Minya Theatre Festival to Showcase 39 Performances Throughout December

The third edition of the Minya International Theatre Festival will take place from December 6th to 13th, bringing 39 performances and events to the governorate.

The festival was announced during a press conference at the Supreme Council of Culture in the Cairo Opera House, where organisers highlighted Minya’s designation as Egypt’s 2025 Capital of Culture. Approximately 200 artists are set to participate in this year’s programme, including 42 performers from nine Arab and foreign countries alongside 158 Egyptian artists. Theatre troupes from Minya, Cairo, Giza and Alexandria will take the stage throughout the week.

The festival will open with a gala ceremony and conclude with a closing night event, with an arts parade planned along the Nile corniche featuring costume designs inspired by historical figures.

According to festival founder and artistic director Kiro Saber, the event’s main venue was originally a waste-dump site that has since been transformed into a cultural space, reflecting the long-term ambition to expand theatre’s presence in the region. This edition marks the first time the festival has been built entirely by young talents. Organisers expect at least 5,000 spectators from Minya’s nine districts.

The festival is held under the auspices of the governor of Minya, Emad Kadwani, the Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fouad Henu, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, with support from the European Union and the European Union National Institutes for Culture.