Alexander Weinstein: A major cultural event can really transform a country's brand

Alexander Weinstein is the man behind the 1st Cyprus International Theatre Festival that took place last May, which was made all the more memorable with the arrival of Hollywood actor John Malkovich who starred in the play The Infamous Ramirez Hoffman. Weinstein also organised a very interesting Open Talk with the star, who shared his love for all things theatre.

And this is just the beginning for Weinstein, who has some big plans to turn Cyprus into a theatre destination. Originally from St Petersburg, his focus has always been on international cooperation. Being involved in threatre for the past 15 years, he has been travelling the world, living in Russia, Finland, USA and Israel; “and now life brought me to Cyprus”.

CBN sat down with him for an interview.

You are spearheading an effort to turn Cyprus into an arts centre, with a focus on theatre. Can you please elaborate?

Very often, art in general and theatre in particular are perceived as something of little interest. Theatre is hardly an investment. End of story... At the same time, there are several advantages that the creation of a cultural event can bring to people, companies and the country.

First of all, Theatre helps people to become more sensitive and attentive to their environment and society by posing the deepest existential questions. We often see on stage what we have always thought about, but could not formulate. This year, 7,000 people came to our first festival, so many conversations, opinions and discoveries took place. That's what people come to the theatre for, and that's what will change the environment to my mind.

For business, in a highly competitive world, what matters is the value you add to society with your goods or services. This is how a brand gains the loyalty of its audience. For example, our general sponsor this year, the Marfields Group, which built the Ritz Carlton in Limassol, exceeded expectations by supporting a major cultural event, surprising their audience and attracting new clients from a culturally engaged and interesting public.

The third is that a major cultural event can really transform a country's brand. Bilbao, Avignon, Ruhr, Salzburg, Sydney, these cities are associated with culture that has become a symbol of the city. We are developing Cyprus' cultural brand, benefiting the entire hospitality industry: hotels, restaurants, car rentals, not to mention companies providing stage equipment and the specialists who assisted us locally.

What is your opinion of Cyprus' arts scene right now? Do you think it has the potential to become a leading centre of the arts? How do you think it can improve?

I believe that Cyprus has a well-developed art scene, the exhibition of contemporary art by the Psi Foundation leaves no doubt that Cypriot artists are a very vibrant phenomenon. At the same time there are really good actors and good directors with whom I have been able to enter into dialogue, so I believe that it is a matter of coming together for bold initiatives.

What concerns me is that there is no Arts academy in Cyprus, there is no opera, there is no annual platform where once a year all the producers would come to check out new local shows. This gives a room to grow, but the most important thing is that there are those who want to grow. As my colleague said, there is a stump and there is a small tree, which is more likely to grow?

Can you tell us something about yourself? How did you get involved in art and theatre? When did you come to Cyprus and what brought you here?

I have been involved in theatre for the last 15 years, and in the last two years we have also started making films. Here are the places where I have spent more than 2 years of my life: Russia-Finland-USA-Israel and now life brought me to Cyprus.

I was born in St. Petersburg which is a cultural capital of Russia. Even homeless people there speak French. Therefore, as a native of St. Petersburg, it was natural for me to get involved in culture. My focus has always been on international cooperation though. I am driven by the idea that culture knows no borders and is the soft force that helps melt any tension. I have created several successful projects: the largest private theatre academy, as well as a contemporary theatre venue.

Since 2014 I have been actively working in Europe, for three years I was a member of the Advisory Board of IETM (International Theatre Managers Network), I was involved in a large scale European project "Meeting the Odyssey", where we staged more than 30 shows around Europe. I had the experience of teaching in American universities for one year under the Fulbright Scholarship Program. Now I’ve moved to Cyprus. It's important for me to create a perspective project where I can feel at home. To surround myself with things that are close to my heart: great artists and like-minded people.

Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share with us?

We just finished the festival and I haven't had a chance to breathe out yet. Actually, the success of the first festival showed that this kind of event has a place on the island. But a big international festival is a big task. The fact that we managed to prepare such a program in three months is more of a miracle and an exception, ideally the cycle of such a festival is 2 years in advance. It is incredible that this year we managed to find sponsors and, most importantly, spectators who bought about 6,000 tickets. So the next festival can be even more attractive if I manage to find strategic partners.

You recently organised a very successful Open Talk with Hollywood legend John Malkovich. Are you planning to bring more big names to Cyprus?

Yes, from the producer's point of view it was wise to put together such a lively program this year, for the audience it was very difficult to skip, even if they rarely go to the theatre. At the same time, I want to build a trust where the audience believes that every show in the festival can be open-minder for them. The trust that the festival is something that showcases only the best. The impact on you as a spectator of a performance by Malkovich or an unknown actor can be the same. I really want the audience to understand this and come for the goosebumps. I believe in the goosebump economy!

(Photos: Demetris Loutsios and Erik Marcus Schuetz)