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Żigużajg festival for children has been launched
Żigużajg festival for children has been launched
That’s right, the ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for children and young people’s hybrid edition was opened to the public last Sunday, and will run till next Sunday, 28 November, with an exciting selection of live and digital shows.
The intensely popular festival, which is organised by Fondazzjoni Kreattivita, is returning for its 11th edition. Its opening took place at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, in the presence of De Lydia Abela, ŻiguŻajg patron, the Jose Herrera, the minister of national heritage, arts and local government, Marta Vella, the festival director and Rupert Cefai, the Fondazzjoni Kreattivita chairman.
The opening was followed by a performance of L-Aħħar Siġra, which set the mood for the whole festival of events, which boasts a programme of shows tailor-made for kids under the age of one, all the way up to those aged 13 and over.
ŻiguŻajg’s return to theatres will now bring with it 10 days of talent and celebration, as the festival has two main characteristics. The first is providing kids and teens with a platform to express themselves in the most creative ways possible and the second would be harnessing the potential of the arts as a communicative and accessible means for all.
Reflecting on last year’s festival, Rupert Cefai said that the arts should never be perceived as an arbitrary source of entertainment, but as a way of life. “Such a difficult period has seen art become an outlet for many of those who struggled with lockdown and uncertainty. It has proven to us what an intrinsic part of our everyday lives as it is,” he said.
What is the festival all about?
AUTOMANIACS
L-AĦĦAR SIĠRA
This year’s edition of the festival will see its shows return to the capital city of Valletta: Where Are You Toby and L-Aħħar Siġra will take place at Spazju Kreattiv, while dystopian children’s play 2044 will be staged at Teatru Manoel.
Theatre Anon’s captivating re-imagination of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s classic, The Little Prince, will run at the Valletta Campus Theatre along with Opening Door’s Automaniacs, which will take lace close to the Valletta Campus’ Aula Prima.
There’s more! Film the Wolf Walkers will also be shown at Spazju Kreattiv’s Cinema, as will visual art exhibition Past Continuous, which will be open to the public throughout the ŻiguŻajg festival.
Every one of these shows will be performed at least once in a sensory friendly format as part of the premiere Sensory Friendly Performance programme, open to the public. These performances were designed to create a welcoming and comfortable arts experience for those with specific sensory needs, whereby public performances will be modified and tailor-made.
WHERE ARE YOU TOBY
POLLY & ESTHER
Would you rather experience the festival from home?
The festival is also offering a varied amount of digital events, featuring dance theatre productions such as Moveo Dance Company’s Phora 10 XS and Zugraga Dance Company’s Scarab, the Dung Beetle. The New Theatre Company’s Rapunzella and Sandie von Brockdorff and Nicola Azzopardi’s Polly & Esther can also be enjoyed online. Toontuloon’s Għidli Ħolma, an exciting retelling of the history of Saint James Cavalier through the eyes of a little boy and his father can also be watched, alongside Toi Toi’s children’s opera The Magic Baton.
For tickets and more information about the festival can be found here.
