International Theatre Institute ITI

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Share Your Voice of Love, Encouragement and Support
The current global pandemic shakes the world with anxiety, fear and even hatred. It is time for every one of us to be active and to use the best tools we have – the dialogue and communication that is inherent in the performing arts to go through this global health crisis.

The General Secretariat is receiving a lot of words of love, encouragement and support from all parts of the world, and all these letters deserve to have more readers.

>>Please click here to read and watch
UNESCO | International Arts Education Week – 25 to 31 May
Message from Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
International Arts Education Week is an opportunity to promote learning with and through the arts to improve the quality and relevance of our education systems, nurture creative thinking and resilience.
UNESCO – as the only United Nations agency with a core mandate encompassing culture, heritage, arts, creativity and education – is committed to joining forces with its Member States to step up cooperation, mobilizing civil society, educators and arts professionals to fully harness the potential of both culture and education.
On this day, I call upon everyone to join us in celebrating International Arts Education Week, so we can make this disaster into flowers, to offer to the world.
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General UNESCO
Text is available online in these language versions:
>>English
>>French
>>Spanish
>>Russian
>>Chinese
>>Arabic
© Text and Portrait Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO, 2020
Croatian Centre of ITI: The Project MONOVID 19, Kazalište
The Croatian Centre of ITI is pleased to present the project MONOVID 19, 19 monologues about coronavirus and the isolation and social situation caused by the virus. The monologues were written by the middle age and younger generation of Croatian playwrights. They were published in Croatian language in the theatre magazine Kazalište.
More information about the Croatian Centre and its activities and its publications:
www.hciti.hr
hc-iti(at)zg.t.com.hr
Georgian Centre of ITI – Call for Participation in the Comedy Festival in Gori
6 to 12 June 2020 (organised as an openair festival with videos)
Attention Short Deadline: Call for Participation for the Comedy Festival of Gori in Georgia. Since 2014 Gori is organizing this festival with the support of Gori Municipality and Governor of Shida Kartli . The Artistic Director is Soso Nemsadze, theatre director and professor at the Theatre and Film Georgian State University and Artistic Director of the Rustavi national Theatre. The Comedy Festival focuses on international performances. The 2020 edition will be organized open air; the performances are shown as video projection in a park.
The Festival is inviting the members and friends of ITI Centres to send comedies that exist on videos so that they can be projected during the festival. The comedies may be traditional, verbal or non-verbal in any form of the performing arts.
If you are interested to be part of this video open air comedy festival in Gori, get in touch with the Georgian Centre of ITI for further questions send the link for download to itigeorgiacentre@gmail.com
Deadline for getting in touch with the Georgian Centre, Dr. Levan Khetaguri, Secretary General of the Georgian Centre of ITI: 31 May 2020
Past festival video links:
>>Festival 2018
>>Festival 2019
Philippine Centre of ITI – SDG Arts Festival & Forum for Peace and Climate Justice
7 to 14 March 2021, Manila, Philippines
Under the guidance of Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, President of the Philippine Centre of ITI & Artist for Peace of UNESCO, and Viktor Sebek, President of the South-South Cooperation Council for Sustainable Development (SSCC) the SDG Arts Festival & Forum for Peace and Climate Justice is already in full preparation. Together with a multitude of partners, including UNESCO and ITI, a week-long event is planned with a conference, with a performing arts festival, with an art camp and so on.
>>The draft programme is giving you more information about the scope of the event.
Call for Participation: If you would like to participate or if you would offer a performance for the event, please get in touch with both: Cecile Guidote-Alvarez – cecilealvarez(at)icloud.com, and Viktor Sebek - vsebek2008(at)gmail.com.
They will inform you about hosting and condition for the performances (max. 30 minutes).
Operadagen 2020
“We are delighted to invite you to the world premiere of Home Sweet Home, Operadagen Rotterdam's online community opera, which you may follow now. You can be there and experience it all from the comfort of your own sitting room or wherever you want to watch.
On the very day that the 15th edition or our festival would have opened in a spectacular fashion, with a grandiose urban fest on Afrikaanderplein in Rotterdam-Zuid, we are launching the first instalment of this cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary video opera, in collaboration with OPEN Rotterdam TV. A hundred artists from Rotterdam will collectively (and in six parts) embody a raft of stories that speak of a city in lockdown. Home Sweet Home chronicles the quarantine.” Guy Coolen – Artistic director of Operadagen, President of the Flemish Centre of ITI and President of Music Theatre NOW Network of ITI and Hans Blik – Business Manager of Operadagen
Enjoy watching Home Sweet Home online. Click here.
Online Conference on New Dimensions for Theatre Education
13 to 15 June 2020
The impacts brought by the COVID-19 are massive. We should say it is a challenging time for theatre teachers. Most of the academies switched to online teaching course and turned to the e-learning mode. Are there methodologies and experiences that could be shared? Or is a complete change of teaching methodology needed? The pandemic invites all to reflect on new dimensions. That is the reason why the Board of the ITI/UNESCO Network has decided to launch this conference.
The World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT/ITI – one of the members of the ITI/UNESCO Network has taken the initiative to create a three-day conference as a starting point for a possible long-term project for the development of new methods and forms for online and hybrid theatre education.
