Fifth Annual International Human Rights Art Festival
December 4th – 10th, 2023
@ The Tank – 312 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018
Submissions Window Open: AUGUST 1st – OCTOBER 1st, 2023
Results announced by October 15th, 2023
Looking for work around the following activist concerns, though are open to any social justice and human rights issue:
Climate Change
Celebration of Women’s Power
Celebration of Immigration
Celebration of Black Men
Celebration of Indian Dance
Any other activist/social justice/human rights issue
Ten Minute Play Festival
Please note:
The performances must be fully produced by you; IHRAF is a presenting platform.
Considering 10-30 min long pieces!
Work may not have been produced within the last year in NYC, or be scheduled in the next six months of December 10th, 2023
All accepted performers will receive:
Performance stipends
Two hours free rehearsal space
PR and Marketing support
30-minute tech rehearsal
Festival TD and SM
Free photographic documentation of their performance.
…and bragging rights as participants in this vital and growing NYC creative-activist institution!
Please email our Festival Assistant Producer Costanza Bugiani at costanza@ihraf.org with the following:
A brief description of your piece, including approximate running time – we’re encouraging 10-30 mins works. We’d love to include as many artists as possible!
A cover letter, including details regarding the piece’s discipline, issue of concern treated and a brief summary of your artistic goals
Your bios or resumes and the names of any collaborators already on board
A sample of work (scripts, pics, videos, songs, any other links or files that could help us to know more about your project)
As email subject, please type IHRAFestival 2023, then add the interested category and Association/Company/your name (i.e. IHRAFestival 2023 : Celebration of Immigration, Joan Doe)
For more information and details about submitting to International Human Rights Art Festival 2023, please have a look at IHRAF Festival Submissions Open!
“IHRAF believes that creative engagement with all members of the society is the surest path toward social justice and positive change”
(Top image: L’il Angelique at the IHRAF Festival, Photo by Steven Pisano)
The masterclass introduces the notion of Ecoscenography merging ecological design thinking and stage design to create engaging work which reflects and impacts the current world, especially in relation to climate change and social justice concerns.
We will explore both theory and practical ways to take responsibilities for what and how we create theatre and collaborate with the wider ecosystem at all stages of personal practice and projects.
Participants will be introduced to interdisciplinary practices with case studies, living examples of the connection between individual creativity and sustainability showing how ideas can be translated into actions. You are invited you to explore approaches to integrating holistic environmental principles within your own creative practice.
The course will include time for discussions, Q&A and plenty of breaks.
Take action. Help to build a movement of ecologically-aware performance makers.
All performing arts practitioners at all stages and scales of production to provide knowledge sharing between different experiences. I’m especially keen to reach out to producers, directors, stage managers and others who are part of the decision-making process.
Why
• Learn about Ecoscenography • Comprehend the importance and advantages of integrating ecological considerations within your creative practices • Examine worldwide case studies of sustainable work • Exchange knowledge with diverse roles in the theatre industry • Understand what is your role and how to approach sustainability with varied teams. • Co-create sustainable new narratives for the new paradigm of our society and the planet
Cost
Cost is designed to keep knowledge affordable for all and depends of your financial means. Trusting that you’ll choose the appropriate amount for your needs and support fair exchange. Income based sliding scale £200/£170/£140 (high/medium/low) + booking fees.
For those with limited funds I’m offering 2 ‘pay it’ forward exchange bursaries consisting of 1 day of work with me in exchange for taking part in the masterclass. Please email a CV and a short paragraph of why you require the bursary and what skills you can offer in exchange (assisting, making, painting, construction, marketing, admin, etc…) by 24th July – places available confirmed upon acceptance.
Accessibility
The 2 days will be divided between indoors and outdoors work – weather dependent.
Lift is available. Suitable entrance for wheelchair is from the basement carpark.
Please share any personal and accessibility needs ahead of time if need be to help prepare.
Facilitated by Mona Kastell, an international award-winning ecological designer, educator and shamanic practitioner who places Nature, well-being, interconnectedness and authentic community engagement at the heart of her creative process. She’s one of Ecostage’s co-directors – a grassroots initiative and website that provides a holistic framework, tools and resources for embedding practice-based ecological thinking at all stages of our creative processes and scales of production. Her design for ‘Glimpsing Air Pockets’ is featured in Tanja Beer’s book on Ecoscenography and won 1st prize at World Stage Design 2022 in ‘Alternative Design’.
