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The Future of International Collaborations is Here Bebê de Soares, member of the Executive Committee of ASSITEJ
After what seemed like a lifetime away, 2022 came strong with all of us meeting in presence, in numbers that I am certain thrilled festival organizers worldwide. How exciting to meet in person and experience performing arts in the same room with artists and public, something I am sure no one takes for granted anymore!
Most festivals brought forward the climate emergency, and the call for an awareness of our practices in a sustainable way and especially inviting a reflection on how to approach a more sustainable international work. It does not need to be a contradiction, as we can observe in a number of international collaborations created in the past months, combining the digital competences we all acquired during the pandemic period, and actual work in each country, some of which I was privileged to participate in.
The greater good in international networking is literally to create platforms in order to share information. We are all so glad to see that most festivals that returned to a presential edition, kept part of its program digitally as well, giving affordable access to professionals but also to children globally, something unimaginable 3 years ago. A wider community is able to connect, experience work, be inspired and of course, network.
The professionalization of filming performing arts on stage or creating/adapting work for film, especially of dance productions has opened one more channel for reaching our public everywhere, widening access to performing arts further. The number of international film collaborations is growing, and this also has an impact in exhibitions and archives, opening new spaces to document and share our work.
In terms of sustainable touring, I would like to mention Perform Europe - a collective work where hundreds of professionals in Europe met online for months, democratically creating a model for a more sustainable international touring scheme. The final project ended up presenting 19 pilot touring projects of diverse, inclusive work that usually would not have access to funding on a European level. IIAN- the Inclusive International ASSITEJ Network was the leading partner in one of the pilot tours, in a collaborative partnership of professionals in 7 countries online, that created 2 touring routes of World without Eyes from DANSEMA Dance Company (Lithuania), a dance performance for visually impaired children and the screening of A Little Space, by Mind the Gap (UK), a filmed performance where all actors have a learning disability. The whole process is online under https://performeurope.eu/home
In our work in ASSITEJ we are in the process of multiplying our online channels in order to connect all our members globally. Additionally, to the Coffee Sessions, Umbrella Sessions and facilitating different interest groups within the association as for instance the Small ASSITEJ National Centers we are as well investing massively in the digital infrastructure of the association, thanks to the funds of the European Union.
Indispensable will be that the multiple funds created all over the world to support independent artists and companies during the pandemic will be sustained in the future. We have observed the creative power that was released under the process and research funding available and also the multiplied opportunities to participate in residences. Many of them certainly are the seeds planted for future international collaborations.
National Centres are one of the most important forms an ASSITEJ membership can take.
ASSITEJ International is happy to provide this Toolkit to support National Centres in their establishment, maintenance and renewal. This document expresses the values of ASSITEJ International and we hope it also helps members know what they can expect from their Centres, inspire new members to open a National Centre and allow other associations to see how ASSITEJ works.
Toolkit will soon also be available in French and Spanish on the ASSITEJ International website.
7 & 8 November 2022
ASSITEJ Coffee Session
Join us for this stimulating session, as our guests discuss and share ways to think about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in artistic collaboration. How can we foster the best environments for intellectual inquiry and artistic expression?
Open Call: The Norwegian ASSITEJ Festival 2023 – What Matters Most. From 12 to 16 September 2023, the 17th International ASSITEJ Festival in Kristiansand will take place and it’s our 30th anniversary! We look forward to receiving many exciting proposals for our open call!
With the support of Scènes d’Enfance ASSITEJ France, the organisation wishes to open its survey to international projects.
These projects can take many forms. Whether you are a theatre, a state related structure, an organization or an artistic company, le labo des cultures is really keen to exchange with you and the teenagers you are guiding.
As a major actor in the world of puppetry, the FMTM is also involved in the production of shows and the support of artistic creation. It accompanies the artists in the realization of their project, by offering in particular a support to the production and the reception in residence.
7th Annual Alhusayni Alsagheer International Festival of Children's Theatre
Under the slogan “In the light of Imam Hussain’s teachings, we build our future generations”, the Department of Child Care and Development at the Holy Shrine of Imam Hussain is pleased to announce the 7th Annual Alhusayni Alsagheer International Festival of Children’s Theatre (Autism Heroes Session), which starts in March 2023.
Any local or foreign theatrical troupes wishing to participate should visit the official website of the department.
Cameroonian Theatre Festival for Children and Young People
ASSITEJ Cameroon
After the COVID19 pandemic, ASSITEJ Cameroon is relaunching its activities with the FESCATEJ (Cameroonian Theatre Festival for Children and Young People) national festival which will host around 15 productions from the ten regions of Cameroon.
