| ISPA 2025 Lugano Congress - Schedule of Events |
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All information is subject to change. Last updated on June 3, 2025. Scroll below to explore LUG25 ISPA Congress programming! Lugano
Scheduled Events Times in Central European Time
(all times and program subject to change) Anthony Field Academy (AFA) Day 1 & Pre-Congress10:00am - 3:30pm
Registration/ Check-in 11:00am - 5:00pm
Anthony Field Academy 9:30am - 5:00pm
ISPA Committee Meetings (by invitation only) 9:45 - 10:45 | Finance/ Audit Committee 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Academy and Committee Lunch (by invitation only) 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Anthony Field Academy Reception (by invitation only) Lugano
Scheduled Events Times in Central European Time
(all times and program subject to change) Anthony Field Academy (AFA) Day 2 & Congress Day 19:00am - 6:00pm
Registration/ Check-in 9:00am - 2:00pm
Coffee service 9:00am - 11:00am
ISPA Board Meeting (by invitation only) 9:00am - 12:00pm
Anthony Field Academy 12:00pm - 1:30pm
New Members Lunch (by invitation only) 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Opening Ceremony/Session and Welcome 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Session 1 | Culture and Wellbeing: Arts and Healing CommunitiesIn collaboration with Fondazione IBSA, this session will explore how the performing arts contribute to individual and collective wellbeing. Together, we will discover innovative projects that bring together artists and health professionals to enhance healing and community. Speakers and Moderator*
Roberto Casarotto
Nils Fietje
Enzo Grossi
Stephanie Jenke
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Session 2 | Arts and Political ChangeAlicia Adams has been the Vice President of International Programming and Dance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the past two decades. Join Alicia in conversation with ISPA Board Chair, Alfonso Leal del Ojo (Chief Executive, The English Concert) in a candid conversation about the realities and challenges of working internationally today. Speakers6:30pm - 7:45pm
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (OSI), the resident orchestra of LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, is delighted to perform for the ISPA 2025 Lugano Congress. With a rich history and a dynamic presence on the international music scene, OSI is renowned for its vibrant sound and artistic excellence. For this special concert, chief conductor Markus Poschner leads a program that bridges the energy of American musical theater with the depth of the symphonic tradition. Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story Dances bursts with rhythmic vitality and emotional intensity, blending jazz, Latin influences, and symphonic brilliance. In contrast, Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 offers a luminous, expansive journey through one of the most lyrical works of the Romantic repertoire. This evening promises a compelling musical experience, celebrating OSI’s expressive power and versatility in the inspiring setting of LAC. 7:45pm - 10:00pm
Opening Reception 10:00pm - late
Cocktail Klatch "Cocktail Klatch” is an opportunity for delegates to gather at one late-night spot, where we can continue the day’s burning discussions in a relaxed, informal setting. Food and drink are available for purchase. Lugano
Scheduled Events Times in Central European Time
(all times and program subject to change) Congress Day 29:00am - 4:00pm
Registration/Check-in 9:00am - 10:30am
Coffee service 9:00am - 10:00am
City Tour - Discover Lugano Tickets to this event are free with your Congress registration but require advanced sign-up. Click here to RSVP for your ticket. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through Lugano’s historic city center, uncovering fascinating anecdotes and hidden corners that offer a glimpse of the city through the eyes of the locals. Take your time to photograph historic buildings and lush parks, explore Lugano’s rich cultural offerings, and engage in conversations with the locals. 10:15am - 10:25am
House Keeping Session 10:30am - 12:00pm
Breakout Sessions: In ConversationThree opportunities to engage with your colleagues about a diverse range of subjects in a more intimate, conversational format. Breakout sessions require advance sign-up for delegates who wish to participate. Click here to sign up now. In Conversation with Cathy Levy, CMLAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Sala 3 Cathy Levy, CM has been producing and curating international dance throughout her esteemed career. She has garnered a reputation for presenting new and challenging work, as well as artists and projects that have tackled challenging and often controversial subjects. In this reflection, Cathy will discuss integrity in programming from curatorial and producing perspectives.
Speaker
Cathy Levy, CM In Conversation with Dorcy RugambaLAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Sala 1 Dorcy Rugamba, author, actor, and director, founded the Rwanda Arts Initiative and the pan-African Kigali Triennial, a festival dedicated to the convergence of the arts and other knowledge. Join Dorcy as he explores themes of cultural identity and reslience in the arts through his personal journey.
Speaker
Dorcy Rugamba In Conversation with Natália Oszkó-JakabLAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Sala 4 Arts and cultural organizations can play a leading role towards affecting change and creating awareness. In this discussion, we will explore how the cultural sector can make efforts to be and act more sustainably. The interactive dialogue with be led by Natália Oszkó-Jakab (Valley of Arts Festival, Hungary).
