Last year, Luke Kerridge was selected as the Australian delegate for the Directors in TYA Exchange. In June, Luke attended the Exchange in Hamburg. Below, Luke reflects on his time there, with photos that he took.

30 directors. 20 countries. Six days. One goal: to reassemble the world.

This year marked the 50th edition of the ASSITEJ TYA Directors Exchange – a gathering that included theatre directors from Ghana, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, India, Lebanon, Singapore, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Austria, Mexico, Brazil, Serbia, Ireland, the USA, New Zealand, and Australia.

The schedule was full. The conversations were rich. The care and respect for one another, and for the process, was off the charts.

Much of our time was spent uncovering and honouring our differences – in context, language, and culture – but what shone through were the remarkable similarities we shared. The passion and determination it takes to forge ahead in theatre for young audiences – no matter where you come from or what you’re working with – was undeniable.

At the centre of the exchange were the voices of children. Each director brought a video from their home country featuring young people responding to a series of provocations, including the question, “What do you wish everyone in the world knew?”

The responses were strikingly similar: a global call from children and young people for adults to take them – and the art made by and for them – seriously. To stop deferring real action on climate change and to act, now. To choose peace.

I can’t overstate how valuable it was to consider my practice in a global context like this – and how deeply nourishing it was to become part of a new global community for whom the value of art for children is a given. The sense of shared purpose was palpable.

Could theatre actually help reassemble the world? There were moments during the week when it felt like maybe it could. Whether or not that proves true, I feel sure that 30 artists walked away re-invigorated, perspectives widened, and ready to give it their best shot.