Future for the Past

"You must invoke the voices of remembrance"

Sites of Memory presents Future for the Past: A journey back in time to explore hidden stories from the colonial past. Artists from The Netherlands and South Africa reframe history through music, poetry, dance, visual art and theatre. This site specific performance will be presented between 1 and 11 July in Amsterdam, and between 2 and 10 October in Utrecht.

During this corona-safe interactive walking tour, live performance will intersect with 360 degrees video and audio segments. The audience follows the journey past historical locations in the city. With this performance, Sites of Memory shares insight into how the colonial past plays a role in our present and to reimagine the future. Future for the Past was developed in 2020 in Amsterdam. This year it will be extended to Utrecht, where the performance concept will be adapted based on research into colonial history by cultural historian Nancy Jouwe.

Future for the Past was developed by Sites of Memory founders Katy Streek and Jennifer Tosch. With artistic input by South Africa artists Jarrett Erasmus, Luke de Kock, Toni Giselle Stuart and Dutch artists Jörgen Gario, Jomecia Oosterwolde, Raul Balai, Alejita Silva, to develop a surprising and engaging performance experience which gives food for thought. The performance is mostly in English with parts in Dutch, Engels, Afrikaans and Papiamentu.

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Partners are Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, DOX, Kosmopolis, Mapping Slavery Project, Utrecht Municipality, Amsterdam Roots festival, Poetry Circle Nowhere, Black Heritage Tours, Jewish Cultural Quarter, Hortus Botanicus and the Maritime Museum. 

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