A central contribution of the TFA group was the collective facilitation of a Long Table Conversation under the title Art as Resistance Is Disappearing – Festival Leaders Re-imagine Solidarity and Alliances for Social Justice, co-designed and facilitated by Shahidul Alam (Bangladesh), Roni Isola (Argentina), and Alia Alzougbi (Lebanon/UK) as part of the supported festival cohort.

Ahead of the Convening, the cohort met to collectively develop the session’s concept, provocation statement, and framing text. The session addressed a core contradiction within the cultural field: while festivals often speak the language of solidarity, justice, and community, they frequently operate in competitive ecosystems shaped by scarcity, precarious funding, and cultural policy pressure. The provocation offered to the room was explicit: “In the festival world, solidarity is a myth - we preach collectivity, but act like competitors.” Using the Long Table format- a facilitation format inspired by the intimacy of a domestic dinner table - the session disrupted hierarchical notions of expertise and invited equal participation. Following the provocation by festival leaders, the discussion encouraged all voices in the room to move beyond symbolic declarations of solidarity toward actionable forms of collective responsibility, rooted in mutual care, political clarity, and sustained collaboration.

Can art festivals function as genuine platforms of resistance?

What does practical solidarity look like in a sector defined by survival? 

What do we risk and gain by organising collectively rather than competitively? 

How can festival strategies for mobilising communities and navigating power inform broader cultural and political resistance?