Performing in Palau : the politics of intercultural theater

International arts festivals are political. The bringing together of artists, productions and exhibitions from various countries inevitably becomes an exercise in national representation rather than individual expression, and, as such, invariably involves some form of regulatory approval. This is particularly true for the small island nations of Oceania, where the financial support needed for artistic creation, for transporting and accommodating a group of artists is difficult to obtain. It falls on government to subsidize such an endeavour, and with that subsidy comes a measure of control.