Jan Briers

As the President of the European Festivals Association, Jan Briers has a clear mission: to foster connections that bring communities together. As a representative of the International Flanders Festival (Brussels/Ghent), he orchestrated 350 events spanning 36 cities and towns. His dedication to Flanders’ music festival scene is further exemplified by his ongoing role as president of the region’s Federation of Music Festivals.

As vice-president of the European Festivals Association (2004–2011), he championed collaboration between festivals through co-production and co-promotion initiatives. He co-founded the Asian Association for Performing Arts Festivals (AAPAF), and was instrumental in organising the first joint conference between EFA and ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts) in 2007. He became president of the EFA in September 2017.

Jan has served as the Governor of the East-Flanders province (2013–2018) and is currently a member of the Belgian Federal Parliament. As a cultural ambassador and a visionary bridge-builder, his advocacy for the arts embodies the spirit of cultural exchange.

European Festivals Association

The European Festivals Association (EFA) has united distinguished music, dance, theatre and multidisciplinary arts festivals from Europe and beyond since 1952. Today, the EFA connects nearly 100 festivals and festival associations in 40 countries, comprising an open and influential place for any festival wanting to join a larger festival community.

The EFA’s mission is to unite and represent its member festivals, contributing to the artistic life of Europe, with EFA members taking joint responsibility in prioritising platforms to bring audience access and participation in culture and the arts as a Human Right. By supporting and enabling artistic creation, production and participation, EFA and its members ensure that this right is made a reality for all citizens. Interaction among festivals, with public authorities and the other stakeholders in the arts, is central to EFA's work.

EFA’s main role in the everchanging world of digitisation and globalisation is to connect festival makers to inform, inspire and enrich the festival landscape. As the oldest cultural network of European festivals, the EFA is a festival service provider, established to create connections and bridge the distance between organisations and various stakeholders.

Dr. Joanna C. Lee (Moderator)

Dr. Joanna C. Lee has served as consultant and translator for such institutions as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the New York Asian Film Festival. Since 2004, she is the regular host and interpreter at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum. She was a publicity consultant for the “Big Five” American orchestras on their Asian tours as well as consulting producer for San Francisco Opera’s Dream of the Red Chamber. She is currently serving as outreach consultant for multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in New York. She has served as an on-stage interpreter for former US President Jimmy Carter, Chinese director Jia Zhangke and artist Xu Bing, as well as provided opera surtitles for the China National Centre for the Performing Arts and the Beijing Music Festival. She is the English surtitle author for the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre since 2007.

Photo Credit: Lia Chang

• Simultaneous interpretation is available in English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
• Holders of the HKPAX Full Pass, Day Pass and Student Pass can access all sessions of Conversations. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online pre-registration is required.