The Next Generation Project – ‘Linz’ Report
      SCHAXPIR Festival, Linz, Austria 2009


  A reunion, a year after the birth of The Next Generation Project in Adelaide, Australia 2008.



The Beginning – Adelaide, Australia 2008

As part of the 16th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival in Adelaide, Australia May 2008 a new project called ‘Next Generation’ (hereafter named NG) was initiated, bringing together the Next Generation of young leaders from the around the world who create, produce and administrate theatre for children and young people. During this intensive ten day period, participants exchanged and shared ideas, thoughts, experiences and their creative goals. The extraordinary success of the Next Generation program displayed great potential in becoming an evolving artistic global network, offering increased opportunity for professional development, and cross-cultural collaboration that will ultimately benefit the global TYA sector.

The collective 23 members from 17 countries of the NG project are (in alphabetical order):

Roxanne Schroeder-Arce (USA): Director, Writer, Professor
Sonja Basic (Australia): Arts Administrator
Emma Beech (Australia): Performer
Adi Beery (Israel): Artistic Director
Jacob Boehme (Australia): Performer, Choreographer, Theatre Educator
Claudia Chidiac (Australia): Artistic Director, Producer
Yeon Choi (Korea): Theatre Set Designer
Fraser Corfield (Australia): Artistic Director, Director
Johanna Figl (Austria): Artistic Director
Nina Hajiyianni (UK): Director
Norifumi Hida (Japan): Academic Researcher
Sarah Jones (New Zealand / Wales): Director, Theatre Educator
Mohamed Karim (Egypt): Artistic Director
Katrine Karlsen (Denmark): Artistic Director, Performer
Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia): Writer
Sinje Kuhn (Germany): Theatre Educator, Researcher
Tim McGarry (Australia): Performer, Producer
Solange Perazzo (Argentina): Performer, Theatre Educator
Aracelia Guerrero Rodriguez (Mexico): Performer, Director, Producer
Outi Sädekallio (Finland): Performer, Producer, Theatre Educator
Daniel Ssettaba (Uganda): Producer, Theatre Educator, Director
Mark Teh (Malaysia): Director, Performer, Theatre Educator
Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull (Canada): Director, Performer, Writer

The Next Generation Project was seen as one of the key successes of the World Congress Event in Adelaide and in response the congress of ASSITEJ agreed to support the projects continuation and development over the next 3 years.

In addition to this - Stephan Rabl, Artistic Director of DSCHUNGEL WIEN and ASSITEJ Austria’s President, kindly offered the group a further opportunity to meet again during the SCHAXPIR Festival in Linz, Austria 2009.

NG members continue their relationship through net based dialogues and it is envisaged that an opportunity to meet in 2010 will emerge and finally in 2011 at the 17th World Congress in Denmark/Sweden.

Here is the statement that the NG group presented to the 16th ASSITEJ World Congress:

Statement to Congress

‘The Next Generation will utilise ASSITEJ’s acknowledgment as future arts industry leaders, by leading the future arts industry.

It will be a group devoid of nationality.

Instead, it will exist physically when brought together by ASSITEJ to create, learn and disseminate work, at international children’s’ and young people’s theatre festivals.

It will exist continuously as an internet-connected and evolving network of artists, drawing upon many countries’ education, mentors and best practice models.

It will exist ethically as an organization given to cultural equality of resources and a world’s worth of themes, forms and ideas.

It will exist now, and in three years (at the 2011 world congress in Denmark) examine what it has become.’


SCHAXPIR Festival, Linz, Austria 2009

The SCHAXPIR Festival was held in the European Capital of Culture 2009 Linz, Austria from June 25th to July 5th 2009. Prior to the Festival, each NG participant was individually responsible for accessing travel funds to attend this Festival in order to continue developing the NG Project and participate in the festival. Due to various circumstances, not all 23 members were able to attend this event.

