This article explores the European theatre network phōnē, a pioneering collaboration among eight theatres working in endangered regional and minoritized languages (RMLs). Funded by the European Union from 2022 to 2025, phōnē embraced community theatre as a tool for intergenerational exchange, artistic empowerment, and linguistic revitalization. The network brought together professionals and citizens across eight language communities – from Breton and Sorbian to Frisian and Yiddish – emphasizing theatre’s unique capacity to give voice not only to individuals but to entire languages. Central to the initiative was Deboriada (Together), a multilingual, intergenerational gathering in Ladin-speaking South Tyrol that exemplified the network’s participatory ethos. This article documents the artistic and social impacts of phōnē, including residencies, collaborative learning, and the co-creation of theatre rooted in local landscapes and lived experiences. It also highlights an international conference in Bautzen, Germany, which united theatre makers and Indigenous artists from across the globe. Looking forward, phōnē will evolve into Polyphony, expanding its reach and ambition through new educational models and cross-border festivals. The project demonstrates how youth theatre can play a vital role in safeguarding linguistic diversity by fostering community-driven performance practices that celebrate the voices of Europe’s endangered languages.
Dirk Neldner (2026) studied this question.