ASSITEJ SA to hold Theatre4Youth discussions in Durban (20 Jan) and Bloem (22 Jan)
ASSITEJ South Africa exists to develop a sustainable performing arts industry to encourage the creation of new work for the benefit of young audiences. With the support of the National Arts Council, ASSITEJ SA will be on the road this January, meeting with theatre-makers, performers, schools, teachers and principals, in open forum discussions to be held in Durban and Bloemfontein on 20 and 22 January, respectively.
This is part of a nation-wide series of engagements to bring together all stakeholders to discuss the potential of theatre and the arts in the new national curriculum, as well as to address the internal and external challenges that arts for young audiences face within the sector more broadly.
As part of the discussion, ASSITEJ SA will explain its efforts to bridge the gaps between professional theatre and education through the programme “Theatre4Youth”. Crucially, ASSITEJ SA will uncover the roadmap to the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts festival to be held in Cape Town in May 2017, and how local artists can get involved.
Rosemary Mangope, CEO of the National Arts Council, views collaboration with key stakeholders within South Africa, including government departments such as health, social development, international relations and basic and higher education, as one of her top priorities in order to ensure the NAC continues to have a sustainable impact: In 2014 the NAC and ASSITEJ SA announced a flagship three year partnership which will culminate in the hosting of the ASSITEJ World Congress in Cape Town in 2017.
Theatre-maker, producer, educator and first African president of ASSITEJ International, present in almost 100 countries, Yvette Hardie will chair the meetings in Durban and Bloemfontein; she is the national director of ASSITEJ South Africa and was the driving force behind the bid for the 2017 ASSITEJ World Congress in Cape Town.
The scale of the Congress and associated Festival, is likely to fill every theatre house in Cape Town as one of the world’s largest festivals and meetings dedicated to the advancement of performing arts for young audiences, and will be taking place for the first time in Africa, in the then 52-year-history of ASSITEJ International.
These upcoming forum discussions will provide artists with the necessary tools to address morale issues in making work for young artists. It will also give artists adequate notice of the coming Congress and aims to encourage participation and have representation from artists from all areas in South Africa.
The forum will include: a Keynote Address from ASSITEJ President, Yvette Hardie; a discussion session; workshop sessions; a report on the Theatre4Youth programme and provincial activities, and a presentation on the 2017 ASSITEJ World Congress and potential opportunities. The workshop sessions will unpack theatre as an educational tool in and across the curriculum, the use of performing arts in early childhood development, and the long-term strategies to ensure ongoing access to arts for the youth of the province.
-The forum in Durban will take place on 20 January 2015 at the Catalina Theatre, starting at 09:00and ending at 16:00; lunch and refreshments will be served. Kindly confirm your attendance with Pauline Dalais on info@assitej.org.za
– There will be a masterclass on taking theatre into schools on 19 January 2015 from 10:00 – 12:00 at the Catalina Theatre as part of the MUSHO! Festival which will be run by ASSITEJ SA, with Gisele Turner and Yvette Hardie
-The forum in Bloemfontein will take place on 22 January 2015 at the Scaena Rehearsal Room at the University of Free State, starting at 09:00 and ending at 17:00. Many thanks to Pieter Venter for making this possible. Kindly confirm your attendance with Alison Green on info@assitej.org.za
