Location: PNX138
Abstract
This working group gathers artists and academics around the provocation that theatre is a form of service. Inspired by Audre Lorde’s well-known contention that “poetry is not a luxury”, this working group asks what theatre does in the larger cultural and economic landscape. Drawing from Alex Sarian’s book The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture, this working group takes seriously his suggestion that theatre and arts institutions might find their value not in artistic merit, but in community relevance. understanding service quite broadly, from the perspective of philanthropy (volunteer service), labour and hospitality (the service industry), and the position that theatre and the arts plays in a larger sociocultural network (public service), this working group invites artists and scholars interested in investigating the role that theatre plays (or should play) in a local and global economy. Ultimately this working group attempts to better understand theatre’s role in the changing creative landscape; one that has been deeply impacted by shifts in sustainability, affordability, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and COVID-19.
This working group invites short papers, think pieces, rants, performances, editorials, or other offerings that speak in some way to the idea of theatre as service. In an effort to narrow the scope and invite a depth of conversations, topics specific to Canada and the Canadian culture and economy will be prioritized. Ultimately, this working group takes seriously theatre’s position as an industry in a larger cultural landscape, while adopting a critical stance to deconstruct assumptions, trends, and indeed dysfunctions within that industry.
Biographies:
Thea Fitz-James is a theatre scholar and performance artist whose research examines queer and feminist embodiment, materiality, and grassroots Canadian performance. She holds a PhD from York University and teaches theatre history at the University of Saskatchewan. Her performance works merge rigorous research with experimental performance.