Cradle of Creativity
A Biennial International Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences in South Africa
ASSITEJ South Africa announces a call for performances for Cradle of Creativity 2019 to be held at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town from 20 to 25 August 2019.
The deadline for applications is: 31 October 2018
The success of Cradle of Creativity 2017, which was the first ASSITEJ World Congress to be held on African soil has inspired ASSITEJ South Africa to host a biennial Cradle of Creativity Festival. We aim to keep Africa and African artists at the centre of the conversation, developing a greater consciousness amongst the global arts community about the context, the challenges and richness of African theatre for young audiences’ work and allowing for exchange and mutual learning and benefits between Africans and the rest of the world. This festival will showcase South African and African work to the world, and bring international work to African artists and audiences.
All artists with young audiences as the target market for their work are encouraged to apply. We will be looking at work for all stages of childhood and youth from 0-19 years-old. A broad range of disciplines, will be considered. The festival will include all types of theatre, including drama, physical theatre, dance theatre, music theatre, puppetry, site-specific performances, storytelling performances, and performances using multi-media, circus and other skills. The festival celebrates work which speaks to inter-cultural exchange and we encourage collaborative productions to apply.
Join us in giving South African audiences a rich experience of work from across the globe and ignite the possibilities of theatre for children and young people.
Selection criteria:
Productions will be selected based on:
- the level of excellence in chosen medium
- the level of innovation and originality
- the suitability for audience for which it was created
- the suitability for an audience of South African children
- the way in which the production speaks to the theme: “Intercultural Dialogue”
We would like to ensure that the programme includes work that:
- comes from different parts of the world; different regions of Africa; and different provinces of South Africa
- has been made specifically for each of the different stages of childhood and youth
- reflects different modes of expression: e.g. dance, theatre, puppetry, story-telling, multi-media, immersive experience
- reflects a range from issue-based theatre with serious subject matter to lighter, more comedic treatments
- is a best practice example or interesting regional variant of its chosen genre, medium, or theme
TO APPLY:
In order to submit a performance to the Festival, the application form should be filled in online at https://goo.gl/forms/9szSv2aunZufIXBf1
The deadline for applications is: 31 October 2018. ASSITEJ South Africa will provide a fee, accommodation, local transportation and per diem. International travel and freight will be the responsibility of the company in most cases.
Enquiries contact Jaqueline Dommisse, Festival Director: jaqueline@theatre4youth.co.za
About ASSITEJ SA:
ASSITEJ South Africa is a registered NPO (066-875), which operates as a networking platform for people working with or interested in theatre for children and young people. It aims to promote and foster high quality theatre for children and young people, to raise standards within the industry, to increase access and awareness, to be an advocate for the right of every child to arts education in schools, and to build relationships within the sector locally, nationally, across the continent and globally.
Members are present in all provinces include: actors, musicians, dancers, directors, choreographers, theatre educators, stage designers and dramatists, as well as theatre companies, organisations and institutions, critics and cultural journalists, cultural officers, amateur drama groups, organizers, societies and other networks.
ASSITEJ South Africa works to promote international awareness of South African theatre for children and young people, through networking, organising exchanges, touring performances, and by facilitating contacts. Members are given access to a global network of information about festivals, performances, courses and seminars all over the world, with the potential to participate in these activities. ASSITEJ SA was the proud host of the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival, Cradle of Creativity, in 2017.
ASSITEJ South Africa is generously supported by Rand Merchant Bank, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, the HCI Foundation, Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), and the City of Cape Town. Other funders, supporters and partners include the National Lotteries Commission, the National Arts Council of South Africa, the Department of Arts and Culture, the UNESCO IFCD, Buz Publicity, Splitbeam Gearhouse, Institut Francaise, Alliance Francaise, Africalia, Pro Helvetia, Goethe Institut, Government of Flanders, SIDA, The National School of the Arts, Artscape, Baxter Theatre, Theatre Arts Admin Collective, the National Arts Festival, the Distell Foundation, the Kids of the Cape, the Cape Tercentenary Foundation, CATHSSETA, Ruth & Anita Wise Trust, Lorenzo and Stella Chiappini Charitable Trust, Puppetry South Africa, The Arts and Culture Trust and Nedbank Arts Affinity, Copy Dog Productions, Mandela Bay Development Agency, Speeltheater Holland Studio, Bush Radio, FMR, and Cape Town Television.
Websites: www.assitej.org.za
