Theatre from Flanders in Sweden

During the Gothenburg Book Fair 2025, special attention was given to theatre, and Flanders was prominently represented. Grant managers Yannick and Esther travelled to Stockholm ahead of the fair, where they spent two intensive days getting to know various Swedish theatre companies, cultural institutions, and key figures from the local theatre scene. Thanks to valuable recommendations along the way, their schedule in Göteborg was further enriched.

At the fair itself, Esther mainly had meetings with fiction publishers, while Yannick focused on theatre contacts – both new and familiar faces. One of the highlights was the presence of playwright and artistic director of Het nieuwstedelijk, Stijn Devillé, invited by the Flemish Representation to the Nordic countries. At the EUNIC stand, he spoke about his work and writing practice. Additionally, he participated in the panel discussion New Dimensions in Contemporary European Theatre about the provocative power of theatre and its influence on politics and society.

This year’s fair focused on the themes of Drama, and Love & Lust. On the drama stage, one of the main stages, a staged reading was presented featuring scenes from ‘Mixtape’, a collaboration between Flemish playwrights Freek Mariën and Carl von Winckelmann. The performance was created in partnership with Göteborgs Stadsteater, directed by Daniel Adolfsson, and featured actors Lovisa Perman, Olle Vilhelmsson, and Lotta Karlsson.

Thanks to the Flemish Representation and EUNIC for their support and collaboration in this inspiring theatre exchange.