The 15 NG members who attended the SCHAXPIR Festival were (in alphabetical order);

Roxanne Schroeder-Arce (USA)
Jacob Boehme (Australia)
Claudia Chidiac (Australia)
Yeon Choi (Korea)
Johanna Figl (Austria)
Nina Hajiyianni (UK)
Norifumi Hida (Japan)
Sarah Jones (New Zealand / Wales)
Katrine Karlsen (Denmark)
Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia)
Sinje Kuhn (Germany)
Tim McGarry (Australia)
Solange Perazzo (Argentina)
Aracelia Guerrero Rodriguez (Mexico)
Outi Sädekallio (Finland)

Activities

During the 10 days of the Festival, the NG’s schedule was tightly programmed by the festival artistic director Stephan Rabl, with the assistance of Johanna Figl. Once in Linz the NG group were chaperoned and assisted by Melika Ramic and Theresa Unger.

-Performances

During the festival NG members attended 34 shows - including co-productions, collaborations and world premieres from (predominantly) European theatre companies – together with numerous forums, seminars and dialogues with artists and theatre practitioners. There were also many networking and social events. Each show and forum proved highly valuable in assessing current art forms for young audiences in the European landscape. It also gave NG participants the opportunity of placing one’s own work objectively in the greater international landscape and offered opportunity to compare artistic values and approaches with shared reference points. The Festival witnessed the coming together of performers, producers, programmers and other people involved or interested in theatre for a young audience from all over the world.

-Practical Work

Within the Festival program, NG members were able to contribute to Linz 09; European Capital of Culture’s “80+1 - A Journey around the World” project, which strengthened the group’s involvement in the festival. A small 30 minute outdoor performance titled ‘Trink die Welt; Drink the World’ was presented at the Main Square of Linz on 30th of June with the water that each member brought from their home country prior to the festival. The performance was directed by Stephan Rabl with several separate rehearsals and workshops with NG members. Creating this performance provided the group with a new dynamic energy, as it was the first time that group members worked together practically. This was a significant opportunity for NG members to work together in an artistic context where the emphasis was not on spoken word, i.e. across language barriers with an international director.

 -Forums and Workshops

All NG members were provided with an opportunity to be involved in three separate presentations. Each presentation was set in a ‘free discussion’ format with the subject of ‘The Next Generation Project’. Within these forums, we sought to address:

1) Our current situations and the challenges we face in our country as a TYA theatre practitioner.
2) How the NG project effects our career both artistically and professionally and what outcomes we
expect to achieve from the project.
3) Our future collaborations and plans with other NG members.
4) The future potential of the NG network in relation to ASSITEJ as a world organisation.

Presentations were kindly attended by small numbers of international guests including EC members of ASSITEJ International. Feedback demonstrated that this sharing helped EC members and others understand the current status and positive effects of the NG project.

On July 3rd, a special opportunity to facilitate workshops in a number of Austrian schools throughout Linz particularly exited NG members. Members were sent in a pair or trio and led theatre based workshops for 6 to 12 year olds in seven different schools. Some schools specifically wanted workshops in English. All members faced different challenges working with Austrian school pupils and it broadened perspectives in finding new ways of communicating. Some of the work with the children and young people focussed on particular shows the children had seen and attempted to deconstruct the performance as well as offering the children an opportunity to creatively respond to what they had seen.

Solange Perazzo spoke in a co-presentation with Katariina Metsalampi of ASSITEJ Finland about the ASSITEJ workshop project between writers from the Latin American countries and the Nordic countries, which took place in Caracas, Venezuela in the beginning of December 2007. It was an investigation workshop with the title: How to stage difficult subjects – taboos – in theatre for young audiences.

Roxanne Schroeder-Arce and Finegan Kruckemeyer presented short readings of their two-mirrored new works; both titled ‘Shadow Dreams’. This sharing reminded the group of the importance of seeing tangible examples of project outcomes.

ITYARN

A great comradeship was created between the members of NG and ITYARN (International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network) in a meeting at the beginning of the SHAXSPIR Festival. ITYARN expressed particular interest in how NG’s project outcomes, through sharing of best practice models and experiences, could be applied to greater research. The ITYARN representatives (Manon van de Water and Roger Bedard) emphasized the importance of documenting records of all arts practice, for both artistic and educational purposes.

This may lead to liaisons with academic members of the NG group (Norifumi Hida, Sinje Khun and Roxanne Schroeder-Arce) and ITYARN who will host a forum at ASSITEJ World Congress 2011 where research papers will be shared and discussed.