Speaker
Natália Oszkó-Jakab 12:00pm - 1:45pm
lunch 1:45pm - 3:00pm
Session 3 | Arts in Conflict: Resistance and HopeThis session will focus on how the performing arts can play a role in regions of conflict, offering a vehicle for action and change. It will feature insights into the roles of artists as well as displaced communities. Speakers and Moderator*
Amany Abouzeid
Kateryna Botanova
Mikko Fritze*
Jonathan Harper
Julia Lagahuzère
3:00pm - 3:35pm
Refreshment break 4:00pm - 5:10pm
LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura is honored to present a special vocal recital featuring tenor Leonardo Sánchez and soprano Yolisa Ngwexana, accompanied by the esteemed pianist Kamal Khan, a founding member of Opera for Peace. This evening’s program will showcase a selection of celebrated arias from the operatic repertoire, offering a journey through timeless masterpieces that continue to captivate audiences worldwide. Both Sánchez and Ngwexana are distinguished artists of Opera for Peace, a global initiative dedicated to fostering young operatic talent and promoting collaboration, cultural exchange, and social responsibility through music. Opera for Peace provides emerging artists with exceptional opportunities for artistic and professional growth, engaging them in mentorship programs with internationally renowned opera figures while supporting projects that use opera as a force for unity and positive change. By bringing together talents from diverse backgrounds, the initiative seeks to shape the future of opera as an inclusive and dynamic art form. 9:00pm - midnight
ISPA NightGet ready to connect, celebrate, and dance the night away at ISPA Night—a vibrant evening where music, culture, and community come together! As part of the LUG25 Congress, this special event invites you to immerse yourself in an atmosphere of fun, creativity, and unforgettable moments. PerformersLugano
Scheduled Events Times in Central European Time
(all times and program subject to change) Congress Day 39:00am - 4:00pm
Registration/Check-in 9:00am - 10:00am
Coffee service 10:00am - 12:00pm
Pitch New WorksSala Teatro, LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura Click to view the handout and learn more about the Pitch Projects! Host
Anthony Sargent CBE
12:00pm - 2:00pm
ProEx/Lunch 2:00pm - 2:15pm
ISPA Award Presentation (Part 1)Awardee
Michael Haefliger
2:15pm - 3:30pm
Session 4 | Upholding Artistic Integrity in a Polarized WorldCurators and producers will discuss how they operate in an increasingly polarized political landscape, focusing on the balance between social engagement and artistic integrity. Speakers and Moderator*
Wray Armstrong
Linda Brumbach
Jurriaan Cooiman
Piersandra Di Matteo*
Cindy Van Acker
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Refreshment break 4:00pm - 5:00pm
ISPA Awards Presentation (Part 2)Awardees5:15pm - 6:00pm
City Tour - Discover Lugano Tickets to this event are free with your Congress registration but require advanced sign-up. Click here to RSVP for your ticket. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through Lugano’s historic city center, uncovering fascinating anecdotes and hidden corners that offer a glimpse of the city through the eyes of the locals. Take your time to photograph historic buildings and lush parks, explore Lugano’s rich cultural offerings, and engage in conversations with the locals. 8:30pm - 10:00pm
Performance Titizè - A Venetian DreamSala Teatro, LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura Tickets to this event are free with your Congress registration but require advanced sign-up. Click here to RSVP for your ticket. Faithful to the language of dreams—evoking fleeting images, allusions, and mirages—the new production by Compagnia Finzi Pasca transports the audience into a rarefied and surreal universe. Its narrative, seemingly fragmented yet deeply allusive, unfolds in a kaleidoscopic play that interweaves multiple layers of meaning, recalling a hyperbolic 'grammelot.' TITIZÉ – Compagnia Finzi Pasca 10:00pm - late
Cocktail Klatch "Cocktail Klatch” is an opportunity for delegates to gather at one late-night spot, where we can continue the day’s burning discussions in a relaxed, informal setting. Food and drink are available for purchase. Lugano
Scheduled Events Times in Central European Time
(all times and program subject to change) Congress Day 49:00am - 12:00pm
Registration/Check-in 9:00am - 10:00am
Coffee service 10:15am - 11:30am
Session 5 | Can the Arts Make a Difference Today?Art can raise awareness about important issues, create a sense of community, and give people a voice. In this final session we’ll explore current programs through which the arts create change and offer new perspectives. Speakers and Moderator*
Fizza Hasan*
Cathy Levy, CM
Boris Nikitin
Dorcy Rugamba
Łukasz Twarkowski
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Closing Reception 1:30pm - 5:00pm
Individual Networking 1:30pm - 4:30pm
The Wine Tradition of Ticino: A Journey Through Vineyards and Passion In the heart of Italian-speaking Switzerland, the Canton of Ticino preserves a captivating winemaking tradition, shaped by sun-kissed hillsides, passionate vintners, and authentic flavors. Thanks to its mild climate—gently influenced by nearby lakes and the Alps—Ticino offers ideal conditions for growing grapes, especially the renowned Merlot, which has become the region’s signature wine. Visiting Ticino means immersing yourself in breathtaking landscapes dotted with neatly tended vineyards, historic wine cellars, medieval castles, and modern wine resorts designed by world-famous architects. Each wine-growing region tells its own story, blending centuries-old rural traditions with innovative winemaking techniques. Tickets to this event are currentky sold out. Click the link if you wish to join the waitlist. 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Lake Lugano Cruise Tickets to this event are free with your Congress registration but require advanced sign-up. Click here to RSVP for your ticket. Discover Lugano and its region from the lake. As you sail across Lake Lugano, you’ll have the chance to see villages nestled in the mountains, including Gandria, a picturesque fishing village perched between the lake and the mountains. 7:00pm
End of Congress Questions?Find your answerFAQContact Magda Mazurekmmazurek[at]ispa[dot]org |
