StrangerFestival

The international StrangerFestival was the centrepiece of the Stranger project of the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) that included video screenings, debates, masterclasses and workshops for young people. In the run-up to the festival there were national video competitions, as well as a  website that was used to upload videos. Waag developed the interactive website for the StrangerFestival. 

StrangerFestival was dedicated to the self-expression and self-empowerment of young people in today's Europe, helping them to show and share their world. By placing individual visions in a large trans-national context, Stranger aimed to encourage a sense of European belonging among young people of very different cultural backgrounds. The video work was showed for its intrinsic merits and as a starting-point for debate. At Stranger, the debate was led by young people themselves.

For the individuals who took part, Stranger formed a platform and a learning ground. Their creative skills and intercultural experience was valued as part of a large and crucial European debate. StrangerFestival showed new ways of working with young people, shared skills and experience, and led to new partnerships. In the first edition in 2008, more than 5,000 young people participated. In 2009, a second edition of the festival was held. It consisted of four days of workshops, masterclasses and screenings concluding with an award ceremony.