ABSTRACT
If one considers, with Jim McGuigan, that the current cultural public sphere is divided into ‘three broad stances: uncritical populism, radical subversion and critical intervention’ (McGuigan 2005), the most important cultural festivals may be identified with the third one: they presuppose a committed and vigilant audience and they allow a fair space for critical discussions, not only about cultural tastes, but also about political issues. Theatre and cinema are a better material than music for such a purpose, of course, but the critical stance is not directly linked to a specific cultural form. It has rather to do with the very format of the festival: unlike the ordinary consumption of cultural goods, festivals allow more time to gather and discuss before and after the show. They produce a fair number of ‘regulars’ or even ‘devotees’ who collectively build a critical space of their own.
