A Fair New Idea?! #2: Supporting highly ambitious international collaboration with no or low travel in the performing arts
A Fair New Idea?! call 2: Sustainability and international collaboration
A Fair New Idea?! is about far more than supporting one project towards further development. Below you find one of theSustainability and international collaboration, which were is developed further in the trajectory, but therefore not less valuable.
What aspect of working internationally interests you?
I’m concerned with how to create equitable models for low environmental impact collaborations, commissions and touring in theatre and live art.
Description of the idea:
In March 2021, LIFT launched a pilot project, CONCEPT TOURING COMMISSIONS. This pilot project is dedicated to artists developing concepts for international touring projects with little or no human travel. We’ve created an online residency where 8 artists receive commissions and mentorship to develop & adapt ideas to explore ways to tour, exhibit & collaborate internationally. https://bit.ly/38WWHUJ The residency takes place from April-June 2021. I want to use involvement in the working group to inform the project as it’s in process, to help how I guide artists, to share LIFT’s findings and shape the next stages of these commissions (moving from idea to production stage in phase 2) and our next cohort/call out. Investigating the ethical tensions related to this emerging practice of remote work vis a vis authorship, artistic licence, cultural exchange/appropriation, South/North dynamics, right of mobility is vital. I want to explore this and develop my practice as a commissioner & presenter of this work with the group.
How might this impact international practice unfolding within or with Flanders and Brussels and beyond?
The aim is to develop projects which can influence practice in the performing arts around the world, including in Flanders and Belgium. LIFT hasclose ties with Flanders and Brussels. We collaborate with Flemish and Brussels organisations like Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Kaai, Campo and Vooruit. Kopano Maroga, (dramaturg at Vooruit) is one of our 4 international mentors on this pilot project. To make this Flemish/BXL collaboration more impactful, LIFT could: -introduce artists and the projects developed on this pilot scheme to Flemish theatres and festivals -ally with Flemish arts presenters to co-commission a second set of concepts or take these concepts to production phase -share methodologies with colleagues and peers via training, online publications and mentorships Low/no travel international collaboration will become a fast-growing trend. Developing a shared expertise and ethos to support artistic ambition and consequent, vital ideas will ensure we’re establishing international best practice.
Contact details
Kris Nelson, kris@liftfestival.com
