For the second year the students and the ex-students of the IUAV of Venice proved once again their talent organizing this Festival devoted to European students of Theatre Academies and Universities. A heterogeneous and prepared working group, able to accommodate new elements, share knowledge, ideas and techniques, affirmed itself at the 2nd edition of the Venice Open Stage. Several organizational and technical aspects have been improved. These changes made us aware that the way to go is long, but we understood that the journey is well underway. The relations between national and international artistic institutions that had already worked with us have been consolidated and new relationships with some influential European theatre schools have been undertaken. Now we can truly say that the process to activate a training project involving Theatre Academies and Universities is started and the IUAV, with its Theatre department, is our first supporter. Step by step the VeniceOpenStage was able to propose a lively and exciting 2^edition, also during a period of meteorological and political difficulty in town. Thanks to this second randez-vous the Festival confirmed itself as important place of cultural exchanges, which was able to include a considerable number of young European people. Very high quality shows, which proposed true emotions and smart freshness, have been presented on the stage in front of an interested audience. Although, what actually made the difference in this Festival was its special atmosphere. The ancient taste of the circular stage and the atmosphere of our framework,the city of Venice, gave to the audience the old pleasure to participate to the play. During the twelve evenings almost one hundred people met at the Venice Open Stage, looking for moments of true theatre. At the end of each mise-en-scene, every roles and borders naturally disappeared to let actors, technicians, students, professors and neighbours meet on the stage in order to compare their impressions and feelings about the play. It is certain that VeniceOpen Stage, in its 2^ edition as well, was able to transmit to its audience all the veritable feelings of a genuine theatre show.