On an individual level all NG participants were encouraged to become members of ITYARN www.ityarn.org and encouraged to continue communicating with ITYARN – be it ITYARN posing questions to NG members and/or NG members responding to papers and TYA research.

A number of research questions and ideas exist which we hope will form the basis for shared research, papers and publications, these questions (among others) will attempt to explore and account for the development of the NG project and articulate both its current value and future potential.

Research Questions – (Draft)

•    How have we (young artists) changed and developed our understanding of other cultures (and cultural practice) through involvement in the Next Generation Project?

•    How have we developed the ability to work on international projects through our involvement in the Next Generation Project?

•    How have we ‘internationally’ established new ideas through the Next Generation project?

•    How have we exchanged ideas between experienced artists and ourselves? Have we brought them together for the future?

•    How have we, as potential young leaders, developed a capability for leadership?

•    What does ‘Next Generation’ mean to us?

•    What does 'international' means to us?


In relation to artistic Collaborations -

•    What were or are the motivations for Next Generation participants to work together in current and future collaborations?

•    What are the challenges, barriers and opportunities emerging in the processes of making new work in a NG and international context?

•    How do the collaborating 'parties', cultural contexts, specific theatrical languages influence the production process and finally the performance?


Discussion

In addition to the meeting with ITYARN and other activities at the SHAXPIR festival, NG members used the opportunity to discuss future objectives and plans. The following items were discussed:

1. NG Book / Publication
The creation of a research publication compiled by Norifuma Hida and others which documents the processes and outcomes of the Next Generation Project, potentially connected to ITYARN and disseminated at the 2011 World Congress event or there after. (See above questions)

2. Newsletter
         Finegan Kruckemeyer volunteered to create a newsletter of significant activities in TYA within
         Members’ regions of the world. As of the start of November he will collect short updates from each 
         member about current TYA events happening in their country. He will send this e-
newsletter to all members including EC members of ASSITEJ International. This biannual newsletter will allow members to keep updated with world activities taking place, with NG members representing 17 countries. In addition, it provides other possibilities for new young TYA practitioners from all over the world to witness all the possibilities of collaborating internationally.

     3. Communication
         The group agreed the best way to communicate is via e-mail. E-mail will be the main form of
         contact for all internal discussions and the sharing of information.

         It is hoped that important and official public documents will be posted on the web page dedicated to
the Next Generation on the ASSITEJ International website (www.assitej-international.org) and
potentially the blog (www.nextgenassitej.wordpress.com).

         It was suggested that those who have company websites and web pages provide links to ASSITEJ
         and ITYARN.


     4. Language Barriers
         Even though English is the official working language within all ASSITEJ and NG project works, the
         importance of other languages should not be discarded as the group represents 17 countries.

         Roxanne Schroeder-Arce has proposed the idea of a translation service for the ASSITEJ Yearbook in
         different languages based on the example of its partial translation into Spanish. The intention is
         to overcome the language barrier and make the Yearbook as accessible as possible. Volunteers are
         much appreciated for this service and Roxanne will collate the list of willing translators.

     5. Joining of ASSITEJ
         It was proposed to that all NG participants join ASSITEJ as international members if they are not
 already members. It was suggested that ASSITEJ International provides the membership for NG
members for free particularly those facing financial hardship.

It is acknowledged that those 8 members who were not present at the festival in Linz are still active members of NG group and should not be discrete from group’s activities, on-going communication and collaborations. 

The Future – 2010, 2011 and Beyond                                                

The Next Generation will keep its momentum via net-based communication. They will continue to deliberate and create future projects and collaborations following the group meeting in Linz.

In order to maximize the potential of what was initiated in Adelaide 2008 at The ASSITEJ World Congress, it is imperative that support is given to ensure opportunities for the projects continuation. Face to face meetings are important so that international project ideas are able to be realised and so that the impact and legacy of this ‘pilot’ project is fully articulated and recorded. It is crucial for existing group members to be able to continue their work and also work towards creating a sustainable NG model for ASSITEJ International.