We encourage you to participate in the conference and contribute to your experience. Please read the detailed project and register your participation.
>>More Information about the Conference
>>Registration Form for the Conference
Open Call Participation for the lectures “Short School of German Theatre Knowledge”
Digital lectures by Thomas Irmer, 11 and 12 June 2020
North Macedonian Centre of ITI / PRODUKCIJA
Seminar / Lecture
Thursday/Friday 11/12 June 2020 from 12.00 to 13.30 h (Paris time)
Lecturer: Thomas Irmer, dramaturge, a researcher in theatre; Berlin, Germany
Target audience/participants: Local, regional and international students and professional practitioners and theoreticians
1. Skype Online Lecture: Theatre history and the next future for international theatre; including keyword relations to former Yugoslav theatre culture.
Thursday, 11 June 2020: 60 minutes lecture and 30 minutes Q&A session on Skype / 12.00 - 13.30 h (Paris time)
2. Skype Online Lecture: Focus on contemporary German Drama.
Friday, 12 June 2020: 60 minutes lecture and 30 minutes Q&A session on Skype (90 minutes) / 12.00 to 13.30 h (Paris time)
Deadline: 30 May 2020 (Please send your confirmation for participation to: macedoniancenterofiti(at)gmail.com, with the following data:
Subject: Thomas Irmer Lectures, your first name and your last name, profession and email
>>Detailed information about the Lectures by Thomas Irmer
THE 11th BETWEEN.POMIĘDZY FESTIVAL: KOSMOPOLIS 2020
Sopot, Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland – 11 to 17 May 2020, online
All events are available free of charge at www.between.org.pl and on Facebook throughout the entire week of the Festival
Please visit the 11th Between.Pomiedzy Festival: Kosmopolis 2020
It is online until 17 May. All events are available free of charge at www.between.org.pl and on Facebook throughout the entire week of the Festival.
Facebook: between.pomiedzy
More information:
>>The Poster
>>The Press Release (in English)
>>The Program (in English)
In Memoriam | Santiago Garcia – World Theatre Ambassador of ITI
20 December 1928 to 23 March 2020
Santiago García – Reinventor of the Colombian Theatre
By José Assad
Santiago García, the inveterate reinventor of Colombian theatre, with his jovial, familiar presence, loaded with spontaneous humor as if he were any regular citizen of La Candelaria, the traditional Bogotá neighborhood, no longer lives there like any mortal being.
Now following in the footsteps of his own inventiveness, he will live from now on, in the universe of the collective memory of the great theatre of the world.
>>Please click here to read the full version of “Santiago García – Reinventor of the Colombian Theatre”.
In Memoriam | Jeffrey Sichel
24 December 1967 – 27 March 2020
It is with deep sadness that the ITI/UNESCO Network announces that our dear friend and colleague Jeffrey Sichel passed away. Thanks to his tremendous efforts for the ITI/UNESCO Network with his passion, generosity and expertise this organization came into existence.
Tobias Biancone, Derek Goldman and Vidyanidhee Prasad Vanarase have sent us their words in honour of their friend Jeffrey Sichel. The texts are attached.
If you would like to send us your condolences, please send them to the ITI/UNESCO Secretariat. We will forward them to his family.
Please read the tribute words honouring Jeffrey Sichel by:
>>Tobias Biancone
>>Derek Goldman
>>Vidyanidhee “Prasad” Vanarase
In Memoriam | Heherson “Sonny“ Alvarez
6 October 1939 – 20 April 2020
Many members of ITI have met Senator Heherson “Sonny” Alvarez, a noble person that a lot of people consider to be a hero. Most of us have met him together with Cecile Guidote Alvarez, President of the Philippine Centre of ITI and UNESCO Artist for peace who he supported throughout his life. That he passed away has saddened many of us and for sure “our” Cecile. In this Newsletter we are sharing the words of the Former House Speaker Jose De Venecia, Jr. who is giving us an insight into the life of his colleague and friend Heherson Alvarez.
May he rest in peace.
If you would like to send Cecile and her family your condolences please send your words to the General Secretariat of ITI – info(at)iti-worldwide.org - who will forward them to Cecile Guidote-Alvarez.
International Dance Day 2020 Online Celebration
Gregory Vuyani MAQOMA, dancer, choreographer & educator from South Africa is the International Dance Day Message Author for 2020. Celebrate International Dance Day 2020 with translating the message into your country´s languages and sending us a VIDEO of your country´s version of Gregory MAQOMA´s message.
We encourage all the Centres, Cooperating Members, any members and friends of ITI to send a video (preferably in MP4-Format) to CHEN Simin of the General Secretariat of ITI as soon as possible. Her email address is chen.simin(at)iti-worldwide.org.
Attached is the message Gregory Maqoma in English and French:

>>International Dance Day Message 2020 by Gregory MAQOMA in English (original) in PDF and Word
>>Message de la Journée Internationale de la Danse 2020 de Gregory MAQOMA en français (traduction) en PDF et Word
>>Biography Gregory MAQOMA in English as PDF and Word
>>Biographie Gregory MAQOMA en français (traduction) en PDF et Word Photo Credit: Alon Skuy
Alicia Alonso | In Memory of the Prima Ballerina Assoluta / Announcement of 100th Anniversary Event
In 2020 the legendary Prima Ballerina Assoluta would celebrate her 100th birthday.
