THE ART OF NOT DYING

AFTER A PERIOD OF IMPOSED HIBERNATION, MITsp returns for its 8th edition. The last two years set a time of crisis, insecurity, of internal reassessment. Also a time to listen, of introspection, but never a dead time.

The March 2020 Festival edition was the last theatrical event to be held onsite before the pandemic. In fact, the last three days of the festival had already been shaken by instability, fear about the disease, and the cancellation of some shows on the programme, as cultural bodies and concert halls were already beginning to close doors. But still, fortunately, we managed to hold almost the whole festival.

In the midst of so many impossibilities that followed, we managed to take an important step: the creation of MIT+ digital platform, where we were able, throughout the pandemic, to maintain the presentation of online national and foreign shows, seminars, meetings and lectures, as well as pedagogical activities, all of it in an online format.

However, now we take an even more important step: the reestablishment of the scenic Agora, of onsite public engagement, of theatrical coexistence in loco. Evidently, the digital experiences lived in the pandemic have opened up other possibilities and perspectives. However, they are not exclusive and, perhaps, we can think, from here, in hybrid and articulated formats between onsite and online.

The Festival's return, within a post-pandemic political and economic context, has been a greater challenge than when we first opened MITsp in 2014. The mockery and dishonesty with which culture area has been treated by the federal government, inflation, euro and dollar's sharp rise in the last two years, the sponsors slowdown – and also injected capital – due to a situation of economic instability, among other reasons, made the event's production even more difficult, especially in relation to international shows.

But in spite of everything – or perhaps for that very reason – we are alive and together here again. It is urgent to fight, more than ever, for a different country, it is urgent to be able to desire and imagine other futures, for our weapons are 8

poetry, and they can overcome death. For as it was sung, in another dark time of this country's history: "Watch out, you must have bold eyes (...) to this darkness. You've got to be aware and strong. We've got no time to fear death. ”

May this eighth edition of MITsp lead us to breathe again, scream again, sing again, at the top of our lungs!

ANTONIO ARAUJO AND GUILHERME MARQUES