BIPAF 2023 Overview > BIPAF History

The 20th Busan International Performing Arts Festival, 2023
Event Title The 20th Busan International Performing Arts Festival, 2023 ‘Imagination20th’ (World EXPO 2030, BUSAN, KOREA, Wish to host)
Dates 2th Jun (Fri) ~ 18th Jun (Sun) 2023 <17 days>
Venues Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre, Haeundae Cultural Center Haeun hall, Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater, Kyungsung University Concert Hall, Haneulbaram Theatre, Space Theatre, Yongcheonjiral Theatre, Gwangalli Meeting Plaza, Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Plaza, Millac The Market
Participation 41 works in 11 countries
Participating
Countries
UK, Colombia, Spain, Austrailia, Italia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Island, Brazil, Hong kong <11 Countries>
Programs Opening & Closing Ceremonies / Opening & Closing Celebrating Performances / Invitational Performance / Celebrating Performance / The Notable Performance / Dynamic Street Fringe / 10 Minute Open Plays / Artist talk / BIPAF 20th Anniversary Symposium / BIPAF Master Class
Host Busan Metropolitan City
Supervision Busan International Performing Arts Festival Organizing Committee, Busan Cinema Center
Sponsor Korea Exchange, Busan Bank, Ko In-beom Flower Delivery, KYOBO Life
Composition of the festival
Festival Purpose
1) The Extension of the Right to Enjoy Local Culture
For the past 19 years, BIPAF has been at the forefront of selecting and organizing outstanding performances from around the world and promising domestic theatre companies. Through various genres of performing arts such as non-verbal, physical and street plays, we look forward to a leap toward Busan, a city of cultural enjoyment where Busan citizens can feel cultural pride.
2) A Leap forward to a festival where we can meet again and enjoy together
Last year, BIPAF presented an online and offline parallel festival due to the Covid-19 crisis, setting the stage for a festival to be enjoyed anywhere. This year's BIPAF aims to transform all programs into a face-to-face form where artists and citizens can breathe and interact together.
3) Contributions to the Development of Local Theatres
BIPAF has been striving to develop audiences to make it easier for Busan citizens to access the theater for co-prosperity with the Busan theater industry. This year's BIPAF aims to create a venue for many artists and citizens to participate in the development of performing arts and theater in Busan at various venues in Busan, including the Busan Cinema Center, Busan Citizen’s hall, Haeundae Cultural Center, Kyungsung University Concert hall, and local private theater.
4) Contributions to the Expansion of Cultural Exchanges at the Private Level
BIPAF has been hosting festivals for the past 19 years, and has contributed to the expansion of private exchanges by establishing networks with various organizations in Korea and other countries. Based on the result of forming a nationwide network through an official agreement with the Korea Theatre Association and signing an official agreement with Avignon Off Festival, a world-renowned performing arts festival, we hope to contribute to the expansion of cultural exchanges in Busan.
Overview
Event Title The 20th Busan International Performing Arts Festival, 2023 ‘Imagination20th’ (World EXPO 2030, BUSAN, KOREA, Wish to host)
Dates 2th Jun (Fri) ~ 18th Jun (Sun) 2023 <17 days>
Venues Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre, Haeundae Cultural Center Haeun hall, Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater, Kyungsung University Concert Hall, Haneulbaram Theatre, Space Theatre, Yongcheonjiral Theatre, Gwangalli Meeting Plaza, Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Plaza, Millac The Market
Participation 41 works in 11 countries
Participating
Countries
UK, Colombia, Spain, Austrailia, Italia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Island, Brazil, Hong kong <11 Countries>
Performance
Program
○ Invitational Performance
2nd Jun (Fri) ~ 18th Jun (Sun) <17 days>
Indoor Performance (Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre, Haeundae Cultural Center Haeun Hall, Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater, Kyungsung University Concert Hall)
Outdoor Performance (Gwangalli Meeting Square, Millak the Market)

- Opening & Closing Invitational Performance <Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre>
9th Jun (Fri) ~ 10th Jun (Sat)
[Opening Performance] A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Korea, Sadari Movement Laboratory)
16th Jun (Fri) ~ 18th Jun (Sun)
[Closing Performance] MAESTRISSIMO (Spain, Yllana Production)

- Invitational Performance (Opening Ceremony Performance) <Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater>
2nd Jun (Fri) ~ 4th Jun (Sun)
1945 (South Korea, Busan Theatre Production Center Dongnuk)