The Ministry of Culture of Cuba, the International Theatre Institute ITI, the Dance Committee of ITI, World Dance Alliance, UNESCO and many, many dance institutions and individuals are taking the occasion of International Dance Day to remind all dance aficionados about the live and achievements of the extraordinary personality Alicia Alonso who was admired, adored, respected and loved by people from all over the world.
Alicia Alonso, born in Havana on 21 December 1920, was an outstanding ballet dancer, choreographer and pedagogue, whose unique imprint identifies the Cuban School of Ballet. The gifted ballerina performed in more than 65 countries, was granted 266 international and 225 national awards.
The 100th Anniversary celebration was scheduled for July in Madrid. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the event is now planned for 21 December 2020, her birthday. If possible, with a live event.
The Alicia Alonso University Dance Institute / The Spanish Centre of ITI has prepared a beautiful comprehensive website about Alicia Alonso to explore. Languages: English and Spanish.
More information about the planned event can be found in the ITI Newsletter at a later point this year.
Photo Credits: Alejandro Ernesto
UNESCO | In moments of crisis, people need culture
Article presented on the UNESCO website by Ernesto OTTONE, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture
COVID-19 has brought into stark relief, as crises often do, the necessity of culture for people and communities. At a time when billions of people are physically separated from one another, culture brings us together. It provides comfort, inspiration and hope at a time of enormous anxiety and uncertainty. Yet even as we rely on culture to get us through this crisis, culture is also suffering. Many artists and creators, especially those that work in the informal or gig economy, are now unable to make ends meet, much less produce new works of art. Cultural institutions, both large and small, are losing millions in revenue with each passing day. As the world works to address the immediate danger of COVID-19, we also need to put in place measures to support artists and access to culture, both in the short and long-term.
You find this article on the UNESCO website in different languages, just click on the language for reading it in the following languages
English
French
Spanish
Russian
Arabic
Chinese (Mandarin)
Portuguese
On these pages you can also subscribe to the UNESCO Newsletter.
UNESCO launches ResiliArt – Artists and Creativity beyond Crisis
We need a concerted and global effort to support artists and ensure access to culture for all
The inaugural debate took place on 15 April 2020, World Art Day, in partnership with CISAC.
Audrey AZOULAY, UNESCO Director-General, launching the ResiliArt discussions with an introduction.
Ernesto OTTONE, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, moderated the discussion with the following artists:
• Jean Michel JARRE, France - composer, performer, CISAC President and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
• Yasmina KHADRA, Algeria – Author
• Deeyah KHAN, Norway/UK - musician, documentary film director and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
• Angélique KIDJO, Benin - Singer-songwriter, CISAC Vice-President and UNICEF International Ambassador
• Nina OBULJEN-KORŽINEK, Croatia - Minister of Culture of Croatia and violinist
• Luis PUENZO, Argentina - film director, screenwriter, producer and President of INCAA
If you want to watch the inspiring statements of Ms Audrey Azulay, Mr Ernesto Ottone and all the artists please click on the language versions below. You can watch the whole or section of it.
English
French
Chinese (Mandarin)
UNESCO launches ResiliArt movement in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic
Cancelled concerts, postponed festivals, delayed album launch and closed cinemas – COVID-19 has hit the cultural and creative industries hard. Still, creative workers find creative solutions. This is why UNESCO calls on all artists and creatives to join the ResiliArt movement.
On 15 April, UNESCO launched a global movement – ResiliArt to shed light on the current state of creative industries, engaging with key industry professionals globally for their views and capturing experiences of resilience from artists – both established and emerging – on social media. Together, it raises awareness about the far-reaching ramification of COVID-19 across the sector and aims at supporting artists during and following the crisis.
Cultural industry professionals are encouraged to join the movement and replicate the ResiliArt series in their respective regions using the publicly available guidelines. The devastation brought to the entire culture value chain will have a long-lasting impact on the creative economy; ResiliArt aims to ensure the continuity of conversations, data sharing, and advocacy efforts long after the pandemic subsides.
Let’s flood the screens with messages of creative resilience and bring maximum visibility to the challenges artists and creative professionals are facing – and overcoming – in this time of crisis!
For further information, please contact us at hanoi(at)unesco.org
More information about ResiliArt you can find by clicking on the language you would like to read, below. You will find on this web page the Participation Guide, the Concept Note and the Institution Guide, as well as the link to the video of the 15 April 2020 online event.
English
French
Chinese (Mandarin)
United Nations | Culture in the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda – Invitation to endorse the Campaign
The International Theatre Institute (ITI) supports the initiative for the inclusion of a specific cultural goal to be devoted to culture in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Leading up to the adoption of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the International Music Council (Partner Organization of ITI) campaigned together with several global cultural networks under the banner "The Future We Want Includes Culture" for the inclusion of one specific goal devoted to culture, or for the integration of cultural aspects across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This campaign was also known as the #culture2015goal campaign. In the final document of this campaign (23 September 2015: "Culture in the SDG Outcome Document: Progress Made, but Important Steps Remain Ahead"), the networks committed to keep their cooperation active.
To harness this potential, the #Culture2030Goal movement, in the context of its engagement in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, calls on UN agencies, governments and all other stakeholders to act.