We’re thrilled to share that our CCTA 2021 anthology, The Future Is Not Fixed: Short Plays Envisioning a Green New Deal, was recently featured in the article “Books to help you stay inspired to fight climate change” on Yale Climate Connections. Thank you Michael Svoboda for mentioning us! You can get your copy of the book here or from your domestic Amazon store.
ABOUT THIS BOOK
The Future Is Not Fixed: Short Plays Envisioning a Global Green New Deal
For all of the political, economic, and technological obstacles that stand in the way of addressing climate change, perhaps the greatest challenge is in the realm of imagination. Can we envision a better world? What might an equitable, sustainable, decarbonized, and just society look like? What if the concept of a Green New Deal—the initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while addressing interwoven social problems like economic inequality and racial injustice—could become reality?
The Future Is Not Fixed presents a dazzling variety of answers to these questions in the form of fifty plays—from writers representing all inhabited continents—commissioned for Climate Change Theatre Action 2021, a global participatory theatre festival that brings communities together around climate issues. The pieces gathered here feature a wide range of styles and perspectives, from realist dramas to experimental works, encompassing the dangers that we face as well as ecstatic possibilities for a renewed social contract. With contributions suitable for both conventional and nonstandard theatrical settings, these plays can be performed in intimate readings, staged productions with extensive sets and props, and everything in between. Climate Change Theatre Action plays have been performed on street corners, at the foot of glaciers, in churches, schools, libraries, backyards, community centers, and bars. They have been enjoyed by audiences as diverse as water treatment workers in Montana; homeless youth in London; refugees in Denmark; children in New York City, Iran, and Nigeria; faith communities in Florida and Washington State; unsuspecting passersby in Brazil and New Zealand; and students in every corner of the world. Regardless of style, audience, or venue, each play offers a bracing, affecting vision of how we might come together to face the challenge of global climate change.
Chantal Bilodeau is a playwright and translator. In her capacity as artistic director of the Arts & Climate Initiative, she has been instrumental in helping theatrical and educational communities, as well as diverse audiences in the United States and abroad, to engage in climate action through programming that includes live performances, talks, publications, workshops, and national and international artist gatherings. In 2019, she was named one of “8 Trailblazers Who Are Changing the Climate Conversation” by Audubon Magazine.
A Series from Africa on Climate Emergencies, Sustainability Practice in the Arts, and Planetary Crises
This is a broad-based interdisciplinary, intercultural, and cross-sectoral exploration of climate justice within the context of theatre and performance with a focus on the Global South. The series comprises seven episodes and two articles.
Guests range from theatremakers to climate change artivists/activists to scholars from the Global South sharing their perspectives on different topics within the broad theme of the series.
I take stock of climate news by reading the headlines of the excellent daily newspaper, national observer, for example, on Tuesday April 25th, 2023 these were the headlines :
‘We might have a coverup problem’: MPs grill Alberta Energy Regulator CEO over oil sands tailings leaks’.
‘Tide-powered clean energy could help West Coast communities ditch diesel’
(beach in Cuba and truck in Ottawa)
‘Hands off the Greenbelt rally turns up heat on Ford government’
(Anti-Ford government greenbelt policy rally in Ottawa)
‘A wake-up call to oilsands industry to ensure that all necessary measures are in place to prevent future wildlife tragedies’
(loon at lake in Papineau-Labelle reserve and coyotes in Mono, Ontario)
‘Shocking new federal research reveals Alberta oilsands may be vastly underestimating greenhouse gas emissions’
(hiss of gas meter in Ottawa, pavement machine in Ottawa, drone of ferry in Vancouver)
‘What How to Blow up a Pipeline won’t teach you’
(Lynn Canyon forest, North Vancouver)
How do you respond to climate news?
*
This episode involves my reading the headlines of the National Observer newspaper on Tuesday April 25th, 2023 accompanied by field recording from my collection.
