Keywords: Performing arts


UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Italy's historic condominium theatres

Italy has secured another place on the UNESCO World Heritage List after the international organization recognized the country's unique network of 18th- and 19th-century condominium theatres, celebrating a distinctive architectural and cultural tradition that played a pivotal role in the rise of Italian......

Avignon Off Festival maintains strong attendance despite heatwave and economic pressures

The 2026 Avignon Off Festival has delivered resilient attendance figures despite challenging conditions, demonstrating the continued appeal of one of Europe's largest performing arts gatherings. Organisers reported that audience numbers remained broadly in line with the previous year, even as extreme......

France releases €10 million in frozen funding for performing arts institutions

The French government has reversed its decision to withhold part of the 2026 operating grants allocated to key performing arts institutions, confirming that €10 million in previously frozen funding will be released during the second half of the year. The announcement brings relief to dozens of......

Avignon Festival artists urge Macron to reverse performing arts budget cuts

Leading figures from France’s performing arts community have appealed directly to President Emmanuel Macron to reverse planned budget cuts affecting the live entertainment sector, warning that continued reductions could undermine decades of cultural investment. The public appeal was made during......

BnF preserves Michou’s legacy with landmark acquisition of cabaret archives

The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) has announced the acquisition of the personal and artistic archives of Michou, the legendary founder of one of Paris' most celebrated cabarets, securing the preservation of a cultural legacy that shaped the French capital's nightlife for decades. The......

U.S. appeals court blocks bid to restore Trump’s name to Washington’s Kennedy Center

A U.S. federal appeals court has rejected an emergency request to restore President Donald Trump's name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, leaving in place a lower court order that removed the branding from one of the nation's most prominent cultural institutions. The ruling,......

Sign language takes center stage at Avignon Festival in powerful theatrical statement

At this year's Avignon Festival, a deeply personal production is placing sign language at the heart of the theatrical experience while challenging audiences to rethink disability, communication and social inclusion. In "Mon Frère" ("My Brother"), Swiss brothers Christian......

Casablanca International University Theatre Festival opens 38th edition with focus on intercultural dialogue

The 38th edition of the Casablanca International University Theatre Festival (FITUC) has officially opened, bringing together students, performers and cultural institutions from several countries for a week dedicated to artistic creativity and intercultural dialogue. Held from July 4 to 9 under the......

Wigs play a vital role in traditional Japanese kabuki theatre

In the world of Japanese kabuki theatre, appearance is inseparable from performance, and one of the most essential elements is the wig. This traditional art form, known for its dramatic makeup, elaborate costumes, and stylized acting, relies heavily on highly specialized craftsmen who create and style......