Over the weekend, the artistic director of Utcaszínházi Alkotóközösség Association, Balázs Simon, and three promoters of the Sparse PLUS project — Norbert Káló (Szendrőlád), Julianna Budai (Borsodbóta), and Éva Gulyásné (Sajókaza) — visited Cluj-Napoca and Cehu Silvaniei for an inspiring job-shadowing visit.
For a few days, we gained insight into the day-to-day work of our partner organisation, the Shoshin Theatre Association: we observed, asked questions, exchanged experiences, and gained new perspectives and ideas from one another along the way. It was not a conference or a sightseeing trip, but a genuine encounter with people, communities, and active cultural initiatives.
On the first evening, we attended the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj’s production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Attila Vidnyánszky Jr. The following day, under the guidance of Csongor Köllő, we explored Cluj-Napoca and learned more about the work of Shoshin. It was a real pleasure to visit the ZIZ – Art and Social Area community space and hear about how they build their cultural and social programmes through local connections and collaborations.
Our journey then continued to Cehu Silvaniei, where György Bodea welcomed the team. During a walk through the town centre, we learned more about the area’s history, public spaces, and cultural life, before attending presentations at the Gheorghe Pop de Băseşti Technical High School on the history of Cehu Silvaniei, as well as local theatre activities and the history of PADIF.
Although the exchange of experiences among the promoters did not always happen in formal discussions, the time we spent together still provided all of us with a great deal of inspiration and encouragement. It was reassuring to see how, despite coming from different places, we are all working with similar questions, challenges, and community goals.
Thank you to all the organisers and participants for your hospitality, openness, and collaborative spirit!
SPARSE Plus is a project co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.