The Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute, in collaboration with Circus and Dance Info Finland, invited Birgit Berndt, director of the CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, to Helsinki to get to know the Finnish performing arts field.
As a part of the HEL Treats visitor programme, international artistic directors and journalists came together in Helsinki to get to know the topical Finnish dance, circus and theatre artists. HEL Treats offered a compact view to over 20 artists and groups as well as the field of Finnish performing arts. The guests got to know artists from Cirko and Zodiak, & Espoo Theatre, and Kalle Nion and Fernando Melon’s Tempo that premiered at Helsinki Festival.
The visitor programme was meant to advance Finnish dance, circus and theatre’s international relations, exchange and export.
During the weekend the guests got a feel of over 20 artists or groups’ works and got to know seven performance spaces or studios.
“Thanks for generous encounters and sharing of inspiring dance, performance, circus & cultural politics. Patiently organised by Circus & Dance Info Finland and set on fire by amazing artists and venues – for sure good stuff for [our] international dance festival🔥” – Birgit Berndt
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The visitor programme was organised by Circus & Dance Info Finland in collaboration with Theatre Info Finland (TINFO), Helsinki Festival, Espoo Theatre, Zodiak – Centre for New Dance, Cirko – Centre for New Circus, and Viirus Theatre.
HEL Treats was supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Additional support came from the Finnish Cultural Institutes abroad: FinnAgora – Finnish Institute in Hungary, The Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, The Finnish Institute in France and The Finnish Institute in Germany.