The participatory theatre project ‘Relatos Migrantes’ was a collaboration I initiated among Chilean and international artists, funded by the Chilean Arts Council, exploring the city of Valparaíso as a setting for intercultural exchange. Through workshops, interviews, and historical research, we collected stories of past and present immigrants who had settled in Valparaíso. The result was the creation of an interactive play, presented at the Valparaíso Cultural Park for secondary school audiences in July 2016, in order to generate reflection around the positive contribution of migrants as part of the cultural identity of Valparaíso. While Valparaíso is known as a world heritage site due to the mix of european cultures established there since the 1800s, today the port city is experimenting ethnic diversification, with a new wave of immigration from neighboring countries. The perception of contemporary migrants depends greatly on their country of origin, revealing prejudices inherent to the local society. With our project, we hoped to develop the capabilities of young people in Valparaíso to value and respect cultural differences.
Sarah Ashford Hart 