If you would like to endorse this initiative, you can endorse it over this link. You can endorse it as individual and an institution.
More information: (Click on the title)
The Future We Want Includes Culture
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
"Culture in the SDG Outcome Document: Progress Made, but Important Steps Remain Ahead"
Call for the 10th Shanghai International Experimental Theatre Festival, 19 to 30 October 2020
The Secretariat of the ITI/UNESCO Network is delighted to inform you that the ITI/UNESCO Network Member, the Shanghai Theatre Academy, will host the 10th Shanghai International Experimental Theatre Festival from 19 to 30 October 2020. An international academic seminar will be held at the end of the event. All of the members of the ITI/UNESCO Network are welcome to bring a production to participate in the event.
>>For more info, please click here.
The deadline for application is 30 May 2020. If you are interested in taking part in this event, please send your production to secretariat(at)iti-unesco-network.org.
Call for Best Practice during the time of Confinement - to Share with Other Artists
How can we keep the show on the road? How can we reach out to others with our art? How can we uplift the spirit of our colleagues? How can we bring joy to those who need it most –the people serving the ill in the hospitals and homes, and the elderly and lost people?
If you have done actions with theatre, dance or any part of the performing arts that were well received and that others could do as well? Please let us know about it. If you have started an action that could include other people from the performing arts community that is valuable, please let us offer it to others over the ITI Newsletter.
If the Covid-19 tells us to change our habits and daily life, let´s find other ways to reach out to others – without any danger in it.
Whoever would like to write to the General Secretariat is welcome to do it. Please send us an email to info(at)iti-worldwide.org
Photo Credit: Fujairah Monodrama Festival
Tobias Biancone interviewed by The Stage UK: Isolation is never the answer to anything. Never give up!
Tobias Biancone, Director General of ITI, has been interviewed for the prestigious UK journal The Stage by Nick Awde, Co-President of the UK Centre of ITI and culture journalist. >>To have access to the complete interview, please click here.
World Theatre Day 2020 – Great gratitude to all of you
The feedback that we received from the Centres, Cooperating Members, Partner Organizations and friends of ITI was like an avalanche of passion for theatre, for theatre artists – for all those who dedicate their life for the work on stage. On behalf of ITI and all its entities – I would like to send everybody a heartfelt, strong thank you.
All the contribution to World Theatre Day can be found on the website www.world-theatre-day.org. Just click on the link and check https://www.world-theatre-day.org/mainevent.html
A fantastic amount of translations, messages, information, happy world theatre messages that we received are uplifting our spirit and empowering us. Please have a look.
(If something is missing, please let us know: wtd(at)iti-worldwide.org and we put it on the website.)
Let´s continue to create a positive effect and encourage our colleagues and friends all over the world.
German Centre of ITI: Theater der Welt – Theatre of the World: Postponed to 2021
The German Centre of ITI informs us that the international Festival “Theater der Welt” and all its activities from 14 to 31 May 2020 in Düsseldorf have been cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19. The event has been postponed to June 2021. Artistic Director Stefan Schmidtke: “We have a duty to our international artists and are glad to be able to offer all the participants this view forward. Now we are approaching a 2021 festival with optimism.”
Contact: info(at)iti-germany.de
IPAC - Intercultural Performing Arts Cie VoiceLAB: A Laboratory Dedicated to the Voice and the Polyphony
After the success of the Ateliers de l'Acteur’s training program (2018-2019), in collaboration with the Grotowski Institute and the actors of Teatr ZAR, the Intercultural Performing Arts Cie is pleased to announce a new program, focusing on the Voice, for professional actors and singers: VoiceLAB.
Between September 2020 and March 2021, a group of 20 people will take part to 6 sessions (weekends) + 1 intensive week lead by the actors-singers of the Grotowski Institute & Teatr ZAR: Aleksandra Kotecka et Tomasz Wierzbowski. The sessions will take place at the Micadanse Studio in Paris.
Deadline for registration: 10 June 2020
Contact: hello(at)ipac-cie.com
More information:
About the Laboratory: IPAC VoiceLAB Program EN & FR
Leaflet Voicelab FR
About IPAC (Intercultural Performing Arts Cie)
Opera Europa – New Member of the Partner Organizations
It is with great pleasure to announce to you the newest Partner Organization into the cohort of the organizations around the International Theatre Institute.
Here is the description of Opera Europa: Opera Europa was constituted as the professional association for opera companies and festivals in Europe in 2002. Today, it encompasses 207 member theatres in 43 countries, several of them beyond Europe.
More information you find on their website:
https://opera-europa.org/home
https://operavision.eu/en
Opera Europa Events:
A. Opera Spring Conference Goes Virtual
28/29 May 2020 (Registration possible on this link: https://opera-europa.org/event/opera-europa-spring-conference-goes-virtual
B. Joint Forum Meeting for AV & Digital Media, Education, Fundraising and Marketing & Communications
Zagreb is happy to host the meeting next autumn, from 24 to 26 September 2020.
>>For more information please click here
C. Information about World Opera Day (25 October)
https://opera-europa.org/index.php/world-opera-day
ASSITEJ - International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People
Postponement of the 20th ASSITEJ World Congress & Performing Arts Festival / MIRAI 2020
We would like to express our sympathies to all those who are suffering from the new coronavirus and all those around the world whose lives have been affected by the spread of the infection.