- Meeting in 2010

The success of the project to date has strengthened the desire to have a face-to-face meeting in 2010 as a matter of necessity. The next meeting will act as a bridge to the world congress in 2011 and build on the work done so far. It was suggested that all NG members promote the NG project, so as to find a host for the next meeting in 2010. Korea was recommended strongly as a possible meeting point and Yeon Choi will contact the president of ASSITEJ Korea. Another possible option would be Bursa, Turkey. Tülin Özgündoğdu Sağlam, from ASSITEJ Turkey, showed an interest in hosting the group at the festival in Bursa, October 2010.

- World Congress 2011, Copenhagen/Malmoe

The Next Generation group has expressed great desire to play an integral role in the 2011 ASSITEJ World Congress in Copenhagen/Malmoe as suggested in a debrief session with festival director and EC member Stephan Rabl.

The group’s suggested approach to a collective involvement is:

   1. As facilitators - working with the next ‘New Faces’ group to assist in their formation.
   2. As educators - working with school groups/new artists to share skills.
   3. As academics - presenting papers, independently or in association with ITYARN, which highlight current
                                arts practice or methods of international collaboration.
   4. As artists - making artistic product, which is presented at the Festival.

It was encouraged that NG members who are co-working on particular projects should send individual applications to the selection committee of World Congress which is due in late September. It was suggested that a sharing of practice in forums, presentations etc also be available.

It was echoed by many members and Stephan Rabl himself that while specific NG events/processes could be involved in the Festival/Congress, this should not undermine the fact that each member is working as a professional artist in their own field. Therefore, NG activities may be one context for a group presence, but all members are active, successful arts makers regardless, and this should not be undervalued.

- After 2011

It is envisaged that the NG project will end officially at the ASSITEJ World Congress in Copenhagen/Malmoe 2011. It is hoped that a new group ‘New Faces’ – renamed from ‘Next Generation’ – will begin their three year course of project in 2011. The NG group will maintain their relationship and grow together as artistic colleagues. The NG group will hopefully be a continued presence in ASSITEJ International activities.


On-going/ Future Collaborations

The Following projects are currently being devised by NG members. Many of them have developed further from initiatives in Adelaide and new ideas were created over the previous 12 months.

* A new opera for children titled ‘My Mother Told me Not To Stare’, written by Finegan Kruckemeyer
(Australia), directed by Nina Hajiyianni (UK), commissioned by Theatre Hullabaloo/ Action Transport
Theatre is now in mid-stage process and is scheduled to open in February 2010 in Darlington, UK.
Possible Australian staging is also developing in relation to an Australian version of the same story idea. International touring is planned for 2011.

* ‘Shadow Dreams’, theatre adaptation of a children’s book by Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia), a story
about two boys – one Aboriginal and one white Australian – who wake one morning and realize they are
dreaming each other’s dreams. Through discussions with Roxanne Schroeder-Arce (USA), she has
begun writing the American equivalent – about a Navajo Indian boy and a Mexican-American boy who
have the same experience.  These two works borne from two different continents will eventually be
produced and have the potential to exist side-by-side in an international theatre season.

* ‘This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing’, written by Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia), is
a concept about triplets left in the forest by their woodcutter father. Forced to live out their lives from this point, one walks left, one walks right, and the other stays still. In this way, each journeys into adulthood, before circumnavigating the globe and meeting once again as women. An international concept – with the protagonists travelling through every country represented by a Next Generation member – Solange Perazzo (Argentina) has proposed a premiere production with her ensemble in Buenos Aires, to open next year.

* ‘Superheroes’ written by Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia) and ‘Hoppy the Bunny’ written by Roxanne
Schroeder-Arce (USA) are in the process of transformation to children’s illustration book by Yeon Choi
(Korea).

* A new play ‘Lig and Bittle’ (read as part of the ASSITEJ 2008 Festival Playwright Slams) by Jared
Matsunaga-Turnbull (Canada), a story about size differences and accepting each other’s originality, has been translated into Korean and is planned to produce in Korea by Yeon Choi (Korea).

* A 2 years script/performance development and cultural exchange project between artists, Claudia Chidiac (Australia) and Yeon Choi (Korea). This exchange will explore notions of cultural identity and otherness within a pre-dominately mono cultural society (Seoul, Korea). Food and culture will be used as a basis to explore intercultural dialogue (Arabic and Korean culture), stereotyping and misconceptions between two cultures. It is envisioned that Claudia Chidiac will work alongside Yeon Choi in Korea during the devising process.

