PLACCC Festival was founded in 2008 and will be held for the tenth time in 2015. And we will turn the city on its head once again! Our artists will disrupt the familiar routine of the city, transforming the Hungarian capital into a space for fine art, a stage for dance theatre, and a venue for all kinds of surprising encounters! Slovenia, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain and Hungary will all be represented, with artists trying to define the role of the modern city dweller in the metropolitan space. Watch out, because the concrete jungle will be set in motion! And the main roles will be played by the audience, those living in Budapest themselves!
This year we will be holding the festival on three consecutive weekends, with the productions being organized into three main thematical groups. You will have a chance to meet international and Hungarian performers, artists and actors alike, and this year we will have a special emphasis on the city as a living-breathing exhibition space. The three main themes of the festival all have something to do with those contemporary, 21st century trends in theatre and fine arts that experiment with urban spaces and new technologies – and which will define such experimentation for years to come.
GAMING THE CITY
Between September 10th and 12th we will be playing games in the city. The game designers of the German machina eX group are planning a virtual walkgame in Buda, while Dollár Papa Gyermekei will be continuing their hugely successful Closeness project after its debut at Bánkitó Festival this year: they invite all to take part in intimate conversations, especially those who feel adventurous, who want to get to know new faces! The opening of the new Szatyor Art Space Gallery will be held on this weekend as well, with a special exhibition about current trends in the public art scene in Budapest. The opening of this new exhibition space will add even more color to the cultural map of Budapest, and will also be the kick-off party of the PLACCC 2015 Festival, so be sure to come and join us!
HACKING THE CITY
A week later, on the weekend of September 19th and 21st you can take part in projects that will bring less-known parts of the city to light. After touring in various countries around the world, the Kud Ljud team from Slovenia will be bringing Streetwalker Gallery, a guided walk and urban installation into the heart of Budapest. You can also get a glimpse into the DoN’t Eat Group’s unique, live video installation of various city spaces: LOOP EVENT will let you experience different locations in Csepel, Kelenföld and the Belváros in a totally new way. This weekend we will also be continuing the successful This Place is COOL! series with new virtual map pins being set in the city streets – a special treasure hunt in the Ninth District, a journey into the past, with many surprises in store!
INTERACTING THE CITY
Between September 24th and 26th, on the last weekend of the festival, the focus will be on the interactive connection between audience, artist and the urban space. The internationally renowned Danish Kitt JOHNSON
will have the premier performance of her master class work with various Hungarian dancers in the streets of Budapest. From Great Britain, Jessica DOLBY will be mapping the city one small picture at a time, while also giving an introduction into the psychology of city spaces through a special guided tour of her work. And everyday at midnight the
members of Teleport Gallery will be holding special performance-based happenings in Clark Ádám square, by the 0 km stone with the project title: ( 0 ).
The tenth PLACCC will be an important occasion for organizers and artists alike, and you will have a chance to experience everything that the festival was founded to host seven years ago! Let’s shred some new light on the familiar cityscape of Budapest – come join us this September, and let’s hack the city together!