ASSITEJ International and the ASSITEJ Japan Centre have been in repeated discussions, keeping an eye on the rapidly changing situation of Japan and the world. We deeply share the belief that the event is of great significance. We are convinced it will be a great and rare opportunity to experience the fascinating productions of the invited companies from around the world, together with other audiences in the theatre, and the feeling of crossing cultural boundaries. However, the threat of the coronavirus, which has evolved into a global pandemic, is far beyond what we can imagine and respond to. Under these circumstances, what matters most is the health and safety of everyone.
Thus, we make a joint statement here that the 20th ASSITEJ World Congress & Performing Arts Festival / MIRAI will be unavoidably postponed, most likely to the second half of March 2021.
>>For full information please click here
IATC - International Association of Theatre Critics – Congress in Bratislava
The General Secretariat of IATC has announced that their 30th Congress in May 2020, in Bratislava, Slovakia, has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The Congress is now planned to happen in Bratislava as well during the New Drama Festival 10 - 16 May 2021.
More information: https://aict-iatc.org/en/
Contact: contact(at)aict-iatc.org
WMO – World Mime Organization
Invitation to all performing artists: #artistsagainstcorona
The #artistsagainstcorona initiative became a global campaign on Facebook and Instagram and other social networks. We have more and more colleagues posting free artistic content so that people around the world would spend quality time at home in (self) isolation as the only prevention from the Covid-19 virus and the pandemic we are all faced with.
The #umetniciprotivkorone Facebook group has become a central point for all that want to enjoy shared free artistic content. All the national media have promoted this campaign for free.
Other localised hashtags and Facebook groups/pages:
English: #artistsagainstcorona
https://www.facebook.com/groups/498880847462818/
Serbian: #umetniciprotivkorone
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2915161935209567/
Italian: #artisticontroilcorona
https://www.facebook.com/groups/778426539229922/
Portuguese: #artistascontraocorona
https://www.facebook.com/artistascontraocorona/
Indonesian: #senimanmelawancorona
https://www.facebook.com/groups/208927417000684/
Polish: #artyscikontrakoronawirus
https://www.facebook.com/artistsagainstcorona/
Please join this extremely valuable effort to help the uplift the spirit of people around the world so that they are able to survive during this pandemic with the help of performing and other artists.
For more information please write to Marko Stojanović president(at)worldmime.org
Photo Credit: Dara Gravara Stojanović
Conference Communicating the Arts – The Art of Placemaking
22 to 24 June 2020 in Lausanne/Switzerland
This year, Lausanne in Switzerland will host Agenda’s leading arts conference Communicating the Arts (CTA). Taking place over three days, more than 250 of the world’s leading professionals from visual and performing arts will gather at CTA from 22 to 24 June to discuss the latest trends, learnings and best practices in the cultural sector. This is a unique opportunity to meet the key decision-makers and experts in the cultural sector from all over the world.
The theme of this year’s edition of CTA is the ‘art of placemaking’, which will be explored through a series of interactive case studies, keynotes and round table discussions. Each session is designed to help participants better understand the growing contribution that cultural organisations are making to our cities and people’s everyday lives.
CTA is delighted to offer ITI members a preferred rate to attend the conference.
>>Please register here using the code CTALAU_ITI to benefit from a 20% discount. >>To have more information and to have access to the press release click here and a >>brochure click here
Call for participation: The International Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Arts Festival Forum / Workshops for Peace and Climate Justice
The program will be observed in the City of Manila, in conjunction with UNESCO’s International Arts Education Week from May 20th to the 26th. For any questions please get in touch with Cecile Guidote Alvarez, President of the Philippine Centre of ITI.
>>Click here to view the Project Brief
>>Click here to view the Newsletter about this event
>>Click here to view the Event Schedule
>>Click here to view the Congratulatory Message of Department of Foreign Affairs
>>Click here to view the letter for ITI Colleagues
Slovak Centre of ITI: Announcing Nová dráma/New Drama Festival 2020
The Nová dráma/New Drama Festival will take place from 11 to 16 May 2020 in Bratislava. The Festival of contemporary Slovak and world drama is an annual presentation of the best contemporary Slovak and world drama productions.
The main programme offers eight performances of contemporary plays staged in the last year, which will be observed by an international jury. The best performance will receive the Grand Prix Nová drama/New Drama 2020.
We are happy to announce German playwright Falk Richter as a godfather of Festival 2020 and a special guest and pleased to offer a rich additional programme with the special festival section Focus Austria, bringing insight into the theatre of this country.
The year 2020 marks a major jubilee: the centenary of the foundation of the Slovak National Theatre (1 March 1920). Therefore, we prepare also a Showcase of Slovak theatre as well as international conference Recycling In The Performing Arts: From Creativity To Commerce and the Congress International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT).
The program will be available in March.
