ASSITEJ Forums

What kind of relationship exists between theatre and society? Does theatre contribute to social change? Does society determine the form and direction of theatre? What is the place of art for art’s sake in theatre? What has been the role of theatre in historical developments? What has been the role of historical change in the shaping of theatre?

 

There is a new worldwide trend in the arts – theatre for the very young. How does it differ from other performance genres? Is there a particular age or stage of development needed to ensure the successful reception of a performance? How much should theatre artists be informed about the physical and psychological development of children? What is the communication between artists, children and the adults present?

Moderators: Jeremy Turner and Katariina Metsälampi. Special Guest: Kim Peter Kovac.

How do you reflect the diverse cultures that are part of your audience, your city, your country, the world? How do you deal with cultural diversity with regards to cast, acting, and the stories you are telling on the stage? How do you avoid presenting cultural diversity as a problem, as an issue-oriented play, or with clichés? How can theatre be a tool to assist children and young people with understanding a rapidly changing society and world? How do you maintain the purity of a cultural tradition while still keeping it vibrant and connected to today’s world?

 

How is performance for children and young people changing? What kind of work do you think is exciting and cutting edge? What do audiences in your countries want? What impact does new technology or new ways of thinking have on your work or the tastes of your audience?

What do we know about our audience? What do we know about childhood and the process of growing up? What do we know about the cultural environment of children? What is the starting point of our work, and what reality should we use? How can theatre be a medium of social fantasy?

What are the challenges for you in working as an artist or artsworker? What kind of training or education is needed to work in theatre for children and young people? What made you want to work in this field? Can you function as an artist the way you would like to? What would help you to do the things you want to do?

The Secretary General will call on the moderators to report on the Forums during the General Assembly.