Babel Project: Flight of the Stories
With the support of the European Cooperation Project, “Babel or the Art of Listening in TYA,” co-funded by the European Commission, and hosted locally by The Little Art in Pakistan, this Regional Workshop brings Babel’s philosophy of intercultural listening and dialogue to South Asia. Flight of the Stories explores the power of storytelling in the performing arts as a bridge between tradition and innovation. Rooted in the rich heritage of Southasia, the workshop will examine how folk traditions and storytelling can inspire creative processes in theater for young audiences (TYA), fostering a deeper connection between artists and their audiences across diverse cultural landscapes.
South Asia’s kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, and histories offers unparalleled potential for expanding Babel’s vision beyond Europe. In a region where oral traditions and community engagement are integral to life, this workshop serves as a platform to connect these traditions with contemporary performing arts practices. By embracing the art of listening, participants will explore how storytelling can not only preserve cultural roots but also evolve to resonate with new generations of young audiences, empowering a global conversation through theater and performance.
We welcome a diverse group of Storytellers, TYA practitioners, Performing artists, Theatre makers, Directors, Academics, Writers, Dancers, Actors to this transformative journey. This immersive workshop offers participants an opportunity to engage in creative exchanges, reflect on the intersection of pedagogy and performance, and explore innovative ways to create inclusive and impactful theater.
Workshop Details
Dates: 20 to 22 February 2024
Venue: Lahore, Pakistan
Invited Participants: Southasian countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)
Total number of participants: 12-15
Participant backgrounds: Storytellers, TYA practitioners, Performing artists, Theatre makers, Directors, Academics, Writers, Dancers, Actors
Scholarship: Economy return flight for international participants/train OR bus travel for Pakistani participants, 4 nights shared accommodation and meals (if needed)
Application Deadline: 10 January 2025
Background/About BABEL
BABEL or the Art of Listening in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) comes out of a long and ripe reflection over languages within the network of ASSITEJ International (Association of Theatre for Children and Young People) focused on the communications processes, intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding in TYA and more extensively the Performing Arts for Young Audiences.
All partners intend to pursue the rights of children and youth to full cultural citizenship. In Babel, they will investigate together with performers, artistic facilitators and researchers the opportunities given by artistic languages to create high-quality shows for children, overcoming the barrier of languages and potential misunderstanding, fostering intercultural and intergenerational dialogue in the Performing Arts for Young Audiences.
Through Babel, they will go deeper in developing and promoting this specific sector, in terms of creative processes circulation of artworks, and dissemination of results.
In order to do so, Babel is structured as a long, shared and widespread training pathway. It will be continuously articulated in that wide international dimension (in Europe and beyond) which is guaranteed by a partnership composed of 14 solid and high-profile partners, from 11 European countries: 13 organisers of recognized international TYA Festivals and ASSITEJ International.
The project foresees a diverse set of activities all intertwined in terms of timing and implementation: the Festivals/Babel Squares, the Multi-lingual creation groups, the Island of reflections, the Mosaic pieces, the Catalogue of Inspiration, and the Intertwined pathways, dedicated to young artists, and also to bring an extra-European dimension through sharing of the experience through the Babel Regional Workshops in 6 countries outside of Europe (Indonesia, Jordan, South Africa, Brazil, Cuba and Pakistan). This close connection between these activities will allow a synergic development, thus helping Babel to coherently pursue the targeted objective and priority, while setting out its specific aims to reach the goals partners have established.
Organizers:
- ASSITEJ International and Babel or the Art of Listening in TYA (European Cooperation Project, co-funded by the European Commission)
- The Little Art (Local Host Organizer, Pakistan)
