Voices From is an online series run by The Festival Academy. The series was born out of the Sharing Places Lab in Blanca, Spain and is led voluntarily by a working group of Alumni who took part in this Lab. The series is a space to listen and stay present with the realities lived by cultural workers from regions affected by conflict or systemic injustice.
Voices From Sessions in May
We are happy to announce that we are opening registrations for two online sessions as part of our Voices From series. We started organising the series 2024 together with alumni of the TFA community with the aim to create a space to listen and stay present with the realities lived by cultural workers from regions affected by conflict or systemic injustice.
Voices From Iran
14 May 2026, 15:00 CEST
At a moment when war, repression, and over a month of internet blackout make it difficult to understand what is happening inside Iran – even for those living through it – we turn to artists and cultural workers from Iran whose practices persist despite fear and uncertainty. This session opens space for the realities they are navigating, the forms of care and solidarity that sustain them, and perspectives that remain unheard in international conversations. Speakers: Sepehr Sharifzadeh, Helia Shadifar, Arezoo Kazanbeik.
Voices From: Festivals That Are Disappearing
21 May 2026, 15:00 CEST
In many regions, festivals hold communities together as artistic, social, and political ecosystems. Today, many have disappeared, become dormant, or been forced into silence due to political, economic, or infrastructural pressures. This session brings together speakers from Iran, Turkey, and Argentina to reflect on what is lost, what remains, and how artistic practices continue when festival infrastructures collapse. Speakers: Amirali Ghasemi, Mohammad Abbasi, Roni Isola, Fatih Gençkal.
Both sessions include short presentations followed by a Q&A. Participation is based on registration.
Register here.
More information about the speakers here.