ART AS A WEAPON: Workshop at Theaterfestival Basel, Basel (CH)
ART AS A WEAPON
Workshop at Theaterfestival Basel
25 & 26 August 2026 | both days 14:00 — 16:00h
Art as a Weapon is a two-day workshop programme on cultural wars, propaganda, artistic resistance, and humour, led by Julian Hetzel. Participants from all disciplines and backgrounds are invited to enter the creative universe of Julian Hetzeland engage in a dialogue with the artist. The workshop takes place in the context of the performances Three Times Left is Right at Theater Festival Basel.
Art no longer comments on politics from the sidelines; it operates at its very core. At a time of increasing polarization, shifting geopolitical orders, and the normalization of right-wing populism, culture has become a battlefield. Venues are being renamed, institutions are being shut down, while images, slogans, narratives, and emotions circulate faster than critical reflection. What role do artists and cultural institutions play within this minefield? Can art resist without becoming propaganda itself? What might creative resistance look like today?
Throughout the workshop, participants will engage directly with the artist, reflecting on and discussing these questions while developing artistic responses on the spot. The programme combines critical exchange with practical experimentation, inviting participants to explore the political potential of artistic practice.
Date: 25 — 26 August 2026
Time: both days 14:00 — 16:00h
Venue: junges theater basel | kHaus Basel
Language: english
Register: r.ladous@theaterfestival.ch
