After three years, the world’s biggest International Community Art Festival is back with its ninth edition! Under the theme of “The Sound of Change,” the ICAF is bringing together artists from around the world — right in the heart of Rotterdam.
The International Community Art Festival is a festival focused on community, participation, and networking with people through art.
Ready to immerse yourself in the magic? Let’s have a look at what the 2023 ICAF has in store for us.
⏰ When? From March 27, 2023 until April 2, 2023.
📍 Where? Across different locations throughout the beautiful city of Rotterdam!
💵 Cost? Starting at €5 per show.
🎟️ How? Tickets for individual performances, as well as ticket packages, can be purchased on the website of the Rotterdams Wijktheater.
Counting down the days to ICAF 2023
We know you might be wondering: What exactly is community art?
Former ICAF director, Eugene van Erven, defined it as all practices that are linked by their “belief that the arts are essential to human life and that everybody should have the right to create.”
It’s a form of art in which people, no matter their gender, culture, nationality, or ability status, come together as a community to do what they love: make art. 🎭🎨
Of course, the best way to understand community art is to experience it, in all its shapes and forms. And what better way to do so than by attending the world’s biggest festival for it?
Around the world in seven days
So, what’s on the menu for this year’s ICAF? (Spoiler alert: A LOT!).
The varied programme of ICAF 2023 is guaranteed to have just the right experience for you — whether you want to learn about gender-based violence in South Africa, or hear an Iranian refugee story told in Dutch Sign Language.
The inspiring creators that will be showcasing their projects hail from all around the globe, and will use their projects to give you an insight into their cultures.
Among the represented countries are South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, Argentina, Colombia, and many, many others. 🌎
The programme includes performances, lectures, workshops, and films, showing visitors how art can bridge distances between people, cultures, and the world.
Some highlights include:
- GABO: A moving dance performance about the question of what it means to be “different”.
- Big Band Basket Beat: A percussion performance in which basketball plays the leading role.
- Onyesha Thamani: An intimate performance that uses dance as a voice to offer new perspectives towards gender (in)equality in Tanzania.
Feeling inspired? Get creative!
For the first time ever, the Rotterdams Wijktheater will also offer a so-called City Programme, alongside the main Festival Programme.
Here, Rotterdam locals and families can directly step into the vibrant world of creativity.
Besides the large-scale performances, this programme will also offer community-rooted workshops in locations and public spaces around the city.
It is guaranteed to not only get visitors’ creative juices flowing but also to connect Rotterdam locals with each other — as a community.
It only takes place once every three years, so you truly don’t want to miss this chance to check it out!
⏰ When? From March 27, 2023 until April 2, 2023.
📍 Where? Across different locations throughout the beautiful city of Rotterdam!
💵 Cost? Starting at €5 per show.
🎟️ How? Tickets for individual performances, as well as ticket packages, can be purchased on the website of the Rotterdams Wijktheater.
Are you curious about ICAF’s immersive art experiences? Tell us in the comments!