NEATA

15/07/2026

A New Chapter for NEATA

Last week, during the NEATA Festival in Rakvere, Estonia, NEATA marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another as Sofia Wegelius stepped down as President of the organisation.

For many years, Sofia has been an active part of the NEATA community, serving in different roles and helping to strengthen the connections that make the network so special. Throughout her time as President, she has worked alongside colleagues from across the Nordic and Baltic countries to support amateur theatre and foster international collaboration.

Reflecting on her time in NEATA, Sofia said:

"NEATA was where my international story began. Through this network, I have met incredible people, gained valuable experiences and made friendships that I will carry with me for the rest of my life."

She also highlighted what has always been at the heart of the organisation:

"More than anything, NEATA is about people. Somewhere along the way, colleagues became friends, and friends became family. NEATA may be a network, but to me it has always been a family—built on creativity, trust, friendship, generosity and just the perfect amount of craziness."

It was fitting that this transition took place during a NEATA Festival, where participants from across the region came together to share performances, ideas, laughter and unforgettable moments. Festivals like these continue to demonstrate the strength of the NEATA community and the friendships that connect us across borders.

At the General Assembly, Hörður Sigurðarson was elected as the new President of NEATA. Sofia will continue her international work as President of the International Amateur Theatre Association , ensuring that the close ties between NEATA and the wider international amateur theatre community continue into the future.

11/07/2026

The NEATA Festival is in full swing in beautiful Rakvere, Estonia!

This week, amateur theatre brings people together across borders as performing groups from Norway, Estonia, Iceland, Denmark, Latvia, Finland and Lithuania share their creativity, stories and passion on stage. We are also delighted to welcome participants from Sweden and the Faroe Islands, making this a truly Nordic-Baltic celebration of theatre and friendship.

The NEATA Festival is about so much more than performances. It is a place where people meet across cultures, exchange ideas, discover new ways of making theatre and build friendships that continue long after the curtain falls. Throughout the week, participants take part in discussions, workshops and informal gatherings, creating opportunities to learn from one another and celebrate the diversity of amateur theatre across the Nordic and Baltic region.

As part of the festival, the Neata Youth have also gathered to collaborate, share experiences and organise inspiring workshops for fellow participants. Their creativity, energy and commitment are an important part of the festival and a reminder that the future of amateur theatre is in good hands.

We are deeply grateful to the Estonian Amateur Theatre Association Eesti Harrastusteatrite Liit and the City of Rakvere for their warm hospitality and for creating such a welcoming and inspiring festival. Thank you for bringing us together and for making it possible to celebrate the power of amateur theatre to connect people across borders.

Here's to many more unforgettable performances, inspiring conversations and lasting friendships!

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
LATVIA

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
SUNDAY, July 12
16.30 “Estonian funeral” Andrus Kivirähk
director Inta Ubele
Jekapils Amateur Theater (Latvia)
Andruss Kivirähk’s play “Estonian Funeral” is a tragicomedy full of humor and absurdity, highlighting the paradoxes of Estonian culture and traditions. Yet the events that take place in the play strongly resonate with us as well.
The story unfolds in a small Estonian village. An elderly grandfather has passed away in the countryside.
Every possible relative is invited to the funeral, although the organizers do not even know some of the guests. It soon becomes clear that each person has their own story about values, the meaning of life, and the differing perspectives of generations on what is happening.
“Estonian Funeral” is both entertaining and deeply touching on a human level, reminding us of the healing power of humor even in life’s most serious moments.
Jēkabpils Amateur Theatre holds an important place in both the cultural life of the city and of Latvia as a whole. Its repertoire includes Latvian and foreign drama, as well as performances of various forms and genres. The theatre is a frequent guest in towns and rural areas throughout Latvia.
The company consists of 20 actors ranging in age from 15 to 70. Since 1990, the theatre’s director has been Inta Ūbele.
The theatre has participated in international festivals in Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, and England, as well as in Latvian festivals. Jēkabpils Theatre also organizes its own amateur theatre festival, “LAIPA” which brings together theatre groups from Latvia and abroad.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
FINLAND

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
SUNDAY, July 12
13.15 “The Illusion of Life” Jorma Tapola
director Jorma Tapola
Teatteri Kultsa (Finland)
Kultsa’s experimental performance, The Illusion of Life, is a wordless piece that touches the senses and the mind. An illusion is created on stage through an atmosphere built with light and sound. The performers carry the illusion of life forward without words.
Where did life begin, and how do you know you are alive? Is everything, after all, only an illusion? On stage, an illusion emerges of birth, the stages of life, and death. Human beings may have the illusion of free will, yet it often feels as though life is being carried forward by somebody else. Perhaps people have a soul that we carry as light throughout our lives. The performance does not provide answers, but hopefully you will enjoy it, and life will feel a little more pleasurable—at least for the duration of the performance.
Life begins…
Teatteri Kultsa is a vibrant small theatre located in Kallio, Helsinki — the city’s creative hub where artists and urban living meet. Our home is a unique, fully renovated civil defense shelter that has been transformed into an intimate and atmospheric performance venue.
Run entirely by nearly 80 passionate members and no paid staff, Teatteri Kultsa brings 4–6 new premieres to the stage each year. Our programme also features concerts, club nights, and special events that keep the theatre buzzing throughout the season.
Our repertoire is known for its bold variety: rare gems outside the mainstream, beloved classics, and original works written by Kultsa’s own members. We value artistic curiosity, community, and the joy of creating theatre together.
Founded at the Cultural Centre (Kulttuuritalo) in 1959, Teatteri Kultsa continues its long tradition as a dynamic, independent theatre community in the heart of Helsinki.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
DENMARK