The Japanese Theatre Director and Educator Tadashi Suzuki receives the Yuri Lyubimov International Theatre Award 2019
The Yuri Lyubimov International Theatre Award, established by the Lyubimov Charity Foundation for the Development of Theatre Art and the International Theatre Institute (ITI), was presented on 16 November 2019 to the Japanese director and educator Tadashi Suzuki at the Alexandrinsky Theatre after his performance “Cyrano de Bergerac” which was part of the Theatre Olympics, held in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The award ceremony happened in the Tsar's lobby of the theatre in the presence of actors and interested theatre people. The ceremony was hosted by Katalin Lyubimova, Chairwomen of the Foundation, and Mohamed Saif Al-Afkham, President of ITI. In his speech, the President of ITI underlined the significance of the Yuri Lyubimov Award and the value and importance of the life-long work of Tadashi Suzuki. Welcoming addresses were handed over to the Japanese laureate from Tobias Biancone, Director General of ITI, and Anatoli Vassiliev, stage director and Yuri Lyubimov Awardee 2018 who both could not be present during the cultural event in Saint Petersburg.
Attached are the >>messages of Tobias Biancone, DG ITI; >>and Anatoli Vassiliev for the event.
International Playwrights’ Forum: New Deadline for the Submission of Entries for the International Competition: Dramatic Adaptations of Sholem Aleichem Short Stories
The International Playwrights’ Forum is prolonging the deadline for the submitting stories to 31 May 2020.
More information about the Competition:
>>English version click here
>>French version click here
Coletivo Egrégora: Open Call for Emerging Artists
The Coletivo Egrégora would like to invite young artists interested in exchanging experiences and knowledge with two Brazilian artists, Gab Mariquito and Jeff Fagundes, who will be on a Europen tour between 21 July 21 August 2020 with the dance theatre solos NIDRA and IROKO: Meu Universo, beginning its trajectory in Lisbon and ending it in Amsterdam.
Through this journey, the two artists seek to foster cultural exchange between the political ways of independent art in Brazil and in countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands and other countries that have any group who want to talk about young contemporary theatre.
If you are interested, please contact:
E-mail: coletivoegregora(at)gmail.com
Phone: Gab Mariquito +55 21 979 511 169
Jeff Fagundes +55 21 995 071 340
Call for the 9th Methodika: “Assuming the Future is Shaping the Future”
Assuming the Future is Shaping the Future is the title of the 9th Methodika, the International Festival for Theatre Training Methods. It is scheduled from 25 to 29 September 2020 in Pescara, Italy.
The Artistic Director Dr Jurij Alschitz invites artists, actresses, actors, directors, teachers, pedagogues for the unique opportunity to share, discuss and develop the most unusual ideas for theatre training and rehearsal practice.
This year the format of the International Festival for Theatre Training Methods Methodika will give to every participant the unique possibility to express and develop yet unrealized methodological ideas. What today seems like a crazy or risky proposition may easily become the future of theatre training and rehearsing. In this way, the 9th Methodika is not only a space of sharing but also creating new theatre methods and professional networks. Finally, Methodika wants to celebrate the artistic aspect of teaching.
The participation is free of charge (only the administration fee of 90 € is applied). Application is required. Please send your expression of interest to methodika(at)theatreculture.org to ensure your place. We will get back to you with more information. Contact: +39 08 5431 0119 / +39 33 3422 6744
The 9th Methodika is an invitation to all visionary artists!
The 9th Methodika, led by the World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT, is part of the joint research programme on Hybrid Theatre Training of the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts. The 9th Methodika is hosted by Didattica Teatrale and Media Museum Pescara, Italy.
>>More information, click here.
>>Note of the Artisitic Director Dr. Jurij Alschitz please click here.
Open Call for Speakers for Theatre Training in Hyperspace
Experts’ Colloquium about New Dimensions for the Theatre Training
An initiative by Dr Jurij Alschitz; concept and moderation Christine Schmalor.
The Experts’ Colloquium about New Dimensions for Theatre Training is organized in the frame of the 6th International Theatre and Education Festival Forum “Nauruz” of the Galiaskar Kamal Tatar Academic Theatre in Kazan, Russia – from 10 to 12 June 2020
The challenge of digitality has arrived at all Institutions of the Arts. The ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts formed a working group to investigate the theme of Hybrid Education – the combination of online training and classroom tuition.
Any interested scientist or practitioner in the field of education, theatre training or production is invited to join and share experience.
While the first two days will take the shape of a work meeting, all participant of the festival will be invited to join the open panel discussion on the 12 June. The colloquium language will be English and Russian.
Open Call for Speakers
Please apply with a short proposition on the theme and content as fast as possible and send to akt.zent(at)berlin.de
Conditions: Full accommodation for 4 nights and local transport.
Furthermore, we encourage any interested person to join as a participant. Please use the registration form.
Connect 35 - Log on, join in, dance!
In a range of 35th-anniversary celebrations, Magpie Dance, the leading dance charity for children and adults with learning disabilities, launch Connect 35, a free, online, participatory dance opportunity.
People with and without a disability, and with and without dance experience, are encouraged to make and upload their own dances, using the number 35 as their inspiration. With participants from all over the UK and beyond, Connect 35 is set to break barriers to dance.
"We hope that you find inspiration from us and want to join in by making your own moves! Take part and upload your own video and help us share Connect 35 around the globe." Erica Moshman, Creative Learning Coordinator.
>>Click here for more information
eMotion - When dance and technology collide.
