7arakat Conference 2012
Theatre, Cultural Diversity and Inclusion 2–3 November 2012 La Trobe University City Campus
latrobe.edu.au/7 Time Friday 2 November 8:30am–9:00am Registration 9:00am–9:30am Conference Opening: Welcome and Introductions. Wurundjeri Welcome To Country. Offical Opening: Prof. Tim Murray – Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University Welcoming Remarks: Ambassador Izzat Abdulhadi – Head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Welcoming Remarks: Jill Morgan – Chief Executive Officer, Multicultural Arts Victoria 9:30am–10:00am Keynote: Creative ecologies: Multi-arts approaches to resilience for newly arrived refugees, Prof. Michael Balfour (Griffith University) 10:00am Questions and Answers 10:15am–10:45am Keynote: Theatre: An act of beautiful resistance to build the peace within, Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour (Alrowwad Theatre, Palestine) 10:45am Questions and Answers 11:00am–11:30am Morning Tea 11:30am–1:00pm Morning Panel: Acting Local/Thinking Global, Chair: Dr. Nicholas Rowe (Auckland University) 11:30am Unregulated to illegal: Palestinian theatre in the twentieth century, Samer Al Saber (University of Washington, Seattle) 12:00pm Looking at Shakespeare with a contemporary eye: Richard II a political play for our time, Iman Aoun (Ashtar Theatre, Palestine) 12:30pm Exploring the Ethics of a Cultural Boycott, Samah Sabawi (Independent Palestinian Activist and Playwright) 1:00pm–2:00pm Lunch 2:00pm–2:30pm Keynote: Reclaiming space: Reflections on dance education through war, earthquakes and exile, Dr. Nicholas Rowe (Auckland University) 2:30pm Questions and Answers 2:45pm–3:30pm Performance and Advocacy: Artists reflecting on practice, Chair: Polash Larsen (Melbourne University) 2:45pm Playing dead: Making theatre with children from here about children from there, Claudia Escobar (Independent Theatre Maker) 3:00pm Yuyukatha: Musical and storytelling performance, Kutcha Edwards (Musician and Storyteller) 3:15pm An overview of Back to Back Theatre’s ‘The Democratic Set’, Bruce Gladwin, Brian Tilley, and Scott Price (Back to Back Theatre) 3:30pm–4:00pm Afternoon Tea 4:00pm–5:30pm Afternoon Panel: Moving/Dancing Towards Inclusion, Chair: Dr. Kim Baston (La Trobe University) 4:00pm Resilience and creativity: The fantasy of an occupied body and discovering the self through drama and movement, Petra Barghouthi (Drama Academy, Palestine) 4:30pm The A.R.A.B Performing Arts Program and eastern music: Connecting the past and present, Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS) and Musician and International Artist Yousif Aziz 5:00pm Once upon a circus, Lena Cirillo (Executive Director, Westside Circus)
Time SATURday 3 November 9:00am–9:30am Registration 9:30am–10:00am Special Screening: The Gaza Monologues (23 minutes) 10:00am–10:45am Keynote: The Gaza Mono-Logues: ‘E la Nava Va’ – and the ship sails on, Iman Aoun (Artistic Director Ashtar Theatre, Palestine) 10:45am Questions and Answers 11:00am–11:30am Morning Tea 11:30am–1:00pm Morning Panel: Policy Initiatives, Chair: Prof. Michael Balfour (Griffith University) 11:30am Building health through arts and new media, Jim Rimmer (VicHealth) 12:00pm Theatre and reality: Contextualising the making of 100% Melbourne, Vicky Guglielmo (Arts and Participation Program Manager, City of Melbourne) 12:30pm Including communities in arts and culture through networked government arrangements, Andy Miller (Senior Arts Officer, Arts Victoria) 1:00pm–2:00pm Lunch 2:00pm–3:30pm Breakout Sessions: Three Topics. Discussions mediated by facilitators. 3:30pm–4:00pm Afternoon Tea 4:00pm–5:00pm General Meeting and Discussion. Discussion groups to report back to delegates. 5:00pm–5:30pm Conference Close WELCOME
The conference will explore practice, research and advocacy in the performing arts with a particular focus on Palestinian Theatre, Arab/Australian Theatre, and Applied Theatre with refugee/migrant groups.
