On 11, 12, 13 October, (A)WAKE* brings New Radicalisms 2024, a multi-day Rotterdam event in which they examine the assumed politically neutral position within the Dutch cultural, academic and artistic spheres. “Doe normaal!” (in Dutch, translating to 'act normal') is often said in a commanding tone to someone who is doing or saying something that is considered to be out of the ordinary. How and by whom is the normal measure determined? Can a position of neutrality be equated to normalcy in times of extreme violations to rights of living?

Over 3 days, they question this neutrality in the guise of political correctness and the structures upholding and benefitting from such a position. Which alternative tools and strategies are being used to challenge the status quo? Through talks, workshops, performances, visual arts, and club nights, they aim towards liberating ‘neutrality’ from its fixed position of inaction and explore strategies of dissent and ethics of disagreement.

Following our production Persians. Triumph of Empathy, artistic director Chokri Ben Chikha will participate in the panel discussion on the theme of Empathy on Sunday, October 13.

Stay up to date through the socials of NEW RADICALISMS: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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*(A)WAKE provides a space for the in-between voices with multiple cultural backgrounds. We develop cultural programs that do justice to the complexity of our current socio-political context and to the perspectives of minorities who have been overlooked and/or tokenized by mainstream institutions. In a world dominated by media and populism, we move freely between the domains of contemporary art and politics.