DIANA
SIBIU / member of the team / 2008
Why did you decide to work in the cultural sector?
At first, it wasn’t actually a conscious decision for a career, but rather an opportunity I was presented with, and I was really excited to take it, curious to see where it was going. So I guess the cultural sector chose me, so to speak. Now I am glad I took that opportunity, I couldn’t imagine my life going in another direction. Because the experience I had as part of the Outdoor team during FITS, mingling with the audience on the crowded streets, seeing the smiles of children, the amazement on the faces of all types of people, sharing with them all kinds of emotions - this is what actually convinced me to stay.
Is there a particular situation or event that you can remember that made you decide?
There were two moments that helped me arrive to this point here. The first event I remember vividly was in 2008, when I was just waiting for a friend who had applied as a volunteer for FITS (Sibiu International Theatre Festival). The volunteers’ coordinator at the time asked me to help for just one hour, one event. I agreed to that, but the next day she called me to sign the contract to be a volunteer during the whole festival, 9 more days. And I said yes, without planning or knowing that during the next years, I would eagerly expect the summer, when I could be a volunteer for the theatre festival. So those experiences grew my interest in taking part in something like this. Then, in 2014, it was the first year I was in charge of outdoor companies, as a volunteer. This made me want to work for the festival all year long, at the Radu Stanca National Theatre, and in 2015, after a show held in the Big Square during FITS, I was sure this is what I wanted to do in the future. It was the first really big outdoor performance I had seen in my life, and I feel grateful that from then on, I had numerous moments when I could turn my eyes up to the sky, to watch a big show.
And what is special about this kind of work for you?
I guess what makes it special, as cliché as it may sound, is the fact that these events can bring so much joy for others, for the audience, and if you are open enough, they can even change your perspective. And as an organizer, you are actually there to see it. I always wanted to help people, to make the world a better place. And since I didn’t want to become a doctor, I guess this is my way of making the world a better place, even if it’s for short moments of time.
Is there perhaps even something like a passion for it or moments in your work that are very special to you and that you would not want to miss?
It has certainly become a passion, it’s what gives me the energy to do this kind of work. Because sometimes it can be very tiring and if you’re not paying attention, it can become a way of living actually. It’s certainly not just a job. I know that for sure, because my sister, who is more practical, keeps reminding me that I shouldn’t plan everything by first thinking about my work.
I would certainly not want to miss the meetings we have after the performances with the artists, with the team, when everyone is more relaxed and in a short time, you can get to know a whole other world. Because what this work also does, is show you another world, that you couldn’t see if you were just a tourist.