I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this episode. (including all the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation and infrastructure that make this podcast possible).
My gesture of reciprocity for this episode is to the National Observer news service.
The post e125 observer – how do you respond to climate news? appeared first on conscient. conscient is a bilingual blog and podcast (French or English) by audio artist Claude Schryer that explores how arts and culture contribute to environmental awareness and action.
The conscient podcast / balado conscient is a series of conversations about art, conscience and the ecological crisis. This podcast is bilingual (in either English or French). The language of the guest determines the language of the podcast. Episode notes are translated but not individual interviews.
I started the conscient project in 2020 as a personal learning journey and knowledge sharing exercise. It has been rewarding, and sometimes surprising.
The term “conscient” is defined as “being aware of one’s surroundings, thoughts and motivations”. My touchstone for the podcast is episode 1, e01 terrified, based on an essay I wrote in May 2019, where I share my anxiety about the climate crisis and my belief that arts and culture can play a critical role in raising public awareness about environmental issues. The conscient podcast / balado conscient follows up on my http://simplesoundscapes.ca (2016-2019) project: 175, 3-minute audio and video field recordings that explore mindful listening.
season 1 (may – october 2020) : environmental awareness and action Season 1 (May to October 2020) explored how the arts contribute to environmental awareness and action. I produced 3 episodes in French and 15 in English. The episodes cover a wide range of content, including activism, impact measurement, gaming, arts funding, cross-sectoral collaborations, social justice, artistic practices, etc. Episodes 8 to 17 were recorded while I was at the Creative Climate Leadership USA course in Arizona in March 2020 (led by Julie”s Bicycle). Episode 18 is a compilation of highlights from these conversations.
season 2 (march – august 2021 ) : reality and ecological grief Season 2 (March 2021 ) explores the concept of reality and is about accepting reality, working through ecological grief and charting a path forward. The first episode of season 2 (e19 reality) mixes quotations from 28 authors with field recordings from simplesoundscapes and from my 1998 soundscape composition, Au dernier vivant les biens. One of my findings from this episode is that “I now see, and more importantly, I now feel in my bones, “the state of things as they actually exist”, without social filters or unsustainable stories blocking the way”. e19 reality touches upon 7 topics: our perception of reality, the possibility of human extinction, ecological anxiety and ecological grief, hope, arts, storytelling and the wisdom of indigenous cultures. The rest of season 2 features interviews with thought leaders about their responses and reactions to e19 reality.
season 3 (october 2021 – february 2022 ) : radical listening Season 3 was about radical listening : listening deeply without passing judgment, knowing the truth and filtering out the noise and opening attention to reality and responding to what needs to be done. The format is similar the first podcast format I did in 2016 with the simplesoundscapes project, which was to ‘speak my mind’ and ‘think out loud’. I start this season with a ‘soundscape composition’, e63 a case study (part 1) and e64 a case study (part 2), a bilingual speculative fiction radio play, set in an undergraduate university history seminar course called ‘History of 2021 in Canada’. It concluded with a soundscape composition ‘Winter Diary Revisited’.
season 4 (1 january – 31 december 2023) : sounding modernity
About
I’ve been retired from the Canada Council for the Arts since September 15, 2020 where I served as a senior strategic advisor in arts granting (2016-2020) and manager of the Inter-Arts Office (1999-2015). My focus in (quasi) retirement is environmental issues within my area of expertise in arts and culture, in particular in acoustic ecology. I”m open to become involved in projects that align with my values and that move forward environmental concerns. Feel free to email me for a conversation :
Climate change and related ecological crises unfolding across vast parts of the Earth have given environmentally-focused arts new urgency as well as increased resonance in recent years. At the same time, educational and cultural institutions with a stake in the arts are gradually embedding environmental sustainability into their core vision, albeit sometimes more in principle than in practice. Wider imperatives to heed claims to justice among those disproportionately affected by environmental stress are also poised to inflect discourses and practices in the sector. With these developments in mind, this one-day symposium explores sustainability initiatives in the realm of performance practice and in relation to how we teach, train, research, and act on ecological issues, individually and in tandem with stakeholder groups. Motivating questions for the event include:
What do we know about the greening of performance-based arts in Britain and how local ecological actions and/or challenges might connect with initiatives elsewhere?