The conference will bring together theatre‑makers, scholars, creative producers and community development workers to examine various issues of exclusion within the sector of performing arts and the theatre’s role in providing networks of participation and social inclusion.
Catering Contents This is a catered event. Morning and Afternoon Tea and Lunch will be provided. All Catering is Halal. Please contact the Schedule 2 conference organisers for any other special dietary requirements if you have not supplied Welcome 3 this information on the registration form. Keynotes 4 Rand Hazou Panel presentations 7 E [email protected] Speakers 13 Hannah Schurholz City highlights 19 E [email protected]
7arakat Conference 2012 3 Keynotes
Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour Biography: General Director of the Alrowwad Cultural Abdelfattah Abusrour was first trained in and Theatre Center for Children, Palestine classical theatre at Paris Nord University in the 1980s. Co-founder of the Paris-Nord Theatre, Keynote Title: he performed and co-wrote Salut c’est nous in Theatre: An act of Beautiful Resistance 1990, and Nourrir de faim in 1993. With Naomi to build the peace within Wallace and Lisa Schlesinger, he co-wrote 21 Positions, commissioned by the Guthrie Theatre As an artist venturing along the road of theatre, and performed at the New York’s Lincoln Center painting and photography, I believe that the in 2008. With friends, he founded the Alrowwad creative arts offer beautiful and non-violent Cultural and Theatre Center for Children in the means of self-expression. They offer us the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem in 1998. In opportunity to tell and show our own version 2006, he was the first Palestinian to be awarded of our story and history against all media an Ashoka Fellowship, followed by the Synergos stereotypes and media hypocrisy. As a means Social Innovation Fellowship in 2011. In 2009, to resist the ugliness of occupation and its Abdelfattah Abusrour was elected President violence, the creative arts in all their depth of Palestinian Theatre League. Abdelfattah and profundity give us the means to build has written, adapted and performed in many peace within before talking about peace plays produced in Palestine. These productions with the other. Palestinians have a long include Waiting for the Rain, Staying Alive, and history of popular and non-armed struggle. When Old Men Cry. He wrote and directed Tent, This beautiful resistance is in line with a long The Orphan, We Are the Children of the Camp, life heritage of non-violence that characterises and Blame the Wolf, which toured Europe and most of the Palestinian resistance against the USA between 2003 and 2009. His short various forms of occupations in Palestine. play Far Away from a Village Close By won Every occupation and oppression came the first prize in London’s 2006 Deir Yassin and went, blown away like sand in the wind. Remembered Festival. His most recent play, And still we, the people, remain. Beautiful Handala, was adapted from the cartoons of Resistance functions as a means of building Naji Al-Ali. It was initially performed in Palestine hope in times of despair – times, in which in 2011, before touring through France and everyone is responsible and can initiate Luxembourg. In 1993, Abdelfattah Abusrour change. Nobody has the right to say: ‘I cannot was awarded a PhD in Biological and Medical do anything’ or ‘it’s hopeless’ simply because Engineering in France. we do not have the luxury of despair. Using these beautiful art forms, Beautiful Resistance Special Screening: The Gaza Mono-Logues shows us another side of Palestine; its beauty, Film (2011) followed by Keynote Address culture and heritage – reclaiming and defending Duration: 25 Minutes. Arabic with English our humanity and the values that we share Subtitles. as human beings. We are equal partners in creating a positive and long lasting change The Gaza Mono-Logues is a global theatre for our children and the generations to come project told by youth around the world. – a new world that we can be proud of. In 2010, Ashtar Theatre decided that it is time to make the voices of the children in
