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Monday,
19 May 2008

REPORT ON YOUNG CRITICS’ SEMINARS - Sofia IATC Congress 2008

Between the extraordinary congress in Seoul in October 2006 and the current congress in Sofia 2008, three seminars took place: a first one in Novi Sad in May-June 2007, a second one in Cordoba, Argentina, and the third in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, both in October 2007.
For 2008 two seminars are confirmed: one in Wiesbaden, Germany, in June within the “Neue Stücke aus Europa” biennal, the other in Jonquière, Canada, in September in connection with the puppet theatre festival “Maniganses”.
Two more seminars are confirmed and being planned for spring 2009: one in Tamasi Aron Theatre in Sfântu Gheroghe, Romania, in March, one in Amsterdam in connection with the Holland festival in June.

1.
In this report we would like to draw attention to some aspects that have characterised seminars in these last five years, regarding the number of participants, the number of monitors and working languages.

Mainly for budgetary reasons, festivals and other organisations hosting IATC seminars usually don’t have the capacity to invite more than 10 to 14 participants, sometimes even fewer. That somewhat changes the system we have had for a long time that included the presence of two monitors and the director of the seminars in the role of co-ordinator. Today, usually we work with
only two monitors, one most of the times “local”, and the other one assuming both the role of monitor and co-ordinator. As the number of seminars every year is rarely less than three, it has become common for the director of seminars to delegate the functions of co-ordination to one of the monitors, as it happened with Jean-Pierre Han in Novi Sad and Paulo Eduardo Carvalho in Santiago.

Traditionally, when groups of 20 participants were still possible, the working languages of the seminars were French and English allowing for the division of the group in two subgroups. Nowadays, due to the reduction of the number of participants and to the decrease of Frenchspeaking young people, the creation of two equal subgroups has become almost impossible, frequently demanding bilingual monitors. The organisation of a first seminar in South America, the one in Cordoba, Argentina – initiative of our colleague Halima Tahan –, demanded a new adaptation of IATC’s practises, having for the first time Spanish as the dominant working language. Adaptability, together with the maintenance of our association’s standards, have somehow guided
our efforts towards a more flexible and modern structure of the seminars in close collaboration with the hosting entities.

2.
During the last five years we have more and more often worked with thematic seminars, due to their inclusion in festival with specific profiles. In this period 2007-08 the Novi Sad seminar within the Sterijino Pozorje Festival had a theme, “In/out of context”, concerning the special aspects of international theatre festivals and their relations to a regional theatrical landscape. The planned seminar in Jonquière, Canada, 2008 will deal with particular aspects of a varied range of performing languages, such as puppetry, masks etc. Experience has proved that a thematic young critic’s seminar is often more fruitful than general ones.

Some of these seminars included writing for a local theatre magazine or journal, together with, in other occasions the participation in round tables and similar public events. Likewise, the possibilities opened by the electronic media are creating new opportunities for a more direct exposure through blogs, portals, net-editions of papers, etc.

3.
A new type of collaboration is now being experienced, namely the organisation of a seminar together with an independent critic outside of IATC, for the festival of new plays in Wiesbaden. We are trying to balance this co-operation, and will get back later with an evaluation.

4.
The organisation of young critics’ seminars remains as one of IATC’s most significant activities, particularly in the renewal of its membership and the revitalisation of its perspectives on criticism as has proved in this congress’ papers. Specifically the “alumni” seminar in Seoul produced a circle of younger critics of great importance for the international association and the seminars. That is the reason why we consider of the utmost importance the inclusion of a special section in the new web site of the association, dedicated to young critics. This section could also have links to other young critics’ activities.

Margareta Sörenson , director of the seminars for young critics
 
 
 
Seminars
   Seminar in Wiesbaden
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Monday,
18 February 2008

New critics’ seminar in Wiesbaden

The theatre festival "New Plays from Europe 2008 " –" Neue Stücke aus Europa 2008" in Wiesbaden invites  applications to a seminar for eight young professional theatre critics, which will take place between 13-19 June 2008. The seminar is a collaboration between IATC and the festival and will be conducted by Margareta Sörenson (Director of IATC training seminars) together with Jürgen Berger (German theatre critic, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Theater Heute). Seminar participants will also be responsible for producing a festival bulletin, with Jürgen Berger in charge as its editor.

The working language of the seminar will be English; the bulletin is published in English and German.

The festival gathers together new and exciting plays from Europe’s stages, performed by companies from the countries themselves. It is famous for the warmth of its welcome, and the many informal opportunities it provides to meet playwrights from all over Europe.

Applications should be sent in two copies, one to Margareta Sörenson (soerenson@swipnet.se) and one to the festival (biennale@staatstheater-wiesbaden.de) including an endorsement from a national critics’ association within IACT, a short CV and a recent theatre review in translation to either English, German or French. Applicants must be practising critics with at least one year’s experience, and preferably under the age of 35. The selection of the applicants will be made by Jürgen Berger and Margareta Sörenson together. Applicants will have their travel costs covered to a maximum 300 EU; free accommodation, meals and theatre tickets are likewise provided.

