“VOICES OF A NEW WORLD”
Havana, Cuba
24 May – 1 June 2024
Voices of a New World
ASSITEJ Cuba and ASSITEJ International, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the National Council for the Performing Arts in Cuba invite you to the 21st ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts festival in Cuba – the most important global moment in the field of performing arts for young audiences with participation from all around the world.
It is essential to think of the world and art as the communion of different voices full of nuance. The children and youth of the world are increasingly demanding more spaces for poetic expression, where they can make the art they practise a tool for real transformation. It is up to artists to hear the emerging voices and give them the space they need. Our congress seeks to empower their points of view through performances, dialogues, panels and interdisciplinary encounters.
We must think of our geographies, physical and theatrical, as full of love and hope. With our arms open to the Caribbean Sea, we await the arrival of companies and artists from different parts of the world. Languages will not be a barrier, neither will accents; only unity and the desire to be better in ourselves and with the planet that gives us a home.
We need new voices for a new world; let us make them heard!
Professional Exchange Program
The days of the Congress will be full of debates, questions and impulses that motivate friendship and artistic exchange.
The Professional Exchange Programme of the 21st ASSITEJ World Congress is a diverse platform for exchange related to performing arts for and with young audiences and we are particularly encouraging proposals that are related to the festival theme of “Voices of a New World”.
What can you bring as a professional in your own expertise, to open up our practice together, exchange ideas and impulses and create synergies together around this concept? What can we learn from each other about the young voices in our midst and their role in the work we create?
Specific topics could be
● The participation of children and young people in process and performance,
● multi-disciplinary arts in theatre and performance,
● the practice of site specific or outdoor performance.
● Performing arts and community. Why is it important and what form can it take?
● What is the relation between performing arts and education?
● Sustainable development in the performing arts.
● Methodologies in increasing or developing greater access
● Approaches to making work for marginalised voices and/or audiences
Applications in line with the strategies and priorities of ASSITEJ International Professional Networks are also welcomed. The ASSITEJ International Professional Networks are International Inclusive Arts Network, International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network (ITYARN), Small Size Network, Write Local. Play Global. (WLPG), Next Generation Network, and Young Dance Network.
Format
We encourage workshops, seminars, lectures, roundtables, meetings, networking sessions, film screenings, exhibitions, social events, and other formats that explore the theme of the congress.
Proposals from any institutions, organisations, or individuals from any country are welcomed.
Translation
We urge people to think about and plan for translation as part of their applications. Spanish is the first language of most people in Cuba and we cannot commit to providing translators for every session, therefore we ask: how inventive can you be? How can you provide text or images for your audiences? Can you run your workshop with very few words? Can you translate your workshop into Spanish? Can you bring a bilingual friend to your session?
On the ground and online
We welcome contributions presented ‘On the Ground’ in Cuba as well as for the Online festival. The online event will be separately curated but we are planning for recordings of sessions if practitioners wish to share their work with the online community.
Please note that workshops are not recommended to be ‘Hybrid’ – they should be fully ‘On The Ground’ or fully ‘Online’.
Accessibility
Contributors with access needs are encouraged to apply and are asked to indicate their needs in the application form. After the selection, the organisers will communicate with relevant applicants to support their participation within the economic capabilities.
Economic Conditions
ASSITEJ World Congress is a unique platform for gathering of members of ASSITEJ and all those passionate about the work that is done around the world for with and by children and young people. It does not operate as a market but as a connection point and many hundreds of collaborations and opportunities have come from these gatherings. The economic conditions of participation in the world congress are dependent on the economy of the host.
In this circumstance, no expenses will be covered for the contributors of the Professional Exchange Programme and no fees will be paid.
Post Congress Activities
The organisers of the congress are working on creating activities between Cuban and international artists in the week following the Congress (2-9 June). This can take the form of a visit to a local company, presenting a production or running a workshop with the intention of stimulating professional exchange. This is a chance to make the best out of the long trip that many international visitors will make to attend the ASSITEJ World Congress, by working not only in Havana but also in the rest of the country.
The organisers will work to make the connection between local artists and the international visitor but are not able to cover any expenses related to the post congress activities. Local transport, accommodation, and meals must be covered by you.
How To Apply?
All applicants are asked to submit their applications through our online application platform:
The deadline for Professional Exchange Programme applications is 15th September 2023.
Questions
Questions related to the application can be sent to Marissa Garay at marissa@assitej-international.org
Download Call for Professional Exchange