What tools are already available in the creative kits of performance makers, teachers, trainers, curators, scholars and publics who want to prioritise sustainability in the arts, and how can their efficacy be assessed in ecological terms?
What new, performance-related tools, technologies and pedagogical practices are being mobilized—or could be mobilized—to spur better care for the environment in particular places or among specific constituencies?
What roles can hitherto marginalised performance practices among Indigenous and Global South activists play in fostering environmental justice and opening windows to alternative futures?
What present and future platforms could be harnessed for the exchange of ideas, practices and teaching approaches that strengthen and energise ecological action in the performing arts sector?
The symposium is designed to showcase existing research and practice as well as generate and further dialogue in, and between, higher education, performance training, and performance industries. As such, panels will feature short provocations rather than papers. All sessions will be accessible remotely via Teams – joining instructions will be sent to those who register via Eventbrite.
Keynotes include:
Kate Mitchell, ‘A Journey at the Intersection of Ecology and Anthropocentric Theatre Tradition’
Michael Walling and Vou, a contemporary dance company based in Fiji whose work has toured widely in Asia and Europe, ‘Engaging with Indigenous Ecological Knowledge’
Roberta Mock, ‘Transitioning to Sustainable Production with The Theatre Green Book’
Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
― Arundhati Roy
In the context of the Climate Emergency, and timed with the end of the financial year, FLOW is an exhibition exploring what a better future looks like.
As a medium of exchange, the word currency is derived from the word current, the origin of which was curraunt meaning flowing (c. 1300). Like thriving ecosystems, healthy economies depend on healthy flows of life sustaining resources.
Examining the flow between money, politics, information and power, artwork in FLOW poses critical questions about financial flows, reminds us of the vital interconnections and interdependencies between all life, and shows the profound possibilities of economic systems based on respect and reciprocity.
Participating artists Melissa Corbett, Rod Gray, Pam Kleemann-Passi, Linda Knight, Jo Lane, Carolyn Lewens, Jenny McCracken, Sarah Metzner, Paul Prato, Jen Rae, Bronwyn Razem, Louise Rippert, Adam Stone, Giselle Wilkinson. Creative Producer Deborah Hart.
Exhibition Details: Where: CLIMARTE Gallery, 120 Bridge Rd, Richmond When: 31 May – 1 July 2023
FLOW Artist Talks at CLIMARTE Gallery (more details to come):
Wednesday 14 June 2023, 6 – 7.30pm
Saturday 17 June 2023, 2 – 4pm
Image: Submerge: the coming community video still (2011) Carolyn Lewens – direction, original concept and cyanotype photograms Asmund Heimark – animation Tim Catlin – sound design
Join Artichoke Dance Company and Global Water Dances to learn “The Story of Water”
Saturday, June 3, 2023 – 5:00 PM Thursday, June 8, 2023 – 7:00 PM
Locomotive Lawn Riverside ParkHudson River Greenway &, W 62nd StNew York, NY 10069United States (map)
“THE STORY OF WATER” IS A DANCE BEING PERFORMED AROUND THE GLOBE ON JUNE 10.
Join us June 3rd and/or June 8th from 5 – 7 PM on the Locomotive Lawn in Riverside Park. These workshops are free and open to movers of all backgrounds.
Have you ever thought about how to bring an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral practice to your work? Have you ever been interested in engaging meaningfully with professionals from another sector to learn from each other and address global challenges?
The Global Cultural Relations Programme (GCRP), the Cultural Relations Platform’s flagship training programme, is a unique opportunity that brings together practitioners from around the world to create meaningful connections and discuss cross-cultural collaborations. We’re announcing a shift in focus for the upcoming edition of GCRP. The past editions were tailored for cultural and creative professionals. For the 2023 edition of GCRP, the Cultural Relations Platform opens the programme also to participants working in the field of climate change and environmental issues.
Apply now for the opportunity to develop lifelong skills, increase your knowledge, build your international network, and engage in interdisciplinary cross-cultural collaboration.
This year the GCRP will take place in Madrid, Spain from 10 – 13 October 2023. The programme will be conducted in English.