Deadline for applications is 15th of March; applicants will be notified by 30th April. For more information about the festival visit www.newplays.de
 
 
 
Seminars
   New seminars for young critics
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Saturday,
21 April 2007

New seminars for young critics

Young critics’ seminar in Cordoba, Argentina,
1-7 October, 2007
Young critic´s seminar during the Festival de Teatro Mercosur, Cordoba, Argentina
1-7 October, 2007

During the first week of October an IACT seminar for young theatre critics will be organized in Cordoba, hosted by the Festival de Teatro del Mercosur, an international theatre festival with a strong presence of latin american theatre. Cordoba, in the center of Argentina, is the second city of the country, with a rich theatrical life.  The festival will present theatre productions from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay as well as performances from Spain, France and Germany.
The IATC seminar is focusing on contemporary theatrical forms and new realities within theatre. Working languages will be English and Spanish, and ten international critics are invited to work together with a number of Argentinian young critics. The young critics must finance their travel to Cordoba, but  the festival generously invites the participants to hotel rooms, meals and theatre tickets. The seminar is working four-five morning hours, some free time is offered in the afternoon before the theatre performances at night.

The seminar will be directed by Margareta Sörenson, Swedish theatre and dance critic, responsable of the IATC young critic’s international seminars and vice-president of IATC internaional. She will be assisted by an Argentinian critic. Applications should be sent to Margareta Sörenson, soerenson@swipnet.se, at the latest 31st of August. A recommendation from the national AICT section where the young critic is a member, is compulsory. The list of participants accepted will be presented during the first week of September. Communications by e-mail only.

Young critics’ seminar in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 23-27 October, 2007
The IATC is inviting to a Seminar for Young Professional Theatre Critics in Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia (northwest Spain).  The seminar is hosted by the festival “Feira de Teatro de Galicia”, with the support of the “Instituto Galego das Artes Escénicas e Musicais”. Collaborative partners are the Spanish Association of Theatre Directors (ADE, its section of Theatre Studies, the Spanish section of IATC), and the “Escola Superior de Arte Dramática de Galicia”.

The festival “Feira do Teatro de Galicia” is promoted by the Galician “Consellería de Cultura e Deporte” and the “Instituto Galego das Artes Escénicas e Musicais” and is now in its 15th edition. It is dedicated to the presentation of a wide variety of works developed by Galician and other Spanish companies, performed in an equally wide diversity of spaces, from conventional theatre buildings to bars and local “tabernas”. 

The seminar will take place between 23 and 27 October 2007 (arriving date: 22, departure day: 28). The 16 seminar participants are offered hotel, meals and theatre tickets. (Notice that you may have to share a room.) The festival also assures the transportation of the participants from and to the airport. Working hours of the seminar: daily 10-14h. The working languages of the seminar will be English, Portuguese and Galician and the seminar will be directed by Paulo Eduardo Carvalho, from the Portuguese Association of Theatre Critics, and currently assisting director of the international IATC seminars for young critics. 

Applications should be sent to Paulo Eduardo Carvalho, pauloec@netcabo.pt before June 30th. A recommendation from an IATC national critic’s association is compulsory.
 
 
 
Seminars
   Young Critics Seminars in 2007
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Wednesday,
14 February 2007

Young Critics Seminars in 2007
Novi Sad, Serbia -  May : Applications are welcome now!
Santiago de Compostella - Spain - October
Cordoba, Argentina – October
(Another seminar will take place in Vigo, Spain, in 2008.)

YOUNG THEATRE CRITICS’ SEMINAR IN NOVI SAD

The Sterijino Pozorje festival in Novi Sad, Serbia, has developed into a meeting point for contemporary theatre. Novi Sad is a charming University town on the Danube, two hours’ journey from Belgrade, with its own National Theatre.

The festival invites young theatre critics to an IATC seminar to take place during the first week of the festival from May 28 to June 2. (Date of arrival: May 27, day of departure: June 3.) There will be places for 15 participants, 10 international and 5 from Serbia. Participants should be under 35 years of age and have at least a year’s experience of published theatre criticism.

Visit <http://www.pozorje.yu>  for the program of the festival from the middle of March.

The seminar is entitled IN/OUT of context and will focus on questions regarding the work of theatre critics in international festivals and in new places. Important theatre names travel around the theatre world and critics as well as audiences more and more often visit international productions.

How is the local context to be evaluated? How does one embrace and experience productions coming from different societies? How can we share these aspects with the readers of our reviews?

The seminar will be directed by the  French critic Jean-Pierre Han, who will monitor  the French speaking participants, together with Andrea Tompa, from Hungary, monitoring the English speaking ones. The seminar’s host, the festival, offers hotel, meals and theatre tickets to the participants. Travel to Belgrade is to be covered by the participants themselves; the festival will provide a shuttle service from the airport to Novi Sad.

Applications should be adressed to Jean-Pierre Han by e-mail exclusively, jp.han@free.fr before April15; a recommendation from the national IACT section is compulsory.
 
