Harbourfront Centre, in partnership with The Theatre Centre, is pleased to host the third annual Culture Congress, as part of World Stage/Free Fall ‘10. This event strives to bring together local, national and international cultural players in creative ways that promote authentic conversation and cultural exchange around a given topic.
How do we come together?
This year The Culture Congress poses the question How do we come together? — artist to artist, artist to presenter and artist to audience. Through a series of informal talks, roundtable discussions, post-show parties and game-nights, Culture Congress intends to break down the walls that can separate artist, presenter, audience – all of whom are necessary to any creative work.
Irish Focus
We have invited artistic programmers from Ireland to join this discussion. They will share and compare their Irish experiences – as a culture similar to ours and yet so profoundly different in its world perspective. Discussion topics include mentorship, the Canadian presenting ecology and building community. The Theatre Centre and Harbourfront Centre acknowledge the support of Theatre Junction in making the Irish Delegation possible.
Mentorship
Mentorship is the cornerstone of this year’s Free Fall. The Culture Congress provides a forum to explore and express our national mentorship identity. Over three days, our afternoon series will feature Free Fall senior artists Hillar Liitoja (theatre), Tanya Mars (performance art) and Bill James (dance), who continue to build their careers pushing the boundaries of performance. Each mentorship talk will spotlight one of these vital creators in conversation with artists they have mentored over their long careers.
Participation in The Culture Congress 2010 is FREE. You just need to register by emailing: culturecongress@theatrecentre.org
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24
REGISTRATION, MEET & GREET, and TOUR OF THE THEATRE CENTRE
The Theatre Centre – 1pm
Pick up your Culture Congress schedule. Chat with other participants, the festival co-curators and meet the artists. Those curious can sneak a backstage look at The Theatre Centre.
OPENING PARTY
Harbourfront Centre – 10pm
The Culture Congress opens with a Stampede ‘Late-Night’ Breakfast in conjunction with Theatre Junction’s On the Side of the Road (Calgary).
THURSDAY, MARCH 25
MENTORSHIP IN CONVERSATION: Hillar Liitoja / DNA Theatre
Harbourfront Centre, Miss Lou’s Room – 3pm
COMMUNITY INFO SESSION
with Programming Directors of Harbourfront Centre Harbourfront Centre, Miss Lou’s Room – 5.30pm
POST-SHOW PARTY
The Theatre Centre / Cream Tangerine Gallery & Café – 10pm
Mix and mingle after the show at the festival hot-spot Cream Tangerine in celebration of opening night of The Chop Theatre’s KISMET one to one hundred (Vancouver).
FRIDAY, MARCH 26
PRESENTING YOUR CITY
The Theatre Centre – 12pm
Join our Irish guests as they present their cities- Belfast, Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway– and discuss the trends, concerns and curiosities influencing their artistic communities as well as their respective creation/ presentation models.
MENTORSHIP IN CONVERSATION: Tanya Mars
The Theatre Centre – 3pm
SATURDAY, MARCH 27
FOCUSING ON EMERGING ARTISTIC PRACTICE
The Theatre Centre – 12pm
Informal discussions around what it means to create artistically challenging work and how do we make it both sustainable and viable?
MENTORSHIP IN CONVERSATION: Bill James / Atlas Moves Watching
The Theatre Centre – 3pm
GAMES NIGHT
Hub 14 Performance Space – 10pm
A fun, friendly night of music, dancing, lounging and playing games (rumour has it – there will be wii).
SUNDAY, MARCH 28
MAPPING CANADA’S PRESENTING ECOLOGY
The Theatre Centre – 11am
Curious about the map in the lobby? The Culture Congress is pleased to launch Harbourfront Centre’s new interactive mapping project, intent on notating and tracking the ecology of performance in Canada starting with presenting. You and others across the country are encouraged to add to the map in person or online throughout the entire Free Fall Festival. This final presentation will allow an open-ended conversation about what information we should seek to uncover: how will we map the future of our discipline(s). If you are interested in participating please email: performancemapping@gmail.com. Specific information on how to access the google map that will form the basis of this project and an invitation to collaborate will follow.
ARTISTS’ BREAKFAST
The Theatre Centre /Cream Tangerine Gallery & Café – 12pm
As it began, The Culture Congress closes with breakfast. This time, the public is invited to meet the artists of Free Fall ‘10 over an Artists’ Breakfast.
Please continue to visit this page for updates.
For further information and to register please email:
culturecongress@harbourfrontcentre.com
or
culturecongress@theatrecentre.com
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