thinking about things...
Today, as a community, we heard about the funding situation of performing arts companies throughout Australia. Disappointment, hopelessness, anger...all of these feelings are awoken as we begin to renegotiate how we grow relevant and important work despite funding cuts.
The independent sector has, for decades, thrived on the smallest of budgets. The execution of the production may not have the bells and whistles that were in the first dream, but the connection with the audience and the poetics are there...but how long can creators live with little but the joy of creating the dream? How do we move forward?
There is trouble in our political and social world right now and without the arts to unpack these difficult stories, to provide alternative ways of seeing and approaching these challenging times, we will have to rely on stories from other cultures rather than our own.
And I find this image of birds, flocking, and I am reminded of a creative development presented by Lz Dunn about flocking and doing things differently. Lz studied flocking, watching how the birds moved together. Lz came up with some interesting ideas and we played with them at World Theatre Festival at Brisbane Powerhouse earlier this year:
http://earthsky.org/earth/how-do-flocking-birds-move-in-unison
There is no overt leader, the birds follow those who are closest to them. Maybe this is one way we can create abundance here in Brisbane: that we follow closely the companies who have received funding and who are acting responsibly to help grow the theatre ecology.
I know Queensland Theatre Company has been talking to independent companies, holding forums, having personal conversations as a way of enriching our independent career pathways.
Metro Arts is providing workshops to grow the independent sector: here are details of the one in June:
WORKSHOP / 6pm 7.30pm, 28 June, 2016VENUE / Studio, Metro Arts 109 Edward Street, BrisbaneTICKETS / Free event no bookings required.As part of shaping a new show, many artists choose to go through a series of creative developments that involve opening up the work-in progress to potential audience/peers/directors/sponsors. This is a vital step in receiving critical feedback and evaluating what is working in a show, when it works, how the story is unfolding etc. Its important to know how to effectively and creatively facilitate this feedback so youre getting the most from the process.Throughout 2016 as part of the Transition Program Metro Arts will roll out a range ofworkshops across art-forms that cover subjects including how to write/talk about your work, how to market your work, how to tour your work and the list goes on. Keep up to date with what is coming up by checking in on Metro Arts website and subscribing to the newsletter.http://www.metroarts.com.au/program/transition-elevate-2/