From 5 to 9 November 2025, hundreds of European theatre leaders will gather in Riga for the European Theatre Convention (ETC)’s International Theatre Conference, under the title “Stage for Truth. Which Truth?”
Taking place at Dailes Theatre as Europe faces renewed political tension, social polarisation and cuts to cultural budgets, this year’s conference will gather artistic leaders, policymakers and thinkers from the ETC network of 75+ theatres in 33 countries.
The week of activity also includes the Final STAGES Forum—the closing event of the Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift (STAGES) project, co-funded by the European Union, which has been organised in partnership with Riga Technical University. Attendees will see performances during the Latvian Theatre Showcase, celebrating the country’s vibrant contemporary scene.
A stage for dialogue
The ETC conference is titled “Stage for Truth. Which Truth?” and aims to investigate how theatre grapples with the notion of truth in an age of contested narratives and cultural complexity. Speakers include:
- José Manuel Fernández-Arroyo, Deputy Head of Unit - DG EAC - European Commission ·
- Agnese Lāce, Latvian Minister of Culture
- Tomass Pildegovičs, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Security and Resilience Issues,
- Viesturs Kairišs, Artistic Director, Dailes Theatre
- Santa Remere, Artistic Director of The New Theatre Institute of Latvia, Curator of Contemporary Theatre Festival Homo Novus
- Milo Rau, Artistic Director, Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) | Free Republic of Vienna
- Sanjay Sethi, Co-Executive Director and co-founder of Artistic Freedom Initiative
- Lotta Lekvall, CEO at Folkteatern Göteborg
- Pascal Gielen, Writer and Cultural Sociologist
- Richard Sennett, Sociologist
- Data Tavadze, Director of Royal District Theatre
- Heidi Wiley, Executive Director at ETC)
- Claudia Belchior, ETC President and General Executive Coordinator, Centro Cultural de Belem
Complementing the main debates will be sessions such as Table Talks on strategic programming and institutional resilience, as well as Peer-to-Peer Sessions led by ETC Member Theatres, offering practical exchanges on topics including dramaturgy, safe spaces, and artistic freedom.
During the sessions on sustainability, the European Theatre Convention will present a new publication: “STAGES Sustainable Theatre – A Casebook” — a landmark publication of 21 articles sharing insights from project partners across Europe. Divided into three sections—Sustainable Productions, Sustainable Transformations, and Sustainable Futures —the Casebook offers diverse perspectives on implementing sustainability in theatre-making and institutional change.
Speaking about the conference and STAGES Forum, Heidi Wiley, Executive Director of the European Theatre Convention, commented:
“We live in times of disruption and transformation, when political acts unfold with theatrical force and truth itself is often performed rather than debated. Yet rather than retreating from this reality, theatre asserts its place at the centre of public life. This ETC Conference is a call to courage – for theatres to reclaim their role as places where empathy and complexity can coexist, where Europe’s shared future can still be staged, and where we can inspire the new generation of European theatre-makers to act responsibly for our planet and our communities.”
Juris Žagars, General Manager of Dailes Theatre, said:
“Hosting the ETC International Theatre Conference and STAGES Forum in Riga is deeply meaningful. Latvia stands at the crossroads of history and geography, where questions of truth, freedom and identity are not abstract – they are lived every day. We are honoured to welcome our European colleagues to Dailes Theatre to share, debate and create together as they shape the future of European Theatre.”
Claudia Belchior, President of the European Theatre Convention, added:
“This conference continues ETC’s long-standing mission to strengthen a democratic, sustainable and artistically free European theatre. In Riga, we will reaffirm that art has the power to unite, to inspire resilience, push creative solutions for sustainability, and to hold space for truth – even when truth itself is under attack.”
The Stage for Truth. Which Truth? conference follows the adoption of the RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER manifesto at ETC’s Spring 2025 Conference, where member theatres affirmed that art “unites us” and “crosses borders to fill us with empathy, understanding, possibility and belief.”
The Riga conference will also monitor ETC’s progress toward climate neutrality by 2030, as outlined in the ETC Sustainable Action Code, and explore next steps within BREAK THE MOULD (2024–2028), ETC’s flagship Creative Europe–co-funded project supporting artistic innovation and structural change.
Press Contact
You can direct enquiries to ETC’s Communication Manager, Christy Romer: communication@europeantheatre.eu
About ETC
Founded in 1988, the European Theatre Convention (ETC) is the largest network of public theatres in Europe. It is an arts organisation that promotes European theatre as a vital platform for dialogue, democracy and interaction that responds to, reflects and engages with today’s diverse audiences and changing societies. ETC’s programme of grants and events support networking, professional development and artistic collaborations for theatre staff across Europe — championing theatre as a key European art form for the 21st century.
ETC has more than 75 members from 33 countries and is supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
About Dailes Theatre
Dailes Theatre is one of Latvia’s leading performing arts institutions and a symbol of modern Latvian theatre. Founded in 1920, it has been at the forefront of artistic experimentation, blending tradition with innovation. Housed in an iconic modernist building in Riga, Dailes Theatre continues to champion bold artistic visions and contemporary values, engaging diverse audiences through thought-provoking productions and cultural collaboration.
www.dailesteatris.lv
About STAGES
The Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift (STAGES) is a four-year cooperation project (2022–2025), co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. It brings together leading theatres, universities, and cultural organisations to explore the role of theatre in advancing environmental and social sustainability.
Project partners:
Théâtre de Liège (Belgium); NTGent (Belgium); Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb (Croatia); MC93 — Maison de la Culture de Seine-Saint-Denis (France); European Theatre Convention (Germany); Trafó House of Contemporary Arts (Hungary); Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa (Italy); Riga Technical University - University of Latvia (Latvia); Lithuanian National Drama Theatre (Lithuania); Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (Portugal); Maribor Slovene National Theatre (Slovenia); The Royal Dramatic Theatre (Sweden); Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne (Switzerland); National Theater & Concert Hall (Taiwan).
www.sustainablestages.eu
About Riga Technical University
Riga Technical University (RTU) is the oldest technical university in the Baltic States and a leading centre for innovation, science, and sustainable development in Latvia. RTU promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between technology, engineering, and the arts, aiming to foster a resilient and knowledge-driven society. Through initiatives such as STAGES, RTU strengthens the dialogue between culture, research, and sustainability at both local and international levels.
www.rtu.lv