 
 
Congresses
   Seoul - Young Critics Summary
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October 2006
 Theatre criticism, new criticism and young critics

During the extraordinary congress in Seoul in October, a special edition of the IATC seminars for
young critics ran in parallel. 17 young critics were finally selected, almost all of them having
experienced one or two previous international seminars for young critics in the world.
We were working for short afternoon sessions, trying to focus - for once - not on the performances
we were the opportunity to attend, but on questions related to our profession and its conditions in
different parts of the world.

In a final presentation (Oct. 25) to all congress members, the seminar participants tried to launch
some of the ideas, problems and topics that seem to be crucial in our time. Mostly, they were
related to the quick development of new media, especially in the Internet, like blogs and web site
publications.
The young critiques were very clear on one point: IATC must update itself to the needs of today,
and improve in letting younger generations into the active work as critics and as members of the
organisation.

A multitude of questions were finally grouped under four headlines:

1. Pluralism
It is time to say “Bonjour pluralisme”! Stop ignoring the rich variety in the media! Newspapers are
still more prestigious, but Internet is reaching theatre goers and readers (and sometimes interactive
readers), younger generations, etc., with a more global and international capacity. It is time to have
a more inclusive approach to the critics being active in The Internet - try to find them, reach them,
make them join the IATC and update our work.
Democratic, accessible and open minded, all this is true, but with the idea of pluralism come also
other aspects: are all opinions acceptable and with the same value? Are there no limits, no rules for
theatre criticism in these new media? We need a consistent discussion on such questions.
The definition of “theatre criticism” must in IATC embrace academic criticism and newspaper
criticism and any variety of the two; structures of this differ a lot from one country to another, but
theatre critics of different traditions should all feel welcome in IATC.

2. Quality
Can anyone be a theatre critic? Who has the right to claim to be one? The Internet lets anyone
express him or herself. It is democratic, but also a challenge to our profession, skill and capacity.
We can only compete with our knowledge and our ability to describe, our perfection in language
and expression, capable to inspire audiences and theatres. It is not enough to have a cultivated
background in literature to reflect on the theatrical life - we should also have a wider view on social
contexts, the span between history and future, we should aspire to something new.
A suggestion in practice is that young critics start to circulate a newsletter (monthly to start with...)
informing on what is new, interesting, important in theatre today where they live and work.

3. Ethics
New media are challenging the authors’ rights to some extent, but generally speaking the ethics of a
theatre critic are about the same on the Internet as in any other publication. International laws and
the national jurisdiction should be respected in the same way as for paper publications.
IATC should defend its members and their possibilities to work; we should also argue among our
members for the virtues of the profession: seriousness, quality, continuity.

4. Gender, age, ‘globality’ and other balances
IATC should better mirror the fact that today’s critics are increasingly women, but also should
other balances be respected such as a between the western world and the rest of the globe, and
between different ages and years of experience. Aspects of equality and discussions on norms
should help the work of the IATC in the national centres as well as in the ex-com.

Some proposals:
A young critic’s newsletter (as mentioned above)
Young critics could run one or several seminars for young critics
A special seminar on gender issues/equality
Seminar with external monitors (Kristeva was mentioned!)
Web site / blog critics should be represented in the ex-com
Representatives of young critics should be represented in ex-com meetings

Discussions and proposal presented by
Margareta Sörenson, Director of the IATC training seminars for young critics
 
 
 
Seminars
   Seminars for young critics in 2006
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Wednesday,
29 March 2006
 Three training seminars for young theatre critics are taking place in 2006. Young professional theatre critics were invited to participate. Application period: April-May. The accepted participants were informed by the end of June.

NOTE: THE VILNIUS SEMINAR IS NOW FULL; A FEW PLACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE IN THE CHARLEVILLE AND SEOUL SEMINARS.

1. Within the framework of the international festival of puppetry in Charleville-Mézières, France, a seminar is being organised with the theme "Theatre and Puppetry". This will focus on the relations between live actors theatre and the cross-over performing arts puppets-shadows-animation. Date: 15-22 September.

2. The Sirenos festival in Vilnius, Lithuania, will host a seminar for young critics between the 26th September and 1st of October. The festival will elaborate on the theme of scenography, which the seminar will also follow.

3. In Seoul, Korea, during the extraordinary congress for the 50th anniversary of IATC, a seminar will be hosted by the Seoul Performing Arts Festival. Young critics who already participated in a seminar later than 2000 are given priority for this seminar, which is aiming at profound exchange concerning the future of criticism.

Applications will be accepted from the 1st of April by the director of the seminars, Margareta Sörenson: soerenson@swipnet.se

1. Name (female/male)
2. Age (max. 35)
3. Nationality
4. CV and samples of published/broadcasted criticism
5. Recommendation (compulsory) by the national IATC section mailed separately; individual members send their application directly to the director of seminars.
6. Working language: French/English
7. E-mail address (communication will be established by e-mail only)

Seminars of 2005

The last two seminars of the IATC took place in Limoges, France, and in Montreal, Quebec (Canada) in September 2005.

For information, please go to the Annexes of the minutes of the Umea Excom meeting, which is in the "Excom" page, in the "Archives" section of this website.
 
 
Copyright..IATC - International Association of Theatre Critics / AICT - Association internationale des critiques de théâtre..2008