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“Voices of a New World” and the Pedagogy of Listening Paulo Merisio, Counselor of the Executive Committee of ASSITEJ
“Listening means the permanent availability on the part of the listening subject to be open to the speech of the other, to the gesture of the other, to the differences of the other” (Paulo Freire)
As I was preparing for the event of ITYARN, the International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network, at the ASSITEJ Congress in Cuba 2024, which has the theme "Voices of a New World: Legacy and Innovation in TYA", I started to reflect on how we are opening ourselves, to these voices, especially in the context of Brazil. Who is being listened to? Unfortunately, in our country, there is still a lot to be developed so that all children and young people can have equal space for expression and can effectively be heard.
I work in the Department of Theatre Teaching, at UNIRIO - Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, where we train future teachers of Performing Arts in Basic Education and who will work with theatre with children, in the classroom. And, according to Freire's quote above (from the book Pedagogia da Autonomia, 1996, p.119), I have been dialoguing with a pedagogical proposal that has delighted me: the Pedagogy of Listening, by Loris Malaguzzi, forged in the context of the city Reggio Emilia, in Italy. Some aspects of this proposal seem to be totally in tune with some discussions that have been undertaken in the meetings of ASSITEJ International and may indicate paths for others, as they broaden the ideas of "voices" and "listening".
From the perspective of emission - representing the "voices" of the various childhoods - the proposal suggests the perception of the "hundred languages of the child". This concept is, in fact, an image. An image that is very dear to the universe of the arts, since it emphasizes the various ways of expression of the child, beyond speech and writing - the play, the games, the demonstrations of affection, the body, the feelings, the inter-relations, and so many others.
On the other hand, reception is linked to the idea of listening - and is configured as a pedagogical proposal itself. Listening takes place through a basic premise to be adopted by the whole community: children of all age groups being active and plural subjects in artistic and educational processes.
Thus, more than the idea that there is a speech to be listened to, it is proposed that the dialogue takes place in the encounter, in the relationship. Therefore, the expectation of this proposal is that the experiences in the training spaces are based on the exchange of the widest dimension of these two sides that meet: the voices (which reveal themselves through multiple forms of expression / languages) and listening (which occurs through a horizontal dimension). And artistic experiences reveal themselves as privileged moments for this relational dimension.
Returning to the context of Brazil - a country that has contributions in the field of pedagogy from exponents such as Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal - we still have a long way to go so that all the multiple languages of the most diverse children are heard. However, in relation to the artistic production, many groups and works in the country stand out exactly because of this capacity to bring to the scenic experience this dimension of meeting, of a horizontal relationship in which the children are fundamental parts of the game. Proof of this is the rapid growth in the last years of the movement of theatre for early childhood, resulting in a significant scene of great quality for this social group.
Resuming the moment that made me share these thoughts, ASSITEJ's events and meetings have hosted artistic proposals that access this relational dimension and that have provided us with many spaces for exchange and mutual learning, strengthened by the many networks that intertwine. May we meet many more times - in person or virtually - exchanging our experiences and reflections in this universe that enchants and unites us.
Call for Submissions of the ASSITEJ Online Magazine
ASSITEJ Online Magazine 2023
The ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2023 will be in Serbia from 20-24 November 2023 with the theme of Connecting Voices which is the second theme in our overarching dramaturgy of Regenerating.
The magazine articles will be published in English and the original language of the author. We will create a magazine that communicates through images, films and text. Both visuals and text should address the theme, Regenerating: Connecting Voices. We are aiming to regularly update this online Magazine with new articles, from June 2023 until the opening of the Artistic Gathering in November 2023.
World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People
ASSITEJ World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People is an ASSITEJ International campaign, promoted and celebrated through the message ‘Take a Child to the Theatre Today’.
View the 2023 World Day Messages from Sue Giles, President of ASSITEJ International, messages from children from Ukraine and Iran, as well as this year's video here.
Upcoming ASSITEJ Events
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering & World Congress
Make sure you save the dates for the next ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2023 and ASSITEJ World Congress 2024!
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2023 "Turning Point":
🌎🌍🌏 Belgrade, Serbia
🗓 20 - 24 November 2023
ASSITEJ World Congress 2024: "Voices of a New World":
🌎🌍🌏 Havanna, Cuba
🗓 24 May - 1 June 2024
Opportunities
Call for Participants: 12th International Children's Theatre Festival "BITOLINO"
Babec Theater
International children's theatre festival "BITOLINO" is announcing an open call for participation in the competitive programme of its 12th festival edition which is going to be held in August, in Macedonia. The host of the festival is a ACA "Babec Theater" - Bitola.
The festival aims to cover a wide range of different theatre forms such as puppet, shadow, dance, backlight, physical, musical, dance theatre etc. created by professional theatre production for children and youth.
IDEA – International Dance Encounter Amman and the Young Dance Network are offering a residency for professional dance artists interested in dynamic collaboration in Jordan. During this residency we aim to make a link and bond between visiting artists from around the world with the independent Jordanian art scene.
Encuentro de Teatro Comprometido con la Infancia (ECTI)
The Encounter of Theatre Committed to Children (ETCI), a biennial event that has been held since 2016 in the city of Cali, Colombia, seeks to be a bridge between the stage creation of other countries and the children of Cali. The spirit of the Encounter, which is to disseminate a theatre committed, both in its aesthetics and its themes, to the problems and needs faced by different children, especially those in vulnerable situations.
In this sense, groups from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay are invited to participate in the 3rd Encounter of Theatre Committed to Children (ETCI), which will take place in August 2023.
Open Call: 30th International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica
ASSITEJ Serbia
International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica is announcing an open call for participation in the competition programme of the 30th Festival edition, which is going to be held in September 2023.
All types of theatre for children are represented at the festival, with selection priority being given to puppet theatre expression. All professional puppet and children’s theatres, as well as all those professional theatres which have performances for children in their repertoire, are invited to send their applications.
Mostra de Igualada Fair takes place in Igualada, Catalonia, from March 30th to April 2nd. This is a fair with more than 30 years of history, which aims to be a platform for the shows dedicated to children and youth, to nourish the programming of the municipalities and festivals of Catalonia and the state, and promote the internationalization of Catalonian companies.
Young Dance Market will present ten full productions by some of Scandinavia's most established companies doing dance for young audiences in two intense days.
Altogether the festival will contain ten full productions for young audiences amongst which there are two exciting world premieres! We will present pieces by some of Sweden’s most prominent companies like Memory Wax and Freestyle Phanatix as well as Claire Parsons Co and the internationally renowned Danish company Gazart.
4th Next Generation Residency 2023 hosted by ASSITEJ Pakistan
ASSITEJ Pakistan
The 4th NG Program 2023 hosted by ASSITEJ Pakistan was celebrated by 15 theater makers from 7 countries in Lahore for 11 days through workshops, exchange and performance showcases for public. A series of workshops from master trainers and mentors were the part of the program. Theatre makers from Pakistan, Lithuania, Iceland, Finland, Sri Lanka, Mexico and USA were part of the residency program. The programme brings emerging artists together to share, exchange, learn and present.
ASSITEJ Cyprus and ASSITEJ Zambia have launched their collaboration through the project “ASSITEJ Theatre Friends”, which aims at bringing young people from the two countries closer. The project was designed following a desire by both National Centres to examine ways of collaboration, in an attempt to build bridges between Europe and Africa through the arts.
ASSITEJ South Africa will host a full day festival for World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People on our Facebook page. We will share extracts from performances and showcases, as well as conversations about important questions within the world of TYA. The festival will draw attention to the power of the collective membership in South Africa. Join us there. #TakeaChildToTheTheatre
IIAN calls a meeting for Champions from around the world. We will use this opportunity to connect with Champions and work together to move forward. We scheduled two identical gatherings: March 23rd 10:00AM GMT or March 23rd 2:00PM GMT. Please reach out to Fran Sillau for agenda or zoom information Francis.Sillau@gmail.com.
3rd Theater for Children and Young People Conference THT
ASSITEJ Mexico
Organized by the company Tijuana Hace Teatro (THT) in co-production with the Centro Cultural Tijuana, this event will take place in Tijuana, Baja California, in October. The Jornadas is a meeting place for artists, researchers, agents and managers dedicated to theater for children and young people whose main goal is to develop artistic and academic activities, reflection and sharing as well as the strengthening of networks. This 3rd edition will host the annual meeting of the Ibero-American Network of Performing Arts for Children and Young People ASSITEJ with guests from various countries.
In the 2023 edition of the festival SPURENSUCHE's supporting program will be particularly dedicated to the racism critique and empowerment. It will be a productive venture to deconstruct normative narratives. We want to critically question privileges and spaces of power with the vision of changing the independent children's and youth theater scene so that it is structurally positioned in front of, behind, and on the stages as diverse as its daily young audience. SPURENSUCHE 2023 is also a place with safe spaces for theatre makers* who identify as BIPOC, Rom*nja, Sinti*zze, Jewish people, to empower each other, to take discourse spaces and to educate further. Applications are possible from March 20, 2023 here
Revive: Plan to Renew and Revive Australian Arts & Culture
ASSITEJ Australia
The Australian Government recently released a landmark National Cultural Policy. Revive is a 5-year plan to renew and revive Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. It delivers new momentum so that Australia's creative workers, organisations and audiences continue to thrive and grow, and so that our arts, culture and heritage are re-positioned as central to Australia's future.
International readers might be interested to know what is happening in Australia and what the government’s priorities are, and potentially gather ideas for advocacy in their own countries.
Of most relevant to the performing arts sector is the $44m restored to the Australia Council for the Arts (to be rebranded as Creative Australia) "to address underfunded areas like youth arts and to expand its functions" totalling $199m.
International Theatre Festivals for Young Audiences in the frame of the 10th Theatre Olympics in Hungary
ASSITEJ Hungary
In collaboration with Kolibri Theatre (Budapest), ASSITEJ Hungary is delighted to announce that three international theatre festivals for young audiences will be part of the 10th Theatre Olympics in Budapest and throughout Hungary from Easter to Midsummer’s Eve 2023.
3Place is a new 3-year cooperation project led by Scenekunstbruket (NO) alongside Junges Ensemble Stuttgart (DE) and Divadlo Drak (CZ) seeking to develop spaces for performing arts the young audience recognizes and validates as a place for them.
AUGENBLICK MAL! 2023: Additional tickets for international professional visitors are now available
AUGENBLICK MAL! The ticket contingent for professional visitors for AUGENBLICK MAL! was sold out soon after the advance sale started. This has also affected the international audience who would like to travel to the festival. The festival has now reacted to this situation and is providing a limited contingent of tickets for international visitors only.
If you are interested, please send an e-mail with your ticket wishes until March 31, 2023 to international@augenblickmal.de. The organizers ask for your understanding that tickets are no longer available for all performances.
ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering 2023 in Serbia
Towards AAG 2023: Turning Point
THEATRE AND EDUCATION
Marina Milivojević Madjarev
Ever since its very beginnings over 50 years ago, the journal Scena has been published by the esteemed theatre institution of Sterijino pozorje. The first edition of Yugoslav Theatre Festival of Sterijino pozorje took place in 1956 in Novi Sad. The idea was to have the most significant theatre festival in Yugoslavia organised in the very city from which the first theatre companies started their journeys towards Zagreb and Belgrade. The journal was founded with the objective to continually address current theatre matters from one issue to the next, present new local and global theatrology trends and publish at least one new local play per issue. In the desire to actively contribute to the development of local theatre life, Scena has more than once published thematic issues dedicated to puppet theatre, theatre for children and young people, theatre schools, as well as the phenomenon of child in theatre… In 2014, the editorial staff of the journal reaches the idea that the subjects related to theatre and education need be represented in every single issue, bearing in mind the significance of theatre education of young people.