New Initiatives of the German-Speaking ASSITEJ Centres
German-Speaking ASSITEJ Centres
Making the Most of a Common Language– ASSITEJ Switzerland and ASSITEJ Austria have arranged meetings of all German speaking ASSITEJ centres in the past few months. Two initiatives will be launched together next year: A video project for the World Day of TYA on March 20th and a contribution to the ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering in Belgrade and Novi Sad in November. Stay tuned!
More of IIAN Visibility in the International Context
IIAN
IIAN took opportunity to increase international visibility. Vicky Ireland, IIAN Co-Secretary, visited Lithuania where held discussions with ASSITEJ Lithuania and inclusive artists. Ginni Manning, IIAN Board member, and Jaume Bello, IIAN Champion Spain, presented at the ASSITEJ España Conference on Inclusion and Accessibility in the Performing Arts for Young Audiences.
Augenblick mal! Save the date and check out the shows!
The jury of Augenblick mal!, the national biennial of TYA in Germany (April 21-26th 2023 in Berlin) have published their choice of performances for children and young people. Make sure to mark the dates in your calendar and join us for shows, discussions and ASSITEJ Germany’s legendary award ceremony.
Arts4Youth Invigorates South African Artists and Children
ASSITEJ South Africa
ASSITEJ SA is excited to share our Arts4Youth programme, which supports members around the country to provide arts access to children and young people in school or after school. The programme allows us to employ 1650 artists for 16 hours a week; they collectively reach around 50 000 children nationally through their activities. We are working with 132 member organisations that oversee the activities of the artists. The programme is funded through South Africa’s Social Employment Fund which aims to support organisations doing social good.
TYA/USA On Tour and 2023 National Festival & Conference
TYA/USA
This Fall, TYA/USA hosts TYA/USA on Tour!, a series of single-day events at Seattle Children’s Theatre (Seattle, WA) on Thursday, October 20, First Stage (Milwaukee, WI) on Friday, November 4, and Imagination Stage (Bethesda, MD) on Friday, November 18. You can join us online through the Virtual Pass! This spring, TYA/USA will host the 2023 National Festival & Conference in Arizona. We are currently seeking Breakout Session proposals from our international field!
darstellende künste & junges publikum (performing arts & young audiences) now labels all activities, projects, events, funding schemes, awards and resources that ASSITEJ Germany and the Children’s and Young People’s Theatre Centre (KJTZ) have on offer.
We are working on English translations and on lowering barriers for access regarding language, visuals and events. Feel free to contact us if you can’t find or understand what you are looking for.
On October 19th and 20th, the 1st Othwela Festival of Performance for Young Audiences, in Mozambique, was the host of two meetings which launched the basis of the new Portuguese Speaking Countries Network of ASSITEJ.
The meetings were held virtually, on Zoom, broadcast live at CBTIJ/ASSITEJ Brasil Facebook page, and brought together artists, educators, administrators and researchers from Mozambique and Brazil, as well as representatives from the ASSITEJ EC.
Gatherings of Communion, Hope and Resistance at the 16th Paideia Festival
CBTIJ/ASSITEJ Brazil
"For a few years now, since 2017, I have been regularly present at the Paideia International Festival of Theatre for Children and Youth: A Window to Utopia, or simply, Paideia Festival, in São Paulo. But I dare say that rarely has the name given to the Festival made so much sense as in its 16th edition, which took place between September 21 and 26."
Memories from Bibu / ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2022
Deciphering Time and Space in Circus
by Melissa Hekkers
A thought provoking discussion between artistic directors working with circus unfolded at the Helsingborg Arena this morning, a kind of open-ended sharing space that revolved around the theme of composition/dramaturgy and how time and space is managed in non-verbal performing arts, and more specifically circus.
The session was moderated by Bengt Andersson, Artistic Director and Member of the Board of ASSITEJ Sweden, who expressed a dear admiration for traditional circus. It’s by talking through the stages of any storytelling – the beginning, the middle and the end – that a series of poignant remarks and observations were put forward by three professionals working in the field and who also shed light on contemporary circus practices. The three professionals included Viktoria Dalborg, Circus Director at Kompani Giraff, Magali Bancel, Circus Director, leader of development for circus at Riksteatern and Rune Vadstrøm Andersen, Artistic Director, Dynamo Workspace for circus and performing arts.
