TNA STUFF

New ASSITEJ Advisory Committee
TNA is very happy to announce the 2023 ASSITEJ Advisory Committee. Established in 2020, the committee is made up of representatives from the performance with/for/by young people sector from across the country. Together with ASSITEJ International President and Australia Representative Sue Giles, the committee provides advocacy, leadership, sector consultation, and advice.

Sue Giles AM (VIC), Kevin du Preez (NSW), Zac James (WA), Belinda Kelly (TAS), Romi Kupfer (VIC), Fleur Kilpatrick (SA), Zoe Scogings (NT), Joshua Maxwell (NSW), and Fiona MacDonald (QLD).

LeaderShift
In 2023, TNA is launching a pilot program of LeaderShift, engaging a group of diverse people already working in organisations, as well as their organisations, to address systemic inequity in performing arts leadership. We will support up to eight mid-career arts professionals currently working in performing arts organisations, including paid professional development. Apply by December 5.

NATIONAL STUFF

National Youth Performing Arts sector online meet-up
The final National Youth Performing Arts sector online meet-up for this year hosted by ATYP is on Thursday Nov 17 1-2pm (AEDT). Updates from the sector, TNA, and the Australia Council. If you’d like to attend, please contact Bec at ATYP.

Youth Dance Australia
TNA has recently been working with youth dance organisations from around the country to formalise and provide support for the Youth Dance Australia (YDA) network (and launch a new website!). The YDA committee will host quarterly meetups for anyone involved or interested in youth dance practice, providing advocacy, visibility and networking opportunities. The next meetup is Nov 23 – contact YDA for an invite.
INTERNATIONAL STUFFThe 21st ASSITEJ World Congress: Voices of a New World
May 24 – June 1, 2024 – Havana, Cuba.
Every three years ASSITEJ holds a World Festival, which presents the world’s most outstanding works in theatre for children and young people and a Congress attended by more than 80 member countries. Cuba will host the 21st ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival in 2024 in Havana.

With a focus on Latin and Carribean work, the Congress will host up to 25 works (8-10 Cuban and 15 foreign), with each work presenting 3-4 times to audiences. There will also be a large program of lectures, seminars, and symposia. ASSITEJ Cuba will open a call for applications to present work or contribute to the program – stay tuned!

Over the next 18 months TNA will be assisting and supporting the sector in Australia to attend the Congress. Let us know if you are already considering attending!

15 Nov – Call for Performances, ASSITEJ Norway
The Norwegian ASSITEJ Festival 2023, 12-16 Sep 2023, is looking for performances about everything that is a matter of life and death – about what matters most. Performance fee, travel and accommodation provided. Apply by 15 Nov.

15 Nov – Puppetry residencies with Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes, France
Applications close 15 Nov for artists and organisations working in puppetry for residency opportunities with Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in France. Includes financial and venue support.

18 Nov – Delegate applications for K-PAP, Korea
ASSITEJ Korea is seeking delegates – TYA practitioners, administrators, and researchers from all countries – to K-PAP 2023 which runs alongside the Winter Festival in Seoul, Korea. Delegates get opportunities to watch five outstanding Korean TYA performances selected for our winter festival and meet Korean TYA professionals to build a network during their stay in Seoul. Meals, accommodation, tickets and registration included. Applications close Nov 18.

10 Dec – International Children’s Festival in Šibenik, Croatia
Applications are open for the 63^rd International Children’s Festival in Šibenik, Croatia on 24 June–8 July 2023. International theatres, ensembles, art organisations, associations or individual artists can apply by 10 Dec.

31 Dec – Alhusayni Alsagheer International Festival of Children’s Theatre, Iraq
Applications are open to present works for audiences aged 6-12 years at the 7th Annual Alhusayni Alsagheer International Festival of Children’s Theatre, Karbala Iraq. Meals, accommodation and local transport provided, travel costs partially supported. Apply by 31 Dec.

28 Feb – Call for Papers
ATINA (ASSITEJ Argentina) and ITYARN launch the call for papers to participate in the 6th International TYA Critics and Researchers Forum, Sep 2023 in Buenos Aires. The topic of the forum will be the tensions between what should, what can, and what is wanted in the performing arts for children and young people. Titles and abstracts due 28 Feb, 2023.

ASSITEJ International Update From Sue

This week the Executive Committee of ASSITEJ International is meeting in Jordan. This coincides with a Regional Workshop involving participants from Jordan and workshop leaders from Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. Regional development is a major focus of the Babel project funded by the EU and carried out by 14 partners across the ASSITEJ membership. In October I was at the Regional Workshop in Yogyakarta, hosted by Papermoon Puppet Theatre’s Pesta Boneka, where 6 different countries participated. Regional discussion is a vital mechanism to expand our knowledge of others’ work as well as the breadth of ways the work can be achieved and shared. It breaks down narrow notions of quality and what theatre is for, as well as enabling new voices.

Coffee Sessions continue: recent discussion on Diversity and Inclusion can be seen on the ASSITEJ website. Umbrella Networking session for National Centres recently focused on the Next Generation network – how to create pathways for emerging practitioners.

Keep in touch with the ASSITEJ community and international opportunities through the newsletter – you can sign up anytime.

Sue Giles AM
President, ASSITEJ International