Here we’d have a profile of the sector in the country. I’ve used the notes from our mapping meeting for now, but we could each write up something more specific.
GEERT’S ONE LINE DESCRIPTION OF YOUTH THEATRE
(Youth) Theater combines experiment, emancipation, talent development, naiveté and especially art into a collective experience.
GEERT’S “ONE” PARAGRAPH
Theater with young people reflects on the world and the zeitgeist without avoiding taboo subjects. It must be a lab and platform for experiment and creation, which focuses on connecting artists, organizations, the public and society. Theater with young people should build bridges between communities and population groups. Talent detection and development is the goal and forms the challenge and main task.
In the work with the children and young people we ask for both social and artistic involvement. Speaking out and defending ideas are key. Avoiding any form of patronizing in language and form. In doing so, we not only try to enrich the vision of the children / young people, we also hope to arm them for a world in which black and white and we / they think rule. We want to offer a free space for opinions, world views and choices. Being a point of contact where personal contact is paramount. A safe place where children and young people have a voice and develop. A place of optimism, generosity and yes, … naivety.
BACKGROUND
- Split between Amateur and Professional across the arts and YT particularly is still struggling with the perception of being amateur. Is not always seen as fully fledged theatre.
- In the Mid 90’s professionally led YT started in Ghent. Previously the only space for theatre teaching was through Arts Academies.
- The focus at these academies is on proper use of the Dutch Language so the work is very traditional and feels quite artificial and no longer relevant. Professional theatre have quite a conflicted relationship with the academies.
- Contemporary theatre does not relate to this and adds to the amateur perception of Youth theatre.
- However the contemporary youth theatre is growing and allows freedom for artists to experiment more. They are often able to make more edgy work that they might in adult theatre. More space for risk and often exciting artists and new graduates are able to cut their teeth by directing young companies.
- Main challenge around financing, particularly because of the preconceptions above the sector is underfunded compared to adult theatre additionally because ticket prices are much lower this really effects income generation.
CASE STUDIES
PRODUCTION: The Hamilton Complex