‘The art of listening’ is a central tenet of BABEL, the major European collaboration initiated by ASSITEJ and supported by Creative Europe which features a total of 22 partners from 19 countries.

This event presents the results of the multilingual artistic workshops that were organised as part of the project to investigate the complex relation between artists and audiences in the performing arts for young audiences. Participants share their experiences and researchers present their findings based on a wide variety of empirical data. Together we’ll discuss current practices and potential directions for future European cultural policy in this field. 

During BABEL, listening has become more than a metaphor: it turned out to be a creative method, an ethical engagement, and a political act. Listening offers a powerful instrument for empathy, collaboration and co-creation, even in intercultural contexts. The conference also celebrates the publication of the BABEL catalogue ‘The Art of Listening in Theatre for Young Audiences’, which documents the processes, practices and reflections from this project and offers new perspectives for field workers, researchers and policymakers.