The Small size Network, a network of 91 institutions in 37 countries in (almost) the whole world, providing theatre and culture for the first years, had a worldwide campaign in January 2021.

At Small size, a productive exchange of professional, artistic experiences emerged with the collaboration of artists and networks such as the Assitej International or The Red Vincular, Latin American Network of Scenic Creation for the first years. The way is currently paved with “zoom, zoom and zoom again”. The interesting thing is that all the artists get an overview of the situation of international theatre groups that produce for the very youngest, and that through these projects all have experienced hope, closeness, creativity, solidarity and, if you want, consolation.

Small size days: “Space and time for little ones”

The result of the campaign was presented on the last weekend in January with the SMALL SIZE DAYS. This is a tradition of the Network, and the pandemic did not change it. From 29.-31. January 2021 SMALL SIZE DAYS offered SPACE AND TIME FOR LITTLE ONES with theatre performances, workshops, conferences and interviews of artists and short performances that were planned according to the artist’s choice and possibility. If artists and theatres were located in countries that fortunately (or still / again) had open theatres, the performances took place as usual – in presence of the audience. If theatres were closed, the program was presented via artists´ and theatres´ Facebook pages. A moment of theatre and storytelling was proposed with the same theme for everyone: Aesop THE TURTLE AND THE HARE in the respective national language. Some ten interpretations of the same fable were shared on the Small size fb pages, in many different languages ​​and aesthetic ways.

Many wonderful international artists have dedicated themselves to theatre for the youngest audiences.  In the countdown interviews that started the 22nd of January the Small size members described their conviction on how important work we do. The program of the SMALL SIZE DAYS was diverse, not to forget the Small size manifesto that was sent to the decision makers in the member countries nor the joint work “Small  Size Artistic Action”, a five-minute video with a bird.

Myrto Dimitriadou

Thanks to Veronika Zangl and Heinz Wagner for the wonderful online articles.

Small size days 2021: 58 activities of 34 members from 23 countries