of trust, with featured speakers including french journalist Natalie Nougayrède, british historian an author Timothy Garton Ash and Milo Rau, Artistic Director of the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna.

8.11. Jewish Museum Hohenems

Hohenems | Austria

On 8 November 2024, the Jewish Museum Hohenems was awarded the Rheintaler Kulturpreis Goldiga Törgga for its important work on controversial social issues. Milo Rau, artistic director of the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna, gave the laudatory speech and took this as an opportunity to bring the RESISTANCE NOW! Tour to Vorarlberg and to honor the museum’s commitment to intercultural dialog and coming to terms with history. The award ceremony took place at the Kinotheater Madlen in Heerbrugg

7.11. Films for Future

Zurich | Switzerland

Milo Rau debates the interferences between art and activism with various guests: on the basis of the film/project White Cube by Renzo Martens and Rau's Jesus film project The New Gospel.

6.11. Prague Crossroads Festival

Prague | Czech Republic

The Prague Crossroads Festival is hosting another RESISTANCE NOW! tour stop. Dóra Büki from the Hungarian Proton Theatre, which is facing unprecedented pressure from the Fidesz government, Miriam Kičiňová, artistic director of the Drama Theater of the Slovak National Theater, Jiří Havelka, the incoming artistic director of the Dejvické Theatre and Milo Rau, artistic director of the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna, will discuss their visions of a joint solidarity response to the danger posed by the new nationalism with Nina Jacques, dramaturg of the Prague Crossroads Festival.

For his opening speech, Milo Rau poses under the title Embassy of the Future the central question of his work in times of a global shift to the right and neoliberal budget cuts: Why theatre? Why do we need this place – today more than ever?

Read the speech here.

5.11. ORF RadioKulturhaus

Vienna | Austria

Moderated by Milo Rau, artistic director of the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna, Dóra Büki from the Hungarian Proton Theatre, the dismissed director of the Slovak National Theatre Matej Drlička and the Croatian philosopher and activist Srećko Horvat will discuss how we can stand up together for democracy, diversity and the freedom of art.

In cooperation with the ORF RadioKulturhaus.

4.11. European Theatre Convention

Liège | Belgium

How to act as a public theatre when governments follow non-democratic agendas? This edition of the European Theatre Talks titled ‘European Theatre Talks: Free Culture – Resisting Political Interference’ will focus on the increasing restrictions of freedom of expression in a European context, with interventions from artists, cultural figures and decision makers that work closely on themes of artistic freedom and democracy.

As a member of the Council of the Free Republic of Vienna Fariba Mosleh, Curator and Cultural Manager, will represent the Vienna Festival | Wiener Festwochen as a speaker.

17.10. Taiwanese National Theatre

Taipei | Taiwan

The RESISTANCE NOW! Tour lands at the Taiwanese National Theatre: the island Taiwan (Formosa) was colonised by the defeated army of dictator Chiang Kai-shek after the Chinese civil war in 1949, and the indigenous peoples were driven into the mountains. Milo Rau discusses art, resistance, education and the long road to democracy and equality with the indigenous activist, filmmaker and founder of the first indigenous kindergarden in Taiwan, Mayaw Biho.

On Monday night (21 October), Milo Rau joined the protests organized by Mayaw Biho in Taiwan against the construction of a luxury resort. He camped together with 100 activists in the bay under the Amis People's Sacred Mountain in front of the house of the indigenous Shu Lin family. The police and city officials were chased away by the activists in the morning hours and the bulldozer that was supposed to destroy the house disappeared (official press statement).

25.9. BITEF

Belgrade | Serbia

“Can Beauty Save the World?” asks Milo Rau in his opening speech at the 58th BITEF Theater Festival in Belgrade. The festival's main program will also include Carolina Bianchis The Bride and Goodnight Cinderella and Antigone in the Amazon, a co-production of the Vienna Festival.

Read the speech here.

23.9. Segal Center

New York | USA

‘What can and does a theatre play leave behind — what impact can it have in the real world?’ Starting from the artistic projects New Gospel and Orestes in Mosul Milo Rau and Yvan Sagnet, activist from Cameroon and Jesus actors in New Gospel, discuss with Segal Center Executive Director Frank Hentschker.

This event will also be livestreamed through HowlRound. (10pm European time)

19.9. ITI

Antwerp | Belgium

Together with Luanda Casella, Milo Rau will give the opening speech at the World Congress of the International Theatre Institute ITI entitled How to resist.

To rewatch: Opening Speech via Facebook live

15.9. De Balie

Amsterdam | the Netherlands

Who’s afraid of art? More and more far right politicians in Europe are trying to silence artists and institutions. The most recent example being Slovakia, where the directors of the Slovak National Theatre and the Slovak National Gallery suddenly were dismissed by the minister of culture. The director of SND, Matej Drlička, will talk about this flagrant attack on the freedom of artistic expression and the broader political culture in which this happened. Milo Rau will report on strategies on how institutions can show solidarity in a case like this.

14.9. Dramaten

Stockholm | Sweden

In the conversation Art and Resistance, Milo Rau, Mattias Andersson and others discuss how artists and activists should fight against the total capitalization of the theater on the one hand and the reduction of funds on the other. All against the background of an increasing nationalism where theater managers are dismissed on political grounds, as recently happened in, for example, Slovakia.