We weave networks, connect with programmers, and attend many shows
Jaume, Àngela, Margalida, and Aina, coordinators of the Children’s and Youth Fair of the Balearic Islands (FIET) from Sa Xerxa de Teatre, attended FETÉN 2025 in Gijón/Xixón. The Feria Internacional de Artes Escénicas para niños, niñas y familias took place from February 16 to 21. Additionally, Jaume was part of the jury for street and night performances. This was truly a perfect opportunity to get to know their programming and take a look at the family-oriented theatrical proposals that are currently on the agenda, always keeping our fair in Vilafranca in mind.
Additionally, we attended the professional sessions. On the afternoon of Tuesday, February 18, the general assembly of the non-profit association ASSITEJ took place, dedicated to promoting the development of theater for children and youth in Spain. Another activity for programmers that FETÉN proposed this year was the presentation of projects initiated by the TE VEO association for Performing Arts for Childhood and Youth 2025. The members of Sa Xerxa were also able to attend the presentation of UNIMA‘s summer school (International Union of Puppetry). Furthermore, the Insitut Valencià de Cultura Arts Escèniques, along with the Escalante Centre d’Arts Escèniques de la Diputació de València, organized a meeting with Valencian creators to share the creative potential of their regional performing arts network and to promote external projection. This meeting was coordinated by Ángeles González and Loles Peris from U cinquanta, who were part of the organization of the FIET Pro Days in 2024.
Every day, we were able to enjoy luxurious theatrical programming starting at 9:15 in the morning. In fact, the members of Sa Xerxa divided up to see as many performances as possible in order to prepare well for the next edition of the Vilafranca Fair.
The community dedicated to the performing arts in the Balearic Islands was well represented at this year’s FETÉN, as Elisenda Ferrer from the Institut d’Estudis Baleàrics and Fira B!; Jenny Vila from La Mecànica – who is part of the FIET internationalization team in 2025; Yolanda Costa from the Consell Insular d’Eivissa; Maria Guasch from the Festival Barruguet in Santa Eulària del Riu; and Josep Marquès from Teatre des Born in Ciutadella also attended. Additionally, Tot bé by the company Curolles from Mallorca was programmed at the fair in Xixón, a show that premiered at FIET 2024. On another note, we were able to see the installation Festa Fusta by the Ibizan group Jugueroix.
At fairs the size of FETÉN, the president, staff, and volunteers of Sa Xerxa always take the opportunity to connect and network with other professionals in the performing arts world, such as programmers and companies. One example is the meeting we arranged with David Lainez from El Punto Gunea and Antonio Navajas from Teatro Cánovas in Málaga to discuss Sa Xerxa’s project aimed at involving more young people in the preparation and development of the Vilafranca fair. In all these informal meetings, it is common to discuss the projects that different entities and companies have underway to assess the possibilities of attending FIET, create synergies, and build networks. Ultimately, FETÉN is the reference fair for the field that our island entity works in: theater for children and youth.
