ABSTRACT
This commentary analyses the case of Teatro Valle, an abandoned theatre in Rome, which was occupied by a group of professionals from the theatre industry from 2011 to 2014. The action of occupation worked from and developed the concept of theatre as a commons and the role of the activist-practitioner. The experience of Teatro Valle blurs the lines between protesting and working, making art and being an activist, and puts into question the role of the arts in a society deeply affected by economic crisis.
