Yearly Archives: 2015

Call for papers: The politics of art and art scenes in Latin America

seismopolite logoOur upcoming issue will examine the political function of art in diverse contexts in Latin America. The issue aims to discuss the implications and consequences of the formation of Latin American contemporary art scenes, with respect to artists’ ability to reflect and influence their local political situation, as well as the possibility of cooperation between artists and art scenes across contexts and countries.

We invite contributors from diverse disciplinary backgrounds to submit essays, exhibition reviews or interviews that address the theme “The politics of art and art scenes in Latin America” through a high variety of possible angles.

Topics may include, but are not restricted to:

  • The conditions of artists to influence the formation of their art scene, and to use the art scene as a platform for (internal and external) cooperation
  • The conditions of artists to reflect and influence their local political situation through art
  • Artistic strategies in response to censorship and violations of human rights
  • Artistic responses to neoliberal urbanization
  • Mechanisms of the Latin American art market – the artistic, cultural and political implications of the development of new contemporary art scenes and economies
  • Art’s potential to promote cultural diversity, intercultural cooperation and understanding
  • Art, ecology and environmental issues
  • Critical responses to geopolitical, economic, cultural/ ethnical or historical master narratives though art
  • Processes of translation in the global mediation of Latin American contemporary art
  • Artistic approaches to political geography and artistic interventions in geopolitical discourses
  • The development of international contemporary art venues/ festivals/ fairs/ biennials in Latin American contexts, and their impact on the societal function and meaning of art in specific contexts

Please send your proposal (abstract or draft), a brief bio and samples of earlier work to submissions@seismopolite.com within March 15, 2015. Submission deadline, final text: March 29, 2015.

JUJAMCYN THEATERS RECEIVES THE FIRST EVER GREEN BROADWAY AWARD

This post comes to you from the Broadway Green Alliance

In acknowledgement of their exceptional leadership in the Broadway community’s ongoing initiative to become greener

www.broadwaygreenNew York, NY – February 26, 2015 – The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) is pleased to announce the creation of a new award, the Green Broadway Award, to honor an individual, show or organization for outstanding achievement in making Broadway more environmentally friendly.

Jujamcyn Theaters received the first Green Broadway Award in acknowledgment of their environmental leadership. Jordan Roth accepted the award at the Broadway League’s Biennial Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

BGA Co-Chairs Susan Sampliner and Charles Deull commented, “Important changes are built on leaders taking action. The nominations represent an outstanding group of individuals and theatres. Our winner this year stood out for its leadership internally, in the community, and beyond. At all levels, from porters and cleaners using better products to its President, Jordan Roth, tweeting about greening, the organization has incorporated innovation into its operations and communicated them to others. Complementing its internal actions, Jujamcyn has played a key leadership role in the community, thanks to dedicated support from Jordan Roth and Paul Libin, as well as VP of Building Operations, Jennifer Hershey.”

Jujamcyn’s greening programs included:

– Switching to eco-friendly cleaning products and dilution centers

– Instituting water filtration systems

– Installing bike racks

– Overhauling recycling program and signage

– Instituting energy curtailment and measurement

– Switching all marquee and outside lighting to energy-efficient bulbs.

Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, stated, “All of us at Jujamcyn are so proud to be a part of a theatre community that cares so deeply about our environment, and we are grateful to the Broadway Green Alliance and our own Jennifer Hershey for helping us all do our part.  There may not be any change in our world as daunting as reversing climate change, but we’ve all learned together that small change adds up to big change.  One different light bulb, one recycled battery, one safer cleaning product.  Multiplied by every performance of every show, every week, across Broadway, across the country.  Together, small steps become big leaps.”

Congratulations Jujamycn!

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The Broadway Green Alliance was founded in 2008 in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) is an ad hoc committee of The Broadway League and a fiscal program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Along with Julie’s Bicycle in the UK, the BGA is a founding member of the International Green Theatre Alliance. The BGA has reached tens of thousands of fans through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other media.

At the BGA, we recognize that it is impossible to be 100% “green” while continuing activity and – as there is no litmus test for green activity – we ask instead that our members commit to being greener and doing better each day. As climate change does not result from one large negative action, but rather from the cumulative effect of billions of small actions, progress comes from millions of us doing a bit better each day. To become a member of the Broadway Green Alliance we ask only that you commit to becoming greener, that you name a point person to be our liaison, and that you will tell us about your green-er journey.

The BGA is co-chaired by Susan Sampliner, Company Manager of the Broadway company of WICKED, and Charlie Deull, Executive Vice President at Clark Transfer<. Rebekah Sale is the BGA’s full-time Coordinator.

Go to the Broadway Green Alliance

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Job Opportunity with Creative Carbon Scotland – Projects and Festivals Environ. Sustainability Officer

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

creative_carbon_scotlandCreative Carbon Scotland – a charity initiated by the Edinburgh Festivals and founder members the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network – is a partnership of arts organisations working to help shape a sustainable Scotland. Our vision is of a cultural sector that is fully engaged in creating a sustainable Scotland through the work it makes and presents, through the way it operates and through its communication with the wider public.

