Challenging the need to succeed, Utrecht's Faal Festival embraces failure and imperfection

In a world consumed by the pursuit of perfection and success, a Dutch festival is offering a playful antidote. On 2 June 2023, Faal Festival (Failure Festival) will celebrate imperfection and failure as ordinary parts of human life.

Organized by the Institute for Failure Studies, Utrecht University and TivoliVredenburg for students and other young adults, Faal Festival will feature a diverse line-up of speakers addressing topics from societal beauty standards to the influence of social media. Embracing vulnerability, the program includes a Stumbling Speed Date Cafe, Fuck-It Yoga and a We-Can't-Draw-Either Sketch Club. Celebrities will contribute their odes to failure and confessions about messing up.

The festival aims to dissect performance culture and provide practical tools to counteract societal pressures, promoting a healthier approach to human fallibility.