Mandala Theatre-Nepal is going to organize the second edition of Nepal International Theatre Festival 2022 in Kathmandu from 25th November to 3rd December 2022. With the slogan "Theatre for Social Transformation: Celebrating Diversity", NITFest 2022 is bringing in highly aesthetic paly productions from 16 different countries including Nepal, Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Britain, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Italy, Nigeria, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and USA. Renowned artists and activists from India, Uruguay, Cambodia, and many more will conduct workshops, trainings and seminar during the festival.
A total of 23 play productions (5 from Nepal and 18 from abroad), selected out of 85 online application entries from all over the world will be showcased during the festival. The theatre productions are carefully selected by the festival committee based on their potentials to be the reflection of the vibrant socio-political scenarios of local communities from different regions of the world. Mandala's production on one of the scripts chosen from Playwriting Project 2022 will be premiered on the closing day of festival. Besides the play production, the festival will be featured by other allied events such as daily interactions, panel discussions, seminar, open air performances, theatre photo exhibitions, encouragement award ceremonies, cultural and artistic stalls etc. The total estimated budget for the festival is 15 million Nepali rupees and 40% of total estimation would be subsidized by Mandala's peacebuilding partner Civil Peace Service. Mandala has targeted to cover the remaining 60% of festival budget by operating its internal resources as kind contribution and by fundraising with corporate sponsors and funders/donors.
Nepal International Theatre Festival (NITFest) is a celebration of art, culture, and traditions in the form of theatre performances. The festival was conceived and initiated in 2019 by Mandala Theatre-Nepal with Nepal's ten theatre organizations joint effort and had successfully completed the first edition 5 different venues in Kathmandu in 3 other cities of Nepal. NITFest 2019 was inaugurated by KP Sharma Oli, the then prime minister of Nepal and had invited artists from nine different countries. NITFest 2019 had succeeded to create a vibrant impact on Nepali theatre fraternity, whereas it also had collected wide appreciation and positive feedback from Nepali society and media (The discussions created through festival had helped to bring art activities up to op-ed and editorial pages from mere art pages). It was announced that the festival's second edition would be hosted in 2021 but the corona pandemic had halted the initiation. Amidst of pandemic, Mandala decided to host the second edition of NITFest with new energy and established New Mandala in Thapagaun, Kathmandu as a comprehensive theatre space. The new space of Mandala is already in operation after its inauguration in 3rd March 2022 by Rt. honorable vice president of Nepal Nanda Bahadur Pun. The plays staged in New Mandala such as Rogan, Mitjyu, Ride Across Lake Constance, Three Transits, Palpasa Café, Chorko Swar, Khuwalung and Chaubisma Baara had already attracted thousands of audiences in theatre and helped gearing up the pace of Nepali theatre after the pandemic.
Though, being organized solely by Mandala Theatre-Nepal, through 2nd NITFest, we are determined to strengthen the communal harmony, respectfulness for social diversity and to contribute in preservation on intangible cultural heritage through social awareness, art and exchange. Moreover, the festival will support global theatre groups and artists coming together in a shared platform to explore their aesthetic expressions and solidarities for relevant socio-political issues. For this, 200 artists from 16 different countries are invited to add value through their performances in the festival.
In this auspicious occasion, we invite each theatre lover individual and institutions to support us accomplishing the 2nd Nepal International Theatre Festival in smoother way by providing constructive feedback and contribution from their side. The detailed information of the festival can be accessed via www.nitfest.org or by contacting the festival coordinator Vijaya Karki via 9851271909 or festivalcell@nitfest.org.
Date: Ghatasthapana, 26th September 2022
Srijana Subba
Director, 2nd Nepal International Theatre Festival 2022
