New Toolkit: Collaborative Festival Practices in Times of Crisis

Festivals have long been spaces where people come together to share ideas, creativity, and community. In moments of crisis — whether social, economic, or geopolitical — they become platforms for resilience, dialogue, and healing. Responding to this reality, the Building Resilient Festivals project was launched to bring together festival leaders from across Europe and Ukraine to explore how festivals can uphold civic engagement, cultural diversity, and democratic values in times of uncertainty.

One of the key outcomes of this project is a newly published toolkit. Developed within the framework of an Erasmus+ Small-scale Partnership in Vocational Education and Training (VET), the resource gathers insights, strategies, and stories from a nine-month journey of peer learning, mentorship, and exchange. The initiative was led by The Festival Academy (Belgium) in partnership with Victoria Eugenia Theatre (Spain), with the consultation of Translatorium Festival (Ukraine).

The toolkit compiles and categorizes nine exemplary festival practices, showing how collaboration can serve as a vital tool to strengthen the cultural sector in the face of economic challenges, conflict, and war. Featuring case studies and best practices from festival managers selected for the Erasmus+ project, it offers festival practitioners actionable strategies to enhance resilience, foster community engagement, and respond creatively to the unique challenges facing European and Ukrainian festivals.

By documenting adaptive methods, reflections, and collaborative approaches, this resource empowers cultural stakeholders to use festivals as platforms for resilience, dialogue, and community building. It is designed not only for the ten participating festival managers but also for a wider community of festival professionals seeking innovative approaches to strengthen their initiatives and contribute to a more resilient, inclusive, and interconnected cultural landscape.

Visit our platform to access the toolkit, discover additional resources, and learn more about the practices shaping resilient, inclusive, and connected festivals across Europe and Ukraine.