Join Magpie Dance for a dance technology festival - Try your hand at interactive exhibitions, immersive workshops and watch live performances. Suitable for all the family. >>Get your tickets online
Activities include: Dancing with Meccanoid, Immersive pop up performances, Exhibition, Interactive Lights performance in the studio theatre, VR Headsets, Sphero experience
Calls of the Accademia Teatro Dimitri
The Accademia Teatro Dimitri, member of the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts is announcing different calls.
Preliminary Auditions "Bachelor of Arts in Theatre" 2020/2021
The Bachelor of Arts in Theatre offers extensive training in the field of Physical Theatre. The teaching consists of regular lessons in core subjects, various academic workshops, numerous courses for further growth and the development of theatrical shows, which allow the students to gain a solid technical mastery in the theatrical and movement skills. Preliminary Auditions are held in: Bern, Berlin, Paris, Milano and Version. >>More information
Master of Arts in Theatre
The Accademia Dimitri offers two Master of Arts Programms with specialization on "Physical Theatre" and Teatro di Figura: Puppets, Objects and Material Theatre >>More information
Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Performing Arts Practice in Conflict Zones
In a globalized world in which the consequences of violence war and discrimination have become an integral part of our lives politics is created with angst demarcation and isolation determining everyday life. The CAS Performing Arts Practice in Conflict Zones offers an opportunity to open new spaces of reflection and action. >>More information
Easter and Sommer Courses for Adults During the months of July and August, the Accademia Teatro Dimitri offers an interesting and varied program of courses in Verscio. These are aimed at adults, both professionals and non-professionals, who are interested in physical theatre and would like to explore various fields such as dance, circus arts, pantomime, clowning, rhythm and theatrical improvisation. The Accademia also offers courses for kids. >>More information
Chinese Performing Arts – Issue #1 - Available on the Website of ITI
Shanghai Theatre Academy and International Theatre Institute are proud to announce the online availability of their joint publication “Chinese Performing Arts”. The book is available as a PDF. >>Please click here to download. If you would like to have the printed softcover book, please write to info(at)iti-worldwide.org. (Price 10 Euros plus mailing costs.)
Solidarity for the Reconstruction of the “Scène Espace Themacult”
The Theatre Maoundoh-Culture-Themacult (Director: Ismael Vangdar Dorsouma) and its partners, Lafia Compagnie (Artistic Director: Doro Dimanta) and the association Zon'Action (President: Anicet Djoubana Koublengar) request your solidarity for the reconstruction of its theatre scene, located in N’Djamena in Chad. It hosts, produces, co-produces and programmes various activities (shows, exhibitions, meetings, artistic residencies, etc.). The very bad state of this stage is a hindrance to activities in the space and in the neighbourhoods benefiting from these activities.
If you want to have >>more information about the project, please click here. >>To make an online donation click here.
New Publication – UNESCO & the International Theatre Institute ITI
The General Secretariat is proud to announce a new publication about the relationship of UNESCO & ITI. The 40-page publication illustrates the history of how UNESCO laid the first bricks which became the foundation of “The International Theatre Institute”. It sheds light on how ITI and UNESCO collaborate with each other: the UNESCO National Commissions and the Centres of a country, the country´s delegation to UNESCO in Paris with ITI worldwide. The publication is an invitation for the National Commission of UNESCO and the Centres to mutually assist each other and collaborate. It is a kind request to the National Delegations and National Commissions of UNESCO to help ITI to create Centres in countries where there are no Centres of ITI.
Furthermore, it might be interesting for anyone to find out what the relationship of UNESCO looks like.
The brochure is available in English and French. Spanish is in preparation. You may download the brochure here:
UNESCO & ITI – English version
UNESCO & ITI – version française
The General Secretariat of ITI may send you a copy or copies of the printed version. Please write to info(at)iti-worldwide.org to obtain yours.
The 36th ITI World Congress
As ITI members are asking “Where and when is the next ITI World Congress?”, the General Secretariat would like to inform you that two options have been considered and explored. One location is not yet ready to hold the Congress. For the second option the General Secretariat is in discussion with the concerned Centre and the Ministry of Culture of the country and hopes to give you more information as soon as possible.
New Publication “CULTURE 2030 - Indicators”
This 112-page publication, with a foreword by Ernesto OTTONE, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, has just been released. It focusses on Culture’s role in sustainable development, the key concepts and approaches; on UNESCO Culture Conventions and Programmes towards the agenda 2030; on the overall purpose and guiding principles; it illustrates how Culture fits in the Sustainable Development Goals and informs about the methodological approach and describes the indicators.
The publication is available in English, French and Spanish (online). You may download the Anglophone and francophone versions here:
CULTURE / 2030 – Indicators English version CULTURE / 2030 - Indicateurs – version française
International Symposium 21st CENTURY ACTORS, Lodz, Poland
The Mieczysław Hertz Theater Institute and The Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre in Łódź are preparing a project called International Symposium 21st CENTURY ACTORS Methods / Traditions / Explorations. The event will take place in Poland in Łódź from the 23 October-25 October 2020. The aim of the Symposium is to review the acting methods that underline the education and artistic practice of actors in the 21st century, and to present brand new explorations in this field.
>>For more information about the Symposium please click here. To have information’s about the MAT click here. All people interested in participation should contact: sympozjum(at)metacademy.eu and visit their website : http://matacademy.eu/en/
IETM/Theater der Zeit – New Publication
The most recent meeting of the IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts) in Munich has spawned a new publication which they wish to share with everyone. The new book, published in association with Theater der Zeit, is available in English and German, and tackles theatres role in the world alongside issues such as post-colonialism and diversity.
