Nearly 150 entries were submitted for the seventh edition of dunaPart. This high number is all the more remarkable because the contemporary Hungarian performing arts sector has faced unprecedented pressure in the three years since the last dunaPart. Altogether 23 productions were selected for the November event, organised by Trafó – House of Contemporary Arts in partnership with independent venues throughout Budapest.

As before, the selection was made by a six-member curatorial board of performing arts professionals (Judit Böröcz, Ádám Czirák, Noémi Herczog, Beatrix Kricsfalusi, Léna Szirmay-Kalos, Gábor Thury), who evaluated the applications received by the early-June deadline over several thorough sessions. In addition, board members themselves also had the opportunity to propose performances. A unique feature of this year’s platform is that while the productions were created within the framework outlined by the last sixteen years of Hungarian cultural policy, they are now presented to dunaPart’s international audience in a context shaping up following a change of government.

The dunaPart platform is not a festival, but a showcase – a professional presentation forum that has been presenting new productions selected by invited curators from the Hungarian contemporary performing arts scene to an international professional audience since 2008. Its programme typically, though not exclusively, features works by independent creators that stand a good chance of distribution within the context of the international institutional system. The objective of the platform is neither to provide a panorama of the current state of independent Hungarian performing arts nor to present a ‘best of’ selection. The task is both less and more than that: alongside introducing the emerging, innovative generations and supporting institutions of the field, the primary goal is to assist their entry into the international scene and expand their networks.

Since facilitating international mobility has become paramount over the years for the survival of the independent scene, we prioritised exportability above all else during the selection process. We searched for performances that could successfully connect with international aesthetic languages: easily tourable pieces that engage in some way (whether by blending in or standing in radical contrast) with current international discourses, as well as distinct artistic voices and signatures. Projects whose format could flexibly adapt to changing circumstances and needs were also at an advantage. At the same time, we did not rule out large-scale, expensive productions requiring significant technical setups. Diversity and proportionality were key criteria: although the names of a few artists appear across multiple productions at this year’s dunaPart, it was only in exceptionally justified cases that we selected more than one work/concept by a single artist – striving to present as wide a variety of formal languages and creative approaches as possible.

As in previous years, we deliberated on how to approach artists who – corresponding to the paralysis of the independent scene – increasingly think in terms of international collaborations, as well as performances produced partly or entirely with foreign funding, or premiered abroad. How does this interconnectedness rewrite dunaPart’s profile of supporting international relations, or the interpretation of Hungarian performing arts in general? We did not exclude works created within an international production environment, but preference was given to those with less visibility outside of Hungary.

It is important to note that since dunaPart 2023, negative conditions affecting the independent performing arts sector – which constitutes both the main partner base and target audience of the platform – have intensified in Western Europe, Hungary, and the region alike. Furthermore, alongside inflation and the energy crisis, several public policy measures in Hungary since 2010 have adversely impacted independent artists often critical of the regime, who have in turn been treated as enemies by the cultural administration, and have since exhausted their last remaining reserves. One need only think of the increasingly drastic cuts to – and eventual drying up of – operational funding; restrictions on matching grant applications required for international collaborations; the political takeover of arts education institutions, or even the tuition fee requirement imposed on the most prominent higher education institution for contemporary dance; the silencing of independent professional journals; and, in parallel, the critical decline of professional discourse. Among the few positive developments, it should be mentioned that the launching of the first institutional (as yet unaccredited) performance art programme and the career entry of its first two graduating classes fall within this same period.

The three years covered by dunaPart7 were marked by an unprecedented wave of emigration and career abandonment in the sector. Those who remained in Hungary – both emerging and established artists – have faced radical funding cuts, unless they turned toward commercially viable, less risk-taking theatrical forms. Ensembles that made such compromises and enjoyed significant public success have been able to operate effectively even in the recent past. At the same time, it is also important to mention that the performing arts sector received an unprecedented level of state support over the past decade. However, while government-aligned creators and institutions – and in some cases companies with no artistic activity whatsoever – received unimaginable sums (often raising well-founded suspicions of misappropriation), the independents were the clear losers of this generous theatre funding.

Although political changes are expected to bring about a more balanced and ultimately fairer system of resource distribution, the impact of this is not yet felt at the time of writing. Similarly, it remains difficult to predict whether independent performing arts – as the most exportable branch of the scene – can finally become an equal component of Hungarian theatre and dance.

As evident from our selection, contemporary artists have once again responded to these challenging circumstances with their signatures, creativity and flexibility. The performances react to the context of their creation not only thematically, but also through their creative processes and chosen formats. The selection illustrates that in a radically diminished independent scene operating on significantly less domestic funding than three years ago, one- or two-person formations rather than full theatre companies; work-in-progress showings instead of formal premieres; series built around single, unrepeatable events; and adaptable, flexible formats have become more typical. The programme includes several productions with a degree of fragmentariness as an intentional feature – often born out of necessity –, offered to the audience as a window into the creative process.

Returning visitors will once again encounter familiar names – mid-career artists in the contemporary/independent scene – and their latest works, including ‘sequels’ to performances presented at previous dunaParts. However, it was also a key priority to introduce as many artists as possible who have never – or not for a long time – been featured on the platform, including the youngest generation. During the selection process, it became clear that numerous performances utilise the device of autofiction. This correlation – not predetermined, yet distinctly emerging – allows us to reflect on the recent period from diverse – and in several cases minority – perspectives and less visible societal positions. Through some of the selected works, extended research processes and formal experiments gain visibility optimised for the framework of dunaPart. Yet, it is essential – and not only for these works – to consider whether fine-tuning is required for international audiences to facilitate reception and connection; this is an important task and in the best interest of every creative team involved.

Furthermore, the platform offers opportunities not only to those featured in the programme. At the networking events, artists and professionals whose work was not selected this year can also meet visiting international colleagues, make new connections, and work on future collaborations.

We look forward to seeing once again, at this seventh edition of dunaPart, works that – due to a lack of resources – have often only had the chance to be performed a handful of times, and we aim to create as many opportunities as possible for conversation and exchange of experience.

Judit BÖRÖCZ, Ádám CZIRÁK, Noémi HERCZOG, Beatrix KRICSFALUSI, Léna SZIRMAY-KALOS, Gábor THURY