4 7arakat Conference 2012 Gaza heard, and allow their monologues thoughts are translated into action, and to travel out to the world to be heard action creates magic and miracles. Hence, from people outside the confines of Gaza. we worked towards adjusting script, setting The Gaza Mono‑Logues is a documentary and time to convert this tragic epic into action theatre performance based on the personal – an interactive theatre that evokes change and stories of a group of children from Gaza that arises from our belief that freeing our homeland was distributed to partner agencies and theatre begins by freeing the human. Thus, The Gaza companies around the globe and performed Mono-Logues is a loud scream in the corners simultaneously on 17 October 2010 by over of the world announcing itself artistically. It is 1500 youth in more than 50 cities in 36 the second year for The Gaza Mono-Logues, countries. The Gaza Mono‑Logues documentary and the project is still running, rotating between film (2011) follows the theatre training that theatres, festivals, radio stations and universities. took place over six months with the youth The power of the word, the clarity of feeling, participants in Gaza. Directed by Khalil El and the intensity of the moment have made Muzayen, the documentary film introduces these local stories continue to live. Yet still the us to the life of war-struck children and their situation in Gaza is unchanged; the strip is still individual experiences in Gaza, and records besieged, and the place is still under constant their fears, pain, hopes and aspirations. attack. So what should be done next? The film explores how the Ashtar Theatre project employs the therapeutic potential Biography: of the creative arts to create a platform for Iman Aoun is an actor, director and the youth participants to share their stories dramaturge. In 1991 Iman co-founded the with the rest of the world. Ashtar Theatre Company in Jerusalem, and has been instrumental in directing and devising Iman Aoun several productions for the company including Artistic Director of Ashtar Theatre, The Story of Said Al-Mas’oud and physical Palestine theatre work Last Supper in Palestine for the Dancing on the Edge Festival, Holland, in Keynote Title: 2007. An internationally recognised theatre trainer who specialises in the Theatre of the The Gaza Mono-Logues: ‘E la nava va’ Oppressed techniques, Iman is also initiator – and the ship sails on of the project 100 artists for Palestine in 2003. According to the proverb: ‘Tell me and I will In 2010, Iman developed The Gaza Mono-Logues, forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve a documentary theatre performance based on me and I will comprehend’. The war on Gaza the personal stories of a group of children from came to the whole world’s TV sets. Who saw? Gaza that was distributed to partner agencies Who heard? Who understood? People from and theatre companies around the globe and all over the world saw the unbearable. Yet, the performed simultaneously on 17 October 2010 injustice prevails? Theatre is willpower and by over 1500 youth in more than 50 cities in imagination turned into action. It affirms life 36 countries. Most recently Iman produced and raises us above the ruins of spiritual and and performed in Ashtar Theatre’s production physical destruction and death imposed on us of Richard II that toured to Shakespeare’s by the Israeli occupation. Theatre means that Globe theatre as part of the Globe-to-Globe Festival 2012.
7arakat Conference 2012 5 Keynotes
Professor Michael Balfour Biography: Chair in Applied and Social Theatre Michael Balfour’s research expertise is in at Griffith University, Brisbane the social applications of theatre: theatre in communities, social institutions, and areas Keynote Title: of disadvantage and conflict. He is the author Creative ecologies: Multi-arts approaches of a number of key publications in the field of to resilience for newly arrived refugees applied theatre, including Refugee Performance (Intellect, 2012), Performance: In Place of Within the field of refugee studies, there is War (co-author with James Thompson and now a growing body of qualitative studies Jenny Hughes) (Seagull Press, 2009), Drama published within the last decade that aim to as Social Intervention (co-author with John illuminate the resilience of particular refugee Somers) (Captus Press, 2006), Theatre in communities and individuals. These studies Prison (Intellect, 2004) and Theatre and War enable an understanding of