>>For more information, please click here.
The Director General’s Congress Report
35th ITI World Congress, 14 to 22 July 2017, Segovia/Spain
The Director General’s Congress Report (35th ITI World Congress) is now available in English and French for download.
>>Please click here to download different versions.
Discover UNESCO Platform for Cultural Policies
UNESCO's Policy Monitoring Platform supports evidence-based policy making for the promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions in the hope of creating more informed, transparent and participatory systems of governance for culture. A new platform detailing their Innovative practices is now available for you all to look at and get involved with. >>To further explore, please click here.
Intercultural Communications Studies MA Programme / Shanghai Theatre Academy
The Shanghai Theatre Academy is creating an MA Programme in Intercultural Communication Studies. This two-year English-taught programme includes the required first year full-time residency and an optional second year residency for project-based internships. Open to international students. Contact: Shirley ZOU micgirl(at)126.com or sta_international(at)163.com. >>For full information please click here.
Open call for actors
Discover ALthattheatre, an innovative project of self-development for the artist. This is a chance to explore the most complex ideas and questions about the Theatre and your place within its sphere. The aim is not to pass on knowledge, but to engage everyone in the development of knowledge for each individual to become a master. The project consists of several weeks of self-preparation already in dialogue with a teacher followed by three work-intensive weeks in Sestola (Italy) conducted by Jurij Alschitz and his team of teachers. This methodological experiment is limited to a selected number of participants to allow for each artist’s individuality to shine through and continuously develop.
>>Please find here the words of Jurij Alschitz himself explaining his ideas in more detail, and >>here the link to apply.
ITI Inter-Europe Artist Exchange Programme
The Committee for Emerging Artists (ITI NEAP) have been busy over the last few months working on projects all over the world. One of these has been the inaugural ITI Inter-Europe Artist Exchange Programme. After ITI Centres agreed to participate in the project, they were paired together in January via a draw and have since been working together to arrange to send emerging artists to their partnering countries for a short artistic residency. The aim is to give emerging artists the opportunity to create original work in a different cultural landscape from that which they're used to, and to give Centres around Europe the opportunity to strengthen ties and work together on a continent-wide project. The pairings are United Kingdom-Greece, Macedonia FYROM-Italy-Russia, and Switzerland-Slovenia. The dates of the exchanges can be found in the image below. So far, the artists selected to represent each country are as follows: United Kingdom: Adam Wheeler; Macedonia FYROM: Gorjan Milosevski; Slovenia: Dorian Silec and Switzerland: Stefanie Bölzli & Robert Diaz.
For more updates on ITI NEAP's activities and to read interviews with each of the selected artists, please like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NEAPofITI/ or for more information about the project, please email the project coordinator Fin Ross Russell at fin(at)islandlifeproductions.com
ITI Panels
Panels introducing ITI to the world have been created in English and French. If you want to see them, they are available in low resolution here. If you want to print them, please send an email to info(at)iti-worldwide.org and we will send you the high-resolution version for quality print.
Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts
The ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts is a Network that follows the rules and guidelines of UNITWIN, a programme of the Education Sector of UNESCO, intended to twin academia with UNESCO and support UNESCO to reach their goals. The ITI/UNESCO Network is dedicated to working for the education in the performing arts and intends to follow the humanistic, educational and artistic goals of ITI and UNESCO that are formulated in the Charter of the Network. These are the activities and projects that the Network is undertaking or developing: Conferences, Student Festivals, Directory/Mapping Project, Exchange of Students and Educators, Research Projects, Books, Audio & Multimedia Publications, Exhibitions, Intangible Heritage Research & Preservation, Knowledge & Knowhow Transfer, Competitions, Awards and so on. Please get in touch with the Network if your institution is interested in joining by writing to Chen Zhongwen: chen.zhongwen(at)iti-worldwide.org or if you want to subscribe to the Newsletter of the Network by writing to: Tom Johnson: tom.johnson(at)iti-worldwide.org To read the first Newsletter of the Network for Higher Education in the performing art >>in English please click here, >>in French please click here, and >>in Spanish please click here.
Open Call for Publications in ITI info
Short guidelines for Publications for ITI-info, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of ITI. The idea is to represent Arabian, African, Asian, European and American wonderful Faces of Theatre. Please, contribute your love and pride, your thoughts and knowledge to the joint non-commercial project. Here on pages of the magazine we meet each other again, but with a lot of necessary information to make new contacts and share new channels of collaboration. >>For more information please check the call here.
Toolkit for ITI Centres – Tools for Opening and Running a Centre
For quite a while the members of the General Secretariat assembled all the available information that concerns the opening and running of an ITI Centre and put it together in a publication.. It answers questions such as: Who founded ITI? What is the procedure to open a Centre? What are the ongoing artistic, educational and humanistic activities of ITI? How to go about to approach a National UNESCO Commission? What are the tools for increasing membership? Etc. The Toolkit for ITI Centres is available in English, French and Spanish. Please write to info(at)iti-worldwide.org so that we can send you a copy in the language(s) of your choice. The publication exists in PDF format.