As Artistic Director of Brundibár Arts Festival, my vision is to create an annual programme of events that showcases the little known music written during the Holocaust, to be held here in Newcastle and Gateshead.

Brundibár Arts Festival was launched in January 2016 as the first annual Festival in the UK dedicated to the Music and Arts of the Holocaust. Located in Newcastle and Gateshead, the Festival takes its name from Hans Krása's children's opera "Brundibár" (meaning bumblebee), which was first performed publicly by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943. Brundibár Arts Festival seeks to find new ways to positively document the astonishing achievements of artists under adversity, and to keep their stories alive through music and the arts.

The greatest music, art and literature has often emerged from the most threatening of circumstances, bringing comfort and expression to those in need. There is a vast wealth of relatively unknown, yet wonderful music that has struggled to get the recognition it deserves on its own merit, despite the broad range of cultural and musical activities we enjoy here in the UK. During the Festival, works by these lesser known composers will be shared and explored alongside well-loved works from the more mainstream repertoire.

Brundibár Arts Festival’s vision is to create multidisciplinary events that move away from the boundaries of traditional recital experience and repertoire. The Festival combines a Concert Series, Music and Poetry event, Film screening and Outreach Programme in locations throughout Newcastle and Gateshead. All events are linked by a common thread: celebrating creativity in adversity.

Only through education can greater tolerance be achieved - an increasingly important subject in today's complex world. With this focus, we aim to increase the participation of young people, creating lasting links between professional musicians, local community groups, children, and artists. There are dwindling numbers of Holocaust survivors who can tell their stories first hand. Our generation carries the responsibility to find new ways of telling them, and to strive for a more comprehending and cohesive world.

 
Alexandra Raikhlina
(Artistic Director)

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