Alireza Daryanavard

Alireza Daryanavard is a performance artist, director, and playwright, born in Iran. In addition to his work as an actor and director, that has taken him to stages and festivals across Iran, he teaches up-and-coming artists and has founded an underground theatre. He moved to Austria in 2014 and has developed a theater practice, which is deeply rooted in activism and research. 

In 2017 he was given a Scholarship for Performing Arts by the Austrian Federal Chancellery. In 2019 Daryanavard received a scholarship at the Heidelberger Stückemarkt. In 2020 he was nominated for the NESTROY-Theaterpreis in the category Best New Artist as a director and playwright. In 2022 he was nominated with his play ASYL TRIBUNAL - KLAGE GEGEN DIE REPUBLIK for the NESTROY-Theaterpreis in the category specialprice. 

Since 2022 he has been a member of the Advisory Board of Performing Arts to the Austrian Ministry of Arts and Culture. His artistic journey has led him to the Berliner Ensemble, where he is artist in residence for the season 2023/24, as part of WORX, the international program for up-and-coming directors.