From April 22–26, the island of Giglio in Italy became one of Europe’s cultural hubs as it hosted the ForesTEEN Academy. The festival brought together different generations and cultures to meet and participate in performances, hikes, and workshops led by performing arts professionals. This year, participants included Rūta Bružaitė and Aidas Jurgilas from the Young Critic programme curated by The Arts Printing House (Lithuania), as well as the programme coordinator Rūta Petkevičiūtė.
Aidas Jurgilas shared that participating in the ForesTEEN Academy was valuable because it broadened his understanding of contemporary performing arts and art criticism. “I had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how performances are analysed, how critical opinions are formed, and what aspects are important when evaluating art. I also met many interesting people with whom I hope to stay connected in the future,” said Aidas. He added that the knowledge and experience gained at the ForesTEEN Academy would be useful not only in exploring contemporary performing arts but also in creating his own projects and films. “I already notice that I look at art and performances more deeply now, paying closer attention to directing, ideas, emotional impact, and performance,” Aidas reflected. His impressions from the ForesTEEN Academy also inspired a short film he created himself.
Having participated in a similar ForesTEEN event for the second time, Rūta Bružaitė mentioned that this years’ experience helped her gain an even deeper understanding of contemporary theatre. “The workshops and performances focused greatly on the viewer’s position, space, and how movement and environment shape the experience. Performances in nature showed that theatre does not only happen on stage — even observing the surroundings or looking where you are not supposed to becomes part of the experience. It also became clearer that there is no single correct interpretation of a performance, because every person sees different things in the same artwork,” Rūta explained.
She says that the experience gained at the Academy can now be applied when observing and analysing theatre and other performing arts. “After participating in the Academy, I started paying more attention to space and to how a director’s choices influence the audience’s experience. This experience is also already proving useful in discussions about art, school projects, and creative activities, because I often return to the images, ideas, and emotions I encountered at the Academy,” Rūta shared.
Rūta also noted that her earlier experiences with the ForesTEEN project had been valuable because the performances and artistic interventions she saw there remained in her memory far longer than many other performances she had encountered in different contexts. She says she still often thinks about them, and some of the ideas that emerged during the Academy continue to resurface in her everyday life, conversations, and even school projects. “After my first ForesTEEN experience, I also became more confident in expressing my thoughts and developed a stronger desire to explore not only my own experiences and interpretations, but those of others as well,” said Rūta.
Both Rūta and Aidas are grateful not only for the knowledge and enriching performing arts experiences they gained at the ForesTEEN Academy, but also for the creative friendships they formed, the beautiful natural surroundings, and the exceptionally welcoming atmosphere. Both young participants say that their memories of Giglio Island will stay with them for a long time — from warm evenings by the sea to shared creative challenges and new friendships that will continue to remind them of this unique experience.
