Info

Het TheaterFestival will officially and festively open the new season with the States of the Future, an evening where the performing arts sector comes together to share ideas and look ahead to future possibilities.

The evening begins at 5:30 PM with a welcome speech by Nora Mahammed (director of Het TheaterFestival), followed by an address from the Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez. The jury will then briefly reflect on notable trends in the field. The highlight of the evening will be the two States of the Future: powerful and inspiring speeches from leading voices in the performing arts. In 2025, the speakers are: Yahmani Blackman, a multidisciplinary theatre maker who connects personal stories with societal and philosophical themes, and Jozef Wouters, a scenographer and theatre maker whose groundbreaking work with Decoratelier redefines the boundaries of theatre through the intersection of space, imagination, and performance.

To close the evening, you’re invited to stay for a reception with drinks and conversation about the speeches, powered by Sabam.

Everyone is welcome, but reservations are required!

When making your reservation, you can choose to donate to Ashtar Theatre, a leading Palestinian theatre with a global outlook. Since 1991, ASHTAR has been inspiring young people with intensive theatre training that not only develops acting talent, but also strengthens leadership, communication and self-confidence.

Through mobile performances, ASHTAR also reaches remote communities, ensuring that no one is left out. With their unique Forum Theatre, they encourage active social debate and change, a powerful tool for democracy and engagement.

STATE OF THE FUTURE SPEAKER

Yahmani Blackman (1989, Amsterdam) is a theatre maker, dramaturge, teacher, and presenter. Her work balances between personal narratives, philosophy, and social themes. She believes in the power of the individual and explores how personal experiences can contribute to collective connection. She began her journey at a young age at Jeugdtheaterschool Zuidoost and has since developed into a versatile creator, with work featured at Afrovibes, BlackMagicWoman, and Bijlmer Boekt, among others. Yahmani studied Pedagogy and graduated in 2018 from the Theatre Teacher Training Program at the Academy of Theatre and Dance (AHK). Since then, she has worked in various institutions as a maker, dramaturge, and educator. Her artistic practice is rooted in the exploration of non-Western narratives within Western theatre discourse, with a strong focus on polyphony and inclusion.

STATE OF THE FUTURE SPEAKER

Jozef Wouters (1986) is a scenographer and theatre maker based in Brussels. His work always originates from a specific location and initiates a dialogue between spaces, processes, and imagination. Working from Decoratelier – a continuously evolving artistic project housed in a former factory in Molenbeek – he initiates artistic collaborations, including performances such as Underneath which Rivers Flow and The Soft Layer, festivals, residencies, and diverse scenographic projects ranging from grandstands to nightclubs, and from a temporary venue for the social restaurant Cassonade to the open-air swimming pool FLOW. Through these projects, Decoratelier evolves into both an architectural studio that creates performances and a theatre company that builds spaces. In 2019, Decoratelier was awarded the Flemish Culture Prize (Ultima) in the category of Performing Arts, and in 2024 it was shortlisted for the European Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards as one of four Belgian projects. Wouters’ book Moments before the wind (edited by Jeroen Peeters), published in 2020, is a heterogeneous collection of notes and reflections on space, scenography, artistic practice, and institutional critique. Since 2017, he has been an autonomous artist in residence with Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods.

HOST

Eva Kamanda is an actress and writer. You may know her from the TV series Drift and Babyproof, the short films Pedro and Klette, and on stage in the performance One Song by visual artist Miet Warlop, as well as the play Tot de dood ons scheidt by De Mannschaft and Het Laatste Bedrijf. Together with journalist Kristof Bohez, she co-authored the book Een verzwegen leven: onze Congolese geschiedenis in België (A Silenced Life: Our Congolese History in Belgium), in which she explores the life story of her Congolese great-grandfather, uncovering a neglected chapter of Belgium’s colonial history.