Our mission is to:

  • Engage the sector in actively promoting environmental sustainability and addressing climate change
  • Help the sector take a lead in shaping an environmentally sustainable Scotland
  • Help the sector run itself as environmentally sustainably as possible

Owing to demand for our work we now need an additional member of staff to join us to work on projects, communications and administration for Creative Carbon Scotland and to support the Edinburgh Festivals in the achievement of their own ambitious environmental sustainability strategy. This is a great opportunity for someone with good knowledge of both sustainability and the arts, a desire to create lasting change and the energy and commitment to effect that change in the arts and cultural sectors in Scotland. The post is full-time and for a fixed term until 31 March 2016, with possible extension subject to continued funding. Secondments from relevant organisations, flexible working and job-share applications are welcomed.

Please download the Job Description and Person Specification here for more information of how to apply.

Applications are due via email midnight on Sunday 22 March 2015. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 8 April in Edinburgh.


Image: “THIRST” Beili Liu, Emily Little, Norma Yancey and Cassie Bergstrom. Commissioned by Women & Their Work. Photo courtesy David Ingram/Flickr Creative Commons.

The post Job opportunity with Creative Carbon Scotland- Projects and Festivals Environmental Sustainability Officer appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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Zata Omm Dance Projects’ Vox:Lumen Goes Off Grid

Produced with Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage in association with York University and Aesthetec Studio

March 4–7, 2015 in the Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Toronto, Canada

CLICK HERE FO TICKETS

Choreographer William Yong proposes a future in which human labour produces energy and the pleasure of movement works to integrate technology into the social sphere. Thanks to a multi-year creative partnership with ground-breaking researchers at York University and interactive designers Aesthetec Studio, Zata Omm is undertaking a formal experiment of the most absolute practicality: What does a show that is powered by sustainability look like?

Lighting itself with energy created by the dancers, the audience and renewable sources, vox:lumen imagines a situation in which the necessity of illumination structures every human interaction. The performance confronts the audience with the most elemental metaphor for understanding, as dance becomes the interplay of darkness and light – the light we make ourselves. The audience is invited to help contribute to vox:lumen’s energy needs from March 4 to March 7 (an hour before the show) at Zata Omm’s Energy Fair in the theatre lobby.

Zata Omm Dance Projects is Zen and the Actualization of Modern Movement. Artistic Director William Yong has made the award-winning organization a site for research focussing on the integration of dance, technology and broader culture.

The audience is invited to help contribute to vox:lumen‘s energy needs from March 4 to March 7 (one hour before the show) at Zata Omm’s Energy Fair.

  • Concepts and Choreography: William Yong
  • Dancers: Michael Caldwell, Irvin Chow, Daniel McArthur, Brendan Wyatt and William Yong.
  • Technology designer and research partner: Mark Argo and Asethetec Studio
  • Set designer and technology consultant: Ian Garrett
  • Lighting designer: Simon Rossiter
  • Composer: Andrea Rocca (Actress Voice: Zoe Hunter)
  • Workshops technical director and set builders: James McKernan with assistants Jonnathan Leong-Sem and Adam Brewer.
  • Production technical director: Kirsten Labonte
  • Dance and technology research strategist and video designer: Elysha Poirier
  • Creative process outside eye: Andrea Nann
  • Director of strategy and development: Randy S’ad
  • Documentary film maker: Timothy Garrett
  • Zata Omm company manager: Samantha Mehra

Zata Omm’s vox:lumen in research and creation from Zata Omm on Vimeo.

Early stage of technology research was funded by George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation. vox:lumen is sponsored by Bullfrog Power and generously funded by Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Harbourfront Centre and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. Solar Energy devices are sponsored by Better Current and Kortright Centre for Conservation/Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Light-emitting diode (LED) stage lighting is sponsored and costumed made by A.C. Lighting Inc. Energy fair displays sponsored by Asethetec Studio, Kortright Centre and Tune Your Ride.

ABOUT ZATA OMM DANCE PROJECTS

Zata Omm Dance Projects is in a state of constant development with on-going artistic research to explore the artistic climate, reflect contemporary culture and lead the emerging artistic trends. Zata Omm’s objective is to create multidisciplinary contemporary dance works using meaningful integration of dance, technology and other art forms on stage in order to provide an alternative way of seeing our world, which facilitates our exploration and understanding of the human condition. Artistic Director William Yong has created more than 57 dance works worldwide which have been presented by major presenters or in renowned festivals.

A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Tina Rasmussen

EXTRAS

vox:lumen – Pre-show Tea

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Join us for a series of Pre-show Teas with our Harbourfront Centre Scholars-in-Residence. Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket to the opening performance of vox:lumen.

In recent years, we have become increasingly aware that we have consumed and are consuming our planet’s resources at an alarming rate. Sustainability movements have begun to work against the prospect of a dark future. Arising from this context, vox:lumen asks: What does a show that is powered by sustainability look like? How can theatre, and our participation in it, lead to a more sustainable world? Join Scholar-in-Residence Denise Cruz for a pre-show tea and conversation about sustainability, the arts, collaboration, and their consequences for our planet.

vox:lumen – Talkshow

Thursday, March 5, 2015
The second performance of each World Stage production is followed by our talkshow event, where the artists connect with the audience outside their work, fielding questions with the moderation of their colleagues in the community. Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket to vox:lumen.