With the official programme set to be launched this week and tickets soon to go on sale, Jo Caruana goes behind the scenes of what is gearing up to be one of the best and most diverse Żigużajg line-ups to date.

I vividly remember when Żigużajg, the children and young people’s arts festival, launched in 2011. Back then there was nothing like it on the island and, as theatre practitioner myself, it was exciting to see a theatre festival – specifically targeting children and young people – come to town.

And as I found out from chatting to the festival’s director Daniel Azzopardi, we share the logic that, as an artistic sector, we cannot expect people to develop an increased appreciation of art and culture unless they are exposed to quality work by professional artists at a tender age – and the festival has proved this is possible. Beyond that, Żigużajg has also found its niche as the ideal platform for practitioners by giving them an opportunity to develop and enhance their expertise for a very particular target market.

Daniel has actually been involved in the festival since the 2012 edition, when he first joined the team. “Back then, there was hardly any mention of a national repertoire or the development of arts projects specifically for young people,” he says. “I remember artists reacting in dismay to the notion of devising work for children; they thought of it as a downgrade to their profession.”

Thus it was essential for the festival to set quality benchmarks and prove its place. The team overcame this by hosting some top-level international companies, and artists and audiences alike quickly started to acknowledge the production standards and the market potential available. “Yes it was an uphill struggle at the time but the concept was accepted pretty quickly after that,” Daniel continues.

And this year’s event is expected to be no different, attracting upwards of the 20,000 that attended in 2017. It will open on November 16 and run for 10 days, with a jam-packed calendar that includes everything from dance and drama, to multisensory events created especially for the very young. In fact, Daniel believes that this year’s festival will be the most dynamic ever, with 27 projects from 11 countries that will present no fewer than 12 different creative forms.

Play GroundPlay Ground

Our biggest achievement is always meeting the young people who have attended previous Żigużajg editions and witnessing how it has nurtured their love for the arts

“There is so much to look forward to,” the festival director smiles. “We have commissioned projects including the children’s opera Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti with the Manoel Theatre, as well as an adaptation of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt with Edward Grieg’s composition by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra; The Misadventures of Peer Gynt, an outreach theatre initiative with Teatru Malta at the Ħamrun Secondary School; L’homme qui marche, and a touring music show by KażinSka and Perkuss’Hawn Maracatu with songs by MaryAnne Żammit. These will run alongside two productions by ensembles of young, aspiring performers who have been mentored by professionals from ŻfinMalta and Studio 18 respectively.”

Internationally, the festival will also present an eclectic selection of critically-acclaimed shows that have toured extensively. “Catherine Wheels Theatre Company will be performing their multi-award winning show White, while Flip Fabrique will woo audiences with their acrobatic show Attrape-Moi,” Daniel continues.

“Music lovers will enjoy the energetic percussion show Soleo, while, for those with a visual appetite, video puppetry show Missing Light and Spanish show Loo promise to be a feast for the eyes.”

And things don’t even stop there, as the festival will also present an interactive installation in St George’s Square by Late Interactive and an exhibition with Valletta 2018 entitled KantaKantun Bieb Bieb at Spazju Kreattiv.

“As a team we are all proud of what Żigużajg has grown to become – a highlight of the cultural calendar that audiences look forward to. On top of that, we are equally pleased to have amassed an international following, with acclaimed companies choosing to participate and be part of the experience,” Daniel says.

“However, our biggest achievement is always meeting the young people who have attended previous Żigużajg editions; this gives us the chance to witness how it has nurtured their love for the arts and, in some cases, how it has even encouraged some of them to kickstart careers within the sector.

“As always, we can’t wait to present the programme later this week at the official launch. I truly believe that there are no exact words to effectively sum up Żigużajg – it has to be experienced, so do book your tickets early on (as they sell out) and come along!”

Tickets for the 2018 edition of Żigużajg will go on sale soon. Follow the Facebook page for updates.

KantaKantun. Photo: Elisa von BrockdorffKantaKantun. Photo: Elisa von Brockdorff

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