About us
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Sibiu Performing Arts Market is an associated structure of Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) , aimed at granting opportunities for all artists, cultural managers, performing arts institutions or cultural networks to meet important producers from around the world. Through our events, we provide the context for the promotion of artistic projects and establishing collaborations, as well as for sharing and learning the most recent information in the performing arts field.
Since its first edition in 1997, Sibiu Performing Arts Market has developed into an important cultural network, facilitating connections between festivals and artists, performing arts, independent companies or public institutions. Every year, participants from all over the world, representing various cultural organizations (artistic management agencies, NGOs, public institutions, independent companies, etc.), meet in Sibiu and build connections as well as potential partnerships. At its last edition, the Market introduced its curated Pitch Project Session, receiving over 100 applications, from which only 10 were selected to pitch before a distinguished jury. This edition also marked a major transformation, as The Market rebranded as SIPAM, reinforcing its international presence. Networking remained at the core, fostering solid collaborations and meaningful industry connections.
This edition will take place between the 23th and the 26th of June 2025.
This edition will take place between the 23th and the 26th of June 2025.
Team
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Constantin Chiriac
President
Oana Marin
Coordinator
Vicențiu Rahău.
Consultant
Cosmin Chivu
Conferences Moderator
Iulia Rusu
PR & Communication Officer
Dalia Ioanaș
Assistant Coordinator
Ileana Racoviceanu
Speed Networking Event Supervisor
Adriana Bârză-Cârstea
Meetings and Classes with Great Choreographers” Event Moderator and Coordinator
Teresa Brayshaw
”Cultural Conversations” Event Moderator
Ștefan Tunsoiu
”Cultural Conversations” Event Coordinator
Roxana Vîlcu
Website & Digital
Ștefania Prodea
Website & Digital
Adelina Deaconu
Legal Advisor
Alex Pașca
Graphic Designer
History
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2024
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The Market introduced its curated Pitch Project Session, receiving over 100 applications, from which only 10 were selected to pitch before a distinguished jury. This edition also marked a major transformation, as The Market rebranded as SIPAM, reinforcing its international presence. Networking remained at the core, fostering solid collaborations and meaningful industry connections. The strategic partnership with ICR continues to be a pillar of our international outreach and development.
2023
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The Market enhanced global cooperation between enthusiastic artists, professionals and cultural operators. The hybrid format of this edition was welcomed by participants and meaningful and useful dialogues took place in a framework that focused daily on each category of participants. The Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) remained a key partner in supporting our mission.
2022
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The Market built a bridge between the in-person and online dimensions, and created a global space for meetings and discussions in the performing arts. We are grateful for the continued support of our strategic partner, ICR, whose collaboration helped broaden our international visibility.
2021
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In 2021, The Market took place in a hybrid format, combining the physical and online dimensions, thus enabling participants in Sibiu to connect with those who could not travel, and be together through digital solutions. Our strategic partnership with ICR played a vital role in making this connectivity possible.
2020
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Even during those times, in 2020, The Market, together with FITS, managed to keep the stakes high, by continuing to create platforms of dialogue online, involving worldwide managers and theatre professionals. This was made possible through the unwavering support of our strategic partner, ICR.
2017
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2017 brought the first Speed Networking event, a new format of quick, focused meetings that facilitate a large list of contacts and the exchange of information in a short space of time. Later that decade, the entire world experienced a shocking transformation with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite those difficult times, we greatly appreciated the strategic partnership with ICR, which has been key to our progress and shared vision.
2016
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In 2016, the first edition of the workshop Festivals in the 21st century: Who Are They For, How We Do Them, How Do We Finance Them? takes place. The strategic partnership with ICR is a constant source of support for cultural initiatives.
2015
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In 2015, The Market hosted its first European Capitals of Culture conference (then called European Dimension and Community Involvement) and the first edition of the workshop Meetings and classes with great choreographers. Thanks to our strategic partnership with ICR, we achieved meaningful results.
2013-2014
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Got its first website and saw its first international conferences, socializing events and workshops, among which the first editions of Festival Readings and the first workshop on presenting artistic productions within The Market, The Art of Pitching (2013). The strategic partnership with ICR empowered the Market to achieve more together.
2010-2012
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Between 2010 and 2020, the Sibiu Performing Arts Market entered into a partnership with Open Street, created the first edition of the section Talkback seminars, later known as Cultural Conversations (in 2011) and later printed the interviews into a first printed edition of the Cultural Conversations (in 2012), moved to a new, warmer and more appropriate venue. The strategic partnership between the Market and ICR continued to enhance our ability to innovate.
2007
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2007 is remembered as an important year for the local and national environment in the European and global cultural context, the year when Sibiu held the title of European Capital of Culture and when Romania became a member of the European Union, which favored the development of The Market, translated into a higher number of participants and of international promotion opportunities. The strategic partnership with ICR has contributed directly to SIPAM’s growth, visibility, and cultural impact.
2004-2009
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Later, between 2004-2009, The Market and FITS were part of Europe Arts, an association aiming at stimulating, training and supporting classical theater, street theater or circus artists, authors and directors to establish a relationship with audiences from a different culture or not speaking the language of performing arts. We are proud to work alongside the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) in a strategic partnership that continues to bring tangible results.
2003-2006
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Between 2003-2006, FITS and The Sibiu International Performing Arts Market were part of the European network EUNETSTAR (European Street Arts Network), funded by artistic directors of nine festivals from eight countries, with the purpose to produce, develop and promote street art and outdoor theatre.
2000
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At the beginning of the 2000s, The Market expands its cultural and artistic horizon, welcoming guests from all over the world, and starts creating exceptional events, such as East/West Meeting of Festival Directors – an exchange of ideas moderated by festival directors and cultural management specialists, enabling participants to see performances from the FITS programme and meet other participants of The Market, while developing a special section of gipsy music, contemporary dance and rock performances.
1997
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In 1997, the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS) sets up the Sibiu Performing Arts Market, an annual project taking place during the Festival, with the purpose to create a cultural alternative in Central and Eastern Europe, the possibility to establish a network of festivals, a database of creators and managers and a coherent dialogue platform to serve this part of the continent. Later that year, The Market became part of EurAAm Bourse – a project initiated by nine arts markets in Europe and Quebec, which decided to create a space for cooperation and artistic exchange, aiming to develop, promote and show performances internationally, in order to facilitate access to new cultural markets.