Brief history
Key dates in the history of FEATS
1976
First festival
First festival organised by the Anglo-American Theatrical Group (AATG) in Rotterdam.
1976
Steering committee
Informal steering committee set up. Joint meeting of AATG (The Hague), BATS (Antwerp) and ECC (Brussels) held in Brussels.
1977
FEATS is born
The name FEATS – Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies – chosen.
1978
1st “FEATS”
First festival held under the name FEATS. NWTC from Luxembourg joined the steering committee.
1980
Understanding
Memorandum of Understanding, signed by four rotating host groups, formally creates steering committee.
1981
UK out
Groups from United Kingdom excluded from FEATS.
1981
4 days
First four-day festival.
1986
News
FEATS newsletter launched.
1990
Fringe
First Fringe Festival organised by AATG in The Hague.
1991
Five
FEST (Frankfurt) became fifth member of steering committee.
1992
Forum
First FEATS forum meeting (under the title of “Meet the committee”).
1993
Selection process
Change of method for choosing the groups: “first name out of the hat” draw with geographical weighting became three-list system.
1996
Web
First FEATS Internet site, hosted on University of Geneva site.
1996
Innovation
Scoring system modified to include 10 points (previously 5) for “innovation”.
1998
Rules update
Major update of the FEATS rules. First permanent secretary to the steering committee appointed.
1999
feats.org
FEATS acquired its own Web site: http://www.feats.org/.
1999
Longer plays
Maximum play length increased from 45 to 55 minutes.
2001
Entry fee
Non-returnable entry fee instituted (initially €50).
2004
Fact book
FEATS Fact Book published.
2006
feats.eu
FEATS website moves to feats.eu address (although feats.org is maintained in parallel for a number of years)
2009
Innovation out
“Innovation” points removed from the scoring system.
2010
Database
FEATS database goes on line.
2012
Rules published
FEATS rules published in full.
2018
Single selection list
Return to the single list as the basis for the selection system.
2020
Cancelled!
For the first time since 1978 FEATS does not take place. FEATS 2020, scheduled to be held in The Hague, is cancelled as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
2021
Online
With Coronavirus still restricting travel and associating with other people, ECC organises an online show with both live and filmed contributions from other FEATS groups.
2022
Non-competitive
FEATS is back. The 2022 festival is organised in Luxembourg on a non-competitive basis.
2023
Points mean prizes
FEATS 2023 in Bad Homburg restores the familiar format.
2024
FEATS fees
Entry fee set at €130 per group, of which €100 is to go to the host group to help cover costs of staging the festival. Effective starting with the 2025 festival.