* A cross-cultural primary school project between Tim McGarry (Australia), Sara Jones (Wales), Johanna
Figl (Austria) and Solange Perazzo (Argentina), a project about connecting and comparing different
cultures and ways of living with the eyes of the children in primary school. Children will tell stories about
their own neighbourhood, shops and products they buy. Stories will be exchanged with different
countries and they will be performed inside the shops near the school.

* Early state of development of ‘American Project’ between Solange Perazzo (Argentina), Aracelia Guerrero Rodriguez (Mexico) and Roxanne Schroeder-Arce (USA), dealing with American identity and how it influences people in their growing up.

* Master teaching classes with aboriginal communities in central Australia. Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia) and Jacob Boehme (Australia).

* Academic exchange between Germany and Mexico. Publishing German plays and researching works for TYA in Spanish. Aracelia Guerrero Rodriguez (Mexico) and Sinje Kuhn (Germany).

* A new co-produced work between Australia and Mexico. Finegan Kruckemeyer (Australia), Tim McGarry (Australia) and Aracelia Guerrero Rodriguez (Mexico).

*  A two-year cultural exchange project between indigenous youth of Finland (Saami) and indigenous youth of central Australia (Arrernte) through a series of practical, creative and research activities via the internet – learning traditional skills, exchanging documentations of each other’s knowledge with assistance of community Elders - with the intention of hosting cultural 'camps' for each group ie: the Saami youth would visit the deserts of central Australia, and Arrernte youth would spend time in the forests of northern Finland. They will create a theatrical presentation of their experiences collaboratively and it will be broadcasted in many media forms. Outi Sädekallio (Finland) and Jacob Boehme (Australia).

* ‘Strangers’, an International Youth Theatre collaboration between youth and professional artists at ATYP in Sydney with Fraser Corfield (Australia), Inspired Productions Nelson, Hong Kong Academy of Theatre Arts and Mess Up The Mess Wales with Sarah Jones (Wales / New Zealand). Norifumi Hida (Japan) will work on a research paper on the project and supporting the project to develop an educational resource pack for teachers.

* ‘Cymru Unganda A Fi’, a 3 years cultural youth exchange project between Wales - Sarah Jones (Wales / New Zealand) and Uganda - Daniel Sabatta (Unganda). Exploring poverty in Uganda and poverty in Wales with Welsh youth though the arts with intention of visiting or residence each other’s country. 

* ‘NG Book’ Norifumi Hida (Japan) is documenting the three years course of NG project. With all NG members, he will make the record of outcomes and show how NG project actually contribute the development of ASSITEJ International to open up the huge possibility of TYA in our days. The book will contain the history of NG project, international collaborations among NG members and the process of how we managed to make them happen.

* Initiated in Linz, a research project between Sinje Khun (Germany), Roxanne Schroeder-Arce (USA) and Norifumi Hida (Japan) with hope of association with the ITYARN. They are exploring the idea of ‘International Collaboration’ and posing many questions



And finally – THANK YOU!                                                

Next Generation members would like to express wholeheartedly their deep appreciation and special thanks to Mr. Stephan Rabl, Festival Director of Schaxpir Festival, who provided the group with a unique opportunity to again meet, open new chapters, and continue creative collaborations connecting professionally, artistically and personally.

Many thanks also to Johanna Figl, Melika Ramic (program coordinator), Theresa Unger (program facilitator) and all the staff members of the SCHAXPIR Festival (from restaurant workers – great food and service always– to venue managers) who endured many different levels of the group’s dynamics with such hospitality.

In addition, we acknowledge those responsible for the conception of the Next Generation - Wolfgang Schneider (ASSITEJ Germany, President ASSITEJ International), Kim Peter Kovac (ASSITEJ USA, Vice President ASSITEJ International), Tony Mack (ASSITEJ Australia), Jason Cross and the group’s advocates Stephen Rabl (ASSITEJ Austria), Young-Ai Choi (ASSITEJ Korea, Vice President ASSITEJ International), Hope Azeda (ASSITEJ Rwanda) and Noel Jordan (ASSITEJ Australia) and Paul Harman (ASSITEJ UK).