Rooftop Theatre Group

Rooftop Theatre Group engages diverse topics and activities through the medium of performative art, by working in an inclusive and collaborative environment, aiming to create dialogue and address cultural boundaries. These boundaries do not only apply to Cyprus, but are part of common cultural themes and global issues that face humanity in our world today.

Formed in 2003, following the opening of the checkpoints in Nicosia, Cyprus, Rooftop Theatre Group engaged artists and active citizens from communities across the island of Cyprus. Since its creation, Rooftop Theatre Group has aimed to help bridge the gap and heal the conflict between communities by presenting theatrical performances with a socio-political context that aim to break down gender, cultural, and social stereotypes through self-reflection and dialogue. In doing so, Rooftop works with participants from diverse communities living on the island including: Cypriots from the different ethnic identities, migrants, and temporary and permanent residents of both urban and rural areas.
In order to face the challenges of a changing culture and society on the island, and globally, the core values of Rooftop’s work are to use dialogue, theatrical performance, and the exploration of personal and cultural identity. This has also included exploring the insights, skills, and possibilities needed to live in a multicultural society. The evolution of Rooftop Theatre Group has brought the group to, not only an island wide presence in Cyprus but also, European and international platforms. The group has participated and led projects funded by/in collaboration with, the United Nations (UN), European Economic Area (EEA) Grants, Stelios Foundation, the Home for Cooperation, the EU (Erasmus + and External Action) and others, and since 2017, it is the co-head of Network of the Cyprus Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation.

Contributor: Ellada Evangelou, Rooftop Theatre