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
SATURDAY, July 11
18.00 “Om Thor” Martin Rasmussen
director Martin Rasmussen
Anden og Mågen (Denmark)
“Om Thor” is based on 2 different stories about the god of thunder from Norse mythology. Experience a vivid tale from the world of the ancient Vikings – where even the gods must fight to win over chaos! Join us for a thrilling encounter between the god of thunder Thor and the world's largest sea monster, the Midgard Serpent. The audience is with you every step of the way as Thor sets out to catch the dreaded sea monster! Get ready to shout, laugh and help out when the hammer Mjølner is swung and the waves rise. An epic fish story is unfolding right in front of you!
Returning from the fishing trip, Mjølner is stolen by the giants. Loki travels to find the hammer and returns with a dreadful message.
The giant king Trym wants a big price to return it back to the gods. Here follows the story of Thor's bridal journey, where he must get his stolen hammer back. The giants swarm everywhere – some small and mischievous, others big, ugly or cunning – and in the midst of all the commotion, the enormous serpent that coils around the world awaits. The performance is a combination of theatre, music and storytelling.
Anden og Mågen is a small underground theater based in Copenhagen.
The group has existed since 2014 and was created in order to participate in a larger theaterfestival in the same year. The group's purpose is to bring theater to ordinary people, both in terms of where theater is played, but also in terms of content.
We like to focus on specific and somewhat niche elements that we believe we can transform to have wide appeal. The group's focus is storytelling / puppets / soundscape theater and we work improvisationally and playfully.
Anden og Mågen’s productions often work and spread across at least 3-4 planes that cross each other in peculiar and often surprising ways in terms of content and presentation.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
ICELAND

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
SATURDAY, July 11
14.30 “Fjöllin vakna” Birgitta Björk - with the actors of the play
director María Björt Ármannsdóttir
Hugleikur (Iceland)
It is a mash-up of six different Icelandic folktales. Involving talking cows, trolls, farmers, ghosts and seal-folk.
There are stone people of sorts, who wake up from their slumber, and begin telling us those stories. The show also contains a few musical numbers, written and composed by the band in the play, Kári&Korriró.
The actors, with the help of the director and the playwright, put their own spin on the tales that nearly everyone in Iceland knows.
The Hugleikur Theatre Company was founded in 1984 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in the spring of 2024. Hugleikur is the longest-running and most active amateur theatre group in Reykjavík, and over four decades the group has staged nearly 50 full-length plays, as well as around 200 shorter works.

In a typical season, Hugleikur stages 1-2 full-length plays. Several short play programmes featuring works by the society's own authors are also usually performed. Hugleikur also holds courses for its members and other interested parties, with instructors from a variety of backgrounds and courses lasting anywhere from a single evening to several weeks.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
NORWAY

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
SATURDAY, July 11
11:00 “The Book of Dreams” (Ragnhild Arntsen)
director Ragnhild Arntsen
Sjiraffen Culture and Competence Center (Norway)
Where do we travel when we sleep? Who do we meet in our dreams? How can one escape a dangerous animal if it's in pursuit – through layer upon layer of dream dust?
Sjiraffen Productions presents the interactive performance The Book of Dreams for children aged 3–8. The Book of Dreams akes the audience on a journey through Martins dream world. The children can sit on the floor while the three actors perform around and with them. It can also be arranged as a traditional frontal performance.The performance includes music, dance, and stories tied to the pages of our large picture book. The storyteller invites the children to help choose which page to open, and each page reveals a story that is brought to life through performance.
Sjiraffen Productions includes performers both with and without disabilities, and aligns with goals of representation and diversity. The performance can also be adapted for student groups of all ages with functional variations. One of our professional actors performs alongside two young adult actors with cognitive disabilities. These actors have many years of training and experience in theatre through the Sjiraffen Centre for Culture and Competence.
The performance facilitates meaningful encounters between children and performers with cognitive disabilities. Experiencing that people with disabilities can be artists and cultural contributors on equal footing with others is essential for building an open and inclusive society. For children with disabilities, it is especially important to see role models and possibilities for themselves. Sjiraffen Produksjoner actively works to promote greater neurodiversity and inclusion in society, giving a voice to those who are often underrepresented through artistic expression.

Sjiraffen Produksjoner is a theatre company based at Sjiraffen Culture and Competence Centre in Trondheim, Norway. The ensemble consists of actors Alexander Myrvang, Didrik Austmo Pedersen, and G**o Vesterhus; stage worker and dramaturg Hedda Fossland; and director and technical manager Ragnhild Arntsen. The performance features original music by Erlend Moe and Mona Krogstad, with scenography by Leo Thörn.
First developed in 2022, the production was created through a collaborative process in which the actors played an active role in shaping the story and characters. The ensemble includes two actors with intellectual disabilities and one professionally trained actor, reflecting Sjiraffen’s commitment to inclusive and artistically ambitious theatre.
The production has toured for young audiences in Norway, Finland, and Germany, bringing imaginative storytelling and inclusive performing arts to children across borders.
Where do we travel when we sleep? Who do we meet in our dreams? How can we escape a dangerous creature when we are running through layers of dream dust?
Set in Martin’s dream world, the performance invites audiences on a magical journey through the Book of Dreams, where imagination, adventure, and unexpected encounters await.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
LITHUANIA

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
FRIDAY, July 10
16.30 “Lighthouse of Darkness” (Alma Eigerdienė)
director Šarūnas Kunickas
Utena Chamber Theater (Lithuania)
This is the story of an outstanding figure of interwar Lithuania – Pranas Daunys. The performance reveals the sensitive and deeply emotional life story of a volunteer soldier, a disabled veteran, and a fighter of the human spirit. It evokes the foreboding of exile, Soviet oppression, the struggles for independence, and the everyday lives of people in interwar Lithuania — the price of their choices, their joys, and their downfalls.
Having volunteered to defend Lithuania’s freedom, Pranas loses his sight in war, yet he does not lose his inner light. Blindness becomes not only a physical disability, but also a symbolic state — a contrast to the spiritual darkness closing in around him. This is a story of inner resurrection: Pranas, who becomes an advocate for the rights of the blind, a musician, and an educator, bears witness to the fact that even after losing everything, one can preserve dignity, creativity, and responsibility for others.
The relationship between Saliamutė and Pranas portrayed in the performance is imbued with unfulfilled love, the irony of fate, silent inspiration, and quietly carried sacrifice. Their encounters become a confrontation between what might have been and what ultimately remained.
The play is written in dialect, which not only creates an authentic rural world, but also becomes a form of memory, identity, and resistance.
Pranas’ final monologue resembles a spiritual vision — uniting the living and the dead, the past and the present, darkness and light.
This is a play about a human being and a nation searching, in the twilight, for their voice, their song, and their hope.
This performance, resonating through the strings of the folk musical instrument, is an echo of the LIGHTHOUSE OF DARKNESS and of our ancestors within each of our hearts.
Utena Chamber Theater is an independent theater founded in 2019. The theater produces performances of various genres for audiences of all ages. We have built 15 performances during our lifetime. The core of the troupe consists of 19 people of different ages and professions. We actively participate in the theatrical life of Lithuania. We are the winners of many festivals and competitions. We are not limited to creating performances. We also develop other cultural activities and actively participate in the social life of the community. There is a theater school next to the theater, which is attended by people of all ages, from children to seniors. The theater is one of the organizers of the international theater festival “Theater cluster”.

04/07/2026

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
ESTONIA

NEATA FESTIVAL 2026!
FRIDAY, July 10
13.00 "It's antiquity today" (Joonas Vatter)
director Joonas Vatter
KaRakTer Theater, Estonia
Ancient Greek mythology. A bottomless treasure trove of stories teeming with various gods, heroes, and monsters. Stories dating back thousands of years, brimming with intrigue, romance, debauchery, and an endless amount of blood and tragedy. These stories form the cornerstones of Western culture and continue to influence our language and way of thinking to this day. But how much do we actually know and remember about these stories? Do we know who the Titans were, or why Heracles became a world-famous hero, or what exactly the deal was with Oedipus?
“It's antiquity today” offers the audience a brief glimpse into Greek mythology, highlighting recurring themes and motifs across various stories. In a short time, the actors bring grand epic plots to life on stage. They do so playfully and with ease, highlighting moments, characters, events, and emotions. Greek myths unfold before the audience’s eyes in a variety of hues, just as in real life—at times tragic, at others grotesque and comical. The central question remains: how do these ancient stories speak to us today, and how do they help us make sense of the present era and its people?
This production is for anyone who wishes to return to the roots of Western culture, rediscover or become acquainted with ancient Greek mythology, enjoy playful theater, and find food for thought in the process.
Tiit Alte: “The KaRakTer theater first came together on March 2, 2013. I agreed to lead this theatre because, at the same time, an amateur theatre had formed in the theater town of Viljandi, which turned out to be a very dynamic group — and that was encouraging. Now I can confidently say that things turned out the same way in Rakvere. A wonderful theatre has formed; the people are diverse and of different ages, but they are united by their love of theater and their desire to perform. Our first performance was Aapeli’s "Blessed Madness", which symbolically captured the essence of our groupe’s journey. Just like the Rummukaiste brothers, we set out on our path without knowing what lay ahead. We’re sure to meet many people, and we’re sure to grow and mature, just like Elmer, the youngest of the brothers. May the KaRakTer theatre catch the wind in its sails and may many interesting theatrical projects follow—everyone has their own quirks, and that provides endless material for theater."