This year, the Next Generation Program was one of the largest there has been in an Artistic Gathering, with 42 participants from Germany and 20 other countries.
We want to thank ASSITEJ Germany once more for the generous support given to participants from the following countries:
Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cuba, India, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Turkey, Uruguay and Zimbabwe
As a conclusion to their program, Next Generation 2015 came up with the following manifesto:
If I were President of ASSITEJ:
1. I would change the world map and erase all borders.
2. I would listen to the children and let THEM do all the talking.
3. I would involve government to support low profile countries.
4. I would make sure that children and young people have a theatrical culture.
5. I would remember I was also a child once, and run to get some ice cream.
6. TYA shall be the healing pill to deadly diseases of fear, hate, war and silence.
7. I would like to make educational performances for young audience.
8. I would like to give an opportunity to children, who have never seen a show.
9. I would create programs & policies in Africa to allow the children to have access to theatre.
10. I would make ASSITEJ a more inclusive and horizontal association.
11. I would lead TYA to play an important role in young people’s development.
12. I would give TYA the relevance it deserves and make it the major priority.
13. I would need to stay in touch with children and young people, so I can know their point of view, their issues.
14. I wouldn’t make people write about what they will do if they were president of ASSITEJ.
15. I would invent a theatrical pain relief to save children who have lost a loved one.
16. I would ignore all the economic differences between the member countries of ASSITEJ and divide the global budget equally.
17. Something would be really wrong with the electoral system.
18. I would introduce children and teenaged members of the ASSITEJ boards in all countries.
19. I would focus on children’s rights and advocacy through theatre and make them more participative, especially in African countries.
20. I would strengthen the actions and presence of their representatives in countries with low budgets.
21. I would establish theatre performances in public spaces during the festival.
22. I would create an international free TV station around the world.
23. I would offer more spaces for the direct interaction between children, adults and artists.
24. I would ask children: “What do you expect from us?”
25. I would create a space for differences and passion.
26. A group of children and young people would be president and I would be their secretary.
27. I would spread the word that “everything is possible”.
This year, the Next Generation Program was one of the largest there has been in an Artistic Gathering, with 42 participants from Germany and 20 other countries.
We want to thank ASSITEJ Germany once more for the generous support given to participants from the following countries:
Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cuba, India, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Turkey, Uruguay and Zimbabwe
As a conclusion to their program, Next Generation 2015 came up with the following manifesto:
If I were President of ASSITEJ:
1. I would change the world map and erase all borders.
2. I would listen to the children and let THEM do all the talking.
3. I would involve government to support low profile countries.
4. I would make sure that children and young people have a theatrical culture.
5. I would remember I was also a child once, and run to get some ice cream.
6. TYA shall be the healing pill to deadly diseases of fear, hate, war and silence.
7. I would like to make educational performances for young audience.
8. I would like to give an opportunity to children, who have never seen a show.
9. I would create programs & policies in Africa to allow the children to have access to theatre.
10. I would make ASSITEJ a more inclusive and horizontal association.
11. I would lead TYA to play an important role in young people’s development.
12. I would give TYA the relevance it deserves and make it the major priority.
13. I would need to stay in touch with children and young people, so I can know their point of view, their issues.
14. I wouldn’t make people write about what they will do if they were president of ASSITEJ.
15. I would invent a theatrical pain relief to save children who have lost a loved one.
16. I would ignore all the economic differences between the member countries of ASSITEJ and divide the global budget equally.
17. Something would be really wrong with the electoral system.
18. I would introduce children and teenaged members of the ASSITEJ boards in all countries.
19. I would focus on children’s rights and advocacy through theatre and make them more participative, especially in African countries.
20. I would strengthen the actions and presence of their representatives in countries with low budgets.
21. I would establish theatre performances in public spaces during the festival.
22. I would create an international free TV station around the world.
23. I would offer more spaces for the direct interaction between children, adults and artists.
24. I would ask children: “What do you expect from us?”
25. I would create a space for differences and passion.
26. A group of children and young people would be president and I would be their secretary.
27. I would spread the word that “everything is possible”.
At the ASSITEJ Gala at Augenblick-Mal representatives from TYA UK and TYA Ireland presented On The Edge Festival as the next ASSITEJ Artistic Gathering which will take place from July 2-10th 2016 in Birmingham.
The city of Birmingham is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the UK and has one of the youngest populations in Europe. The main festival centre for On The Edge will be Birmingham Repertory Theatre with all venues within a 10 minute walk of the city centre. The festival will showcase up to 20 productions from the UK, Ireland and from around the world.
Call-outs for workshops and seminars for On The Edge, and for the Next Generation programme will be advertised this summer. In the meantime, you can register your interest in the Festival and Gathering at the On The Edge website http://www.ontheedge2016.com
Encounter I: Creating Relevance
This Encounter began with a welcome and introduction by the German hosts and ASSITEJ President. The rest of the Encounter consisted in a Market Place with stalls from ASSITEJ and its four networks, which offered an opportunity to learn more about the association and its activities. At the end, there was a key note by Prof. Dr. Christoph Lutz-Scheurle titled “What is this which I see before me? – Some remarks on the perception of performances.”
The center of attention for Encounters II and III was devoted to the productions that were invited to Augenblick mal! 2015 and their perspectives on the concept of generations.
Encounter II: The end of the world as we know it
The topics of discussion rounds for this Encounter were:
- Generations in dialogue – Conflicts between generations on stage.
- “Why did you destroy everything?” – How does TYA deal with global issues?
- Me and my body – In search for individual identity.
- Generation Porn? – TYA in a sexualized society.
- “Yes we can!” – Can theatre save the world?
- Children and adults on stage – An equal relationship?
- Looking for freedom – Imagination in everyday life and TYA.
- Spaces to play – When theatre gets closer and closer to the spectator.
- Fragments and monologues – Talking and language in TYA.
- Everything happens simultaneously – Simultaneousness of media on stage – potential or purgatory?
- “What do you know about us?” – How do artists mirror children’s everyday life?
- Tragic Ending – Happy Ending – Open Ending – Let’s talk about endings.
Encounter III: Talk to me, I’ll be your audience
The third encounter opened with a key note by Lisa Nagel from Norway, titled “Interactive dramaturgies in performing arts for children.”
The topics of discussion rounds for this Encounter were:
- “Talk to me!” – How do the artists in TYA talk to their audience?
- Focus on the world through the body – Body language – Body images. Which possibilities has TYA?
- With the eyes of a child – How do children’s worlds influences the artistic work?
- Open Ending – The ending is told by the spectators – what persists?
- Digital cameras as partners in dialogue? – Through which media does TYA communicate with its audience?
- Media omnipresence – Simultaneity of media on stage – is it too much?
- Moving and movements – TYA as an invitation to communicate with your own body.
- “We don’t teach you” – Questions instead of answers – what is there for the audience to take home?
- Roles and figures on stage – Which images of childhood and youth does theatre present?
- Children‘s Plays – The influence of children’s plays on artistic process
- Children and adults on stage – Artistic cooperation between generations
- More than a spectator – The audience plays along – but how?
Encounter IV: Cooperation makes it happen
This Encounter began with a panel discussion among experts on cooperation and coproduction Ania Michaelis (GER), Joke Laureyns (BEL), Marisa Giménez Cacho (MEX), Francois Venter (SA) and moderated by Pro. Dr. Wolfgang Schneider (GER). The participants talked about their experience in international cooperation, which requires strategies and resources that for the most part are supported by public and government institutions. However, in the realization of concrete artistic projects, international cooperation entails efforts beyond logistics and economic support. From the artists’ point of view, international cooperation implies being open to different languages and ways of communication and production, which generally result in mutual learning and enrichment.
The panel discussion was followed by a coffee break entitled “Make it happen,” with the purpose of looking for future cooperation among the attendees.
ASSITEJ EC members Manon van de Water, Stefan Fischer-Fels and Asaya Fujita presented a résumé of the previous Encounters, and it all ended with the presentation of the Next Generation 2015 manifesto “If I were President of ASSITEJ, I would…”