Who can take part in the GCRP?
Cultural and creative sector professionals * This includes but is not limited to:
Architecture
Audiovisual & Cinema
Books & Publishing
Cultural heritage
Cultural management
Design
Media
Music
Performing arts
Visual arts
Professionals working in the field of climate change and environmental issues * This includes but is not limited to:
Circular economy
Climate & health
Climate adaptation
Climate charities, campaigns & activist groups
Climate finance
Climate heritage
Climate justice
Climate law & policy
Climate mitigation
Environmental engineering
Geography (physical, human, environmental)
Indigenous groups & stewards of community-owned heritage
Loss and damage
Sustainable food systems
Why take part in the GCRP?
Build your skills in interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaborations through a carefully designed, innovative, and interactive learning programme
Network and collaborate with professionals from around the world, facing similar challenges and opportunities
Connect with young practitioners and change-makers working in the field of culture or in climate change to engage in peer-to-peer learning
Engage in in-depth discussions on the intersectionality of culture and climate change and environmental issues to identify strengths in bringing together the two sectors for potential future collaborations
Join the Cultural Relations Platform’s community of 220 GCRP alumni on a long-term basis.
Who are we looking for?
The Cultural Relations Platform is looking for 40 professionals and entrepreneurs working in the cultural and creative sectors OR in climate change and environmental issues. We give high priority to participants working in either of these two sectors.
You should be aged 25-39, with at least three years’ experience in international/cross-cultural collaboration.
You could work for a public, private or civil society organisation, or be a freelancer.
You will need to be able to commit to the programme throughout its duration from 10-13 October 2023 and allow time for travel to and from Madrid.
Find out more
Watch former participants talk about their experience in this video
Early to mid-July: Selected participants are informed via email
September: Selected participants are announced online
Monday 9 October: Participants arrive in Madrid
Tuesday 10 October – Friday 13 October: Four full days of programming
Saturday 14 October: Participants departure from Madrid
How to apply
Find out more and apply HERE by midnight Central European Summer Time (CEST), Sunday 28 May 2023.
The read-only application form is also available to download in PDF here. Applications will only be accepted if submitted via the link above.
The application form must be completed in English. Applications submitted in another language will not be considered. Applications from those not working in the cultural and creative sectors or in climate change and environmental issues will not be considered.
The Cultural Relations Platform remains committed to providing accessible services and support to people with disabilities and reduced mobility (including accessible venue and accommodation selection, travel-related requirements) as well as for access requirements for programme participation (such as hearing or visual support and adaptations for neurodiversity).
A program for artists to become creatively active in countering climate change.
This week long intensive immerses you in art making, activism strategies, environmental justice principles, place based approaches, partnership and community building.
The Artichoke Ambassadors program symbiotically aligns environmentally conscious art making with climate and environmental justice action at collective and individual levels. This educational and mentorship program guides people to become creatively active in climate change, merging arts and activism practices. All artistic mediums are welcome.
Program aims:
To cultivate and stimulate thinking, development and action at the intersection of art and climate, and to aid people in their desire to merge the two
To encourage and enable young artists to use both their artmaking and their connections to audiences to influence cultural shifts combating climate change.
To inspire motivation to create and share compelling works of art addressing climate change and provide tools to do so.
To address the largest challenge of our time with creativity, innovation, and involvement.
To encourage and enable people to take action with confidence.
To foster creative capacities, artistic skill and communication clarity.
To build future leaders in arts activism.
To build a network of sustainability and strength for this work.
SUMMER 2023 IN PERSON INTENSIVE:
JUNE 12-17, 2023 | 10AM-6PM DAILY
AT MERCURY STORE IN GOWANUS, BROOKLYN (131 EIGHTH STREET)
To claim your spot in the program, please register by completing the google form linked below. Your registration will not be confirmed until you have sent payment of $650. Payment details are listed in the registration form.
*TRAVELING FROM OUT OF NYC FOR THE INTENSIVE? CONSIDER BOOKING WITH ACE HOTEL (370 4TH AVENUE) USE CODE EYESANDEARS TO RECEIVE A 15% OFF DISCOUNT OFF YOUR STAY!
