Mar. 19 – The Teatro Valle Occupato in Rome and the Croatian cultural activist Teodor Celakoski are the winners of the Princess Margriet Award, delivered by the European Cultural Foundation yesterday afternoon. The ceremony took place at Bozar, the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels; saw the participation of over 350 international guests; and was presented by the director of the Foundation, Katherine Watson. The winners, announced by Princess Margriet, daughter of the rulers in the Netherlands, were selected from a short list of candidates nominated by experts from all over Europe. The international jury, which included Chris Dercon, director of the Tate Modern, and Els van der Plas, director of the Dutch Opera and Ballet, praised both the Teatro Valle and Celakoski. “Both winners – said the jury – have shown how shared methods of action, from within and outside the sphere of culture, can inspire us to be more directly involved in the political decisions that shape our lives. Moreover, in the broader context of a Europe marked by the crisis and austerity, we were shown how culture can animate the public sphere. Teatro Valle Occupato saved the oldest theater in Italy from an uncertain future in 2011. Since then, the informal collective of artists, directors, technicians and citizens transformed the space into one of the most innovative cultural venues across Europe. This group, which is currently negotiating to establish a foundation for similar projects across Italian municipalities, the Fondazione Teatro Valle Bene Comune, is working and defending culture. Their collective energy is a source of inspiration for similar initiatives across Europe.”
The Teatro Valle Occupato receives the Princess Margriet Award