- Invited Outstanding Overseas Performance <Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre>
13th Jun (Tue) ~ 14th Jun (Wed)
Rooman (Australia, UK, Italy, Fleur Elise Noble)

- Invited Outstanding Overseas Performance <Haeundae Cultural Center Haeun Hall>
12th Jun (Mon) ~ 13th Jun (Tue)
Manu or The Illusion of Time (Colombia, Casa del Silencio)

- Invited Outstanding Overseas Performance <Kyungsung University Concert Hall>
16th Jun (Fri) ~ 17th Jun (Sat)
The Nature of Forgetting (UK, Iceland, Brazil, Theatre Re)

- Invited Outstanding Domestic Performance (Street Theater / Opening and Closing Ceremony Performance / Outdoor Stage)
Previous year's award-winning team of Dynamic Street Fringe (Clown Box_ BBAKS!!!)
Domestic Outstanding Performance Artists (L’Illusion, V-Brass)

○ Opening & Closing Ceremony
- Opening Ceremony <9th Jun (Fri) 19:00, Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre>
- Closing Ceremony <18th Jun (Sun) 17:00, Busan Cinema Center Haneulyeon Theatre>

○ Notable Performance (Small Theater Competition Program)
10th Jun (Sat) ~ 17th Jun (Sat) <Space Theatre, Haneulbaram Theatre, Yongcheonjiral Theatre>

- 5 teams of domestic and overseas | 2 performances per team for 2 days
Drilling (Korea, Theatre mjb)
Othello (Japan, Taiwan, Korea, M.M.S.T)
The Hole (Korea, GokdooHwan_Young)
Übermensch2 (Korea, Theatrical community GODOT)
Transform (Korea, Theater kkamang)
Participating
Program
○ 10 Minute Open Plays (Citizen Participation Program)
10th Jun (Sat) ~ 11th Jun (Sun) <Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Square>
- 10 Minute Open Play is a citizen participation program for anyone who loves performing arts, where creativity and passion overflows. Using the limited time of 10 minutes to the fullest, you can freely show your hidden creativity and talent by telling realistic stories through various forms such as plays, skits, miming, performances, dance, musicals, magic, and non-verbal performances. The 10 Minute Open Play program is divided into two categories: <General participation> and <College of Major participation>.

○ Dynamic Street Fringe
3rd Jun (Sat) ~ 4th Jun (Sun) <Gwangalli Meeting Square, Millak the Market>
10th Jun (Sat) ~ 11th Jun (Sun) <Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Plaza>
- As a major program of BIPAF under the slogan "Meet Again, Enjoy Together," this is a program that anyone visiting Busan can enjoy. We aim to break away from the fixed idea that "Theater performances only take place on stage or in theaters" and approach it as a more familiar genre of art for citizens who may find theater unfamiliar. Through this program, we hope to share the joy of the festival with citizens by bringing together the best street performance teams in Korea to perform in Gwangalli Meeting Square and Millak the Market through auditions.

○ ARTIST TALK
<1945> - 3rd Jun (Sat)
<A Midsummer Night’s Dream> - 10th Jun (Sat)
<MANU> - 12th Jun (Mon)
<Rooman> - 13th Jun (Tue)
<The Nature of Forgetting> - 16th Jun (Fri)
<MAESTRISSIMO> – 17th Jun (Sat)

- A meaningful communication time where you can understand the performance more broadly through Q&A session and conversation after the show! Artist Talk is a time for performers and audiences, where you can directly see the audience's perspectives and opinions on performing arts, and have deep conversations between performers and audiences.
Additional
Program
○ BIPAF 20th Anniversary Symposium
7th Jun (Wed) <Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater>
Topic: Current Status and Future of BIPAF
Presentation and Comprehensive Discussion

○ BIPAF 'Master Class'
8th Jun (Thu) <Busan Citizen's Hall Small Theater>
100th Anniversary of Marcel Marceau's Birth Commemoration Workshop
Juan Carlos Agudelo (Former member of the Marceau Company, Artistic Director of Casa del Silencio)

○ BIPAF’s 20th Anniversary commemorative photographs
Host Busan Metropolitan City
Supervision Busan International Performing Arts Festival Organizing Committee, Busan Cinema Center
Sponsor Korea Exchange, Busan Bank, KYOBO Life, Ko In-beom Flower Delivery
Sponsorship
Host
BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY
Supervision
BIPAF
Busan Cinema Center
Sponsor
Korea Exchange
Busan Bank
KYOBO Life
Ko In-beom Flower Delivery