Visual Archive

We digitized the archive in the Spring of 2021, as we believe it is of great importance that the legacy of the Theatre Embassy is visible and accessible in a time where the centre of the arts has finally moved to what used to be the periphery. Theatre Embassy worked with great artists and activists, and through this website, we want to make them visible and known. Some of them have passed away but most of the theatre groups and cultural organizations are still very active. They form an important anchor for the community around them and for the country where they operate. Most of them do not have any financial support but live from the arts and the love that surrounds them. In the Plein Theatre in Amsterdam, we plan to continue the collaborations and organize meetups either live or online.

Theatre Embassy's legacy:

Theatre Embassy's values, principles, processes and methods led us to work in what the European perspective sees as remote or peripheral areas. This meant that Theatre Embassy's projects often dealt with consequences of massive global shifts that took place over the last few decades, such as globalisation, climate change, and migration. As a consequence of our work, we walked in the forefront of activism, outdoor theatre and the decolonisation of the mind. The greatest challenge was always forming a creative team with so many differences in status, cultural background and opportunities. We wrote about this during the period of the recession in the publication Desierto.

During a time when so many groups and individuals in the creative sector are struggling, we wish to once again make a meaningful contribution to our network. Therefore, just as we took advantage of the privilege of our position for theatre development, we aim to take advantage of our online visibility today and carry on the legacy of Theatre Embassy. The archive, therefore, is as much yours as it is ours, and we hope that the collaborations we made will inspire many more.

There is only one thing to keep in mind for those who wish to start an incredible project:

Everything you believe is possible

Theatre Embassy's digital archive:

The Theatre Embassy digital archive aims to serve as a democratisation tool by enabling access to the Theatre Embassy archives and strengthening the visibility of Theatre Embassy's projects, our partners, and partner organisations. 

The digital archive is created with the intention to enrich the online presence of the Theatre Embassy and its former partner organizations. In addition, the archive aims to shift the focus away from text and towards images, visuals and objects.

The digital archive houses materials from projects that took place in numerous countries and continents. However, while an archive functions as a collection, it also generates knowledge. Therefore, it is crucial to consider how its structure and the way it is managed shape the encounter with the archived materials.

The unstructured shape of the archive aims to avoid grouping materials according to geographical or cultural factors, thus aiming to avoid imposing a homogenized view of the cultures and people we have worked with over the years. Furthermore, the lack of curation was done in an effort to present the archive not as evidence of a product, but as a trace of work, intentions, live processes, performances, and collaborations. Instead, it is up to each user to explore and use the archive in whichever way serves them best. 

Mission statement:

1. To enable access to the Theatre Embassy archive
2. To strengthen the visibility of Theatre Embassy's projects, partners, and partner organisations
3. To function as a democratisation tool