Escena Erasmus and the Provincial Council of Valencia show European identity on tour

## Escena Erasmus and the Provincial Council of Valencia show European identity on tour

A large part of the UV Escena Erasmus team, together with the university and political authorities involved in the project.

The European theatre project Escena Erasmus of the Universitat de València, winner of the Valencian Performing Arts Honour Award 2023, presented its latest show ‘Qui soc jo quan ningú em mira’ (*Who am I when no one is looking*) on Monday, 27 May. It reflects on personal and collective identity and will tour 10 Valencian municipalities after its premiere at La Nau Cultural Centre this week.

This is the fifteenth show of the university theatre project, written by **Anna Marí** and **Daniel Tormo**, and directed by **Josep Valero**, which addresses the question of personal and collective identity: 'What is it that defines us? What is it that what makes us feel that we belong to a town, a country, a football team, an ideology, a community, a place?,' reads the synopsis.

'Based on testimonies and reflections of the actors from five different states, ‘Qui soc jo quan ningú em mira’ reflects on who we are and why, in an agitated world, once again threatened by the horrors of war, lies, and absolutism, but also by individualism, self-censorship, and a distorted projection of the self in the virtual world,' adds the director.

The first performances of the play will take place from 29 to 31 May in the Matilde Salvador Room of La Nau Cultural Centre of the UV at 7:00pm, and then, the show will tour the following Valencian municipalities:

Gandía, 6 June  
El Genovés, 8 June  
Turís, 16 June  
Ontinyent, 27 June  
Xirivella, 29 June  
Carcaixent, 5 July  
El Palomar, 6 July  
Navarrés, 12 July  
Gestalgar, 13 July  
Carrícola, 14 July

The 2024 Escena Erasmus Tour is once again produced by the Department of Culture of the Provincial Council of Valencia. Deputy **Francisco Teruel** attended the event, as well as Vice-Principal for Culture **Ester Alba** and Vice-Principal for Internationalisation **Carles Padilla**. This year, the UV General Foundation has joined the project and, for the first time, the General Directorate of Culture of the Valencian Government is participating.

General Director **Sergio Arlandis** acknowledged 'the emotion and pride of being able to support, now from the Valencian Government, the Escena Erasmus Project,' and added: 'I must applaud this initiative from start to finish, for its international and boundless dimension, which we will always support so that young people have access to culture, because a society without culture is a society without perspective.'

As mentioned by **Francisco Teruel**, the Escena Erasmus theatre project 'is a unique proposal and the Provincial Council of Valencia will support it because culture is a meeting point for everyone,' highlighting the ability of this university initiative to bring together synergies between the academic world and public institutions, which has mobilised more than 200,000 spectators in its 15 years of existence. 'The Provincial Council of Valencia will always support culture and a project that, as Europeans, has a great capacity to unite people through Performing Arts.'

UV Vice-Principals praised the internationalisation of the Escena Erasmus project, which has managed to 'make different cultures coexist through Performing Arts, dialogue and dance, in an journey through the territory that is an opportunity to get to know a unique land in Europe, thus, achieving social justice in equal opportunities and making culture accessible to everyone.'

**Ester Alba** insisted on 'the importance of including Performing Arts in the integral education of university students, thus, restating that culture is an essential part of personal growth, as well as within the UV.'

UV Escena Erasmus is a project that is in line with the UV’s development of international relations, which continues to be the main European destination in receiving Erasmus students. Vice-Principal **Carles Padilla** welcomed and congratulated the cast, and reminded them of the enthusiasm they will receive in the towns the Las Pequeñas Europas cultural tour will visit, and encouraged them to make the most of this 'vital experience as Erasmus students, but also as part of the project, where [they] will live an invaluable experience through cultural exchange and the universal language that is theatre.'

Escena Erasmus co-director, **Josep Valero**, explained the theme and identity of the play, which he described as 'an intimate and personal concept' and which is explored through three key ideas: the definition of the self, the celebration of tradition (a collective reality as opposed to the individualism of identity), a nod to the Estellés Year with a musical composition by **Panchi Vivó**. 'We begin the fifteenth edition of Escena Erasmus with a text that, for the first time, gives more importance to the testimonies and thoughts of actors than to fiction itself, and with which we hope to bring European identity to our towns,' explained.

The presentation ceremony was also attended by mayors, town councillors and technicians from different town councils of La Gira and the UV General Foundation managing director, **Cristóbal Suria**.

**More than 300 different places**

The Escena Erasmus shows, starring Erasmus students who also participate in the texts, have been performed in more than 300 cities, towns, and prisons, as well as in theatre festivals such as those of Almagro, Olite, Olmedo, Elche, Alcalá, the Santander International Festival, or at the European Commission in Brussels.

The 2024 cast is comprised of the Italians **Alice Vaccaro**, **Fabiana Quattrone**, **Giulia Sbraccia**, **Luca Tinaro** and **Marta Toso**, the French **Doucia Lopez-Pueyo** and **Julie Mendez**, the German **Leonie Ronja**, the Valencian **Carlos Baixauli**, **Sara Olivas** and **Sandra Pombo**, and the Basque **June Otxoantesana**. The **IES Patacona de Alboraya** also participates in the play for the first time in charge of the characterisation of the actors.

The project aims to harness their full creative potential by involving European exchange, Erasmus and UV students in the cultural life of the city. As a result of its high quality and success, Escena Erasmus has been recognised on multiple occasions: they received the **Charlemagne Youth Award of the European Parliament** in 2011; the **Honourable Mention of the ‘Spotlight on Heritage in Culture and the Arts’ Award** of the Performing Arts Employers Association League Europe in Brussels in 2018; the **AVETID 2019 Award** for Best Valencian Theatre Project in 2021; the **Distinction of the 9 d’Octubre Lluís Vives Award from the Valencian Government** for their Valencian contribution to European construction in 2023, and the **Valencian Performing Arts Honour Award** of the Cultural Institute of Valencia-GVA.

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, Arts escèniques
, Escena Erasmus
, Projectes relacions internacionals
, Mobilitat Estudiants
, Relacions Internacionals
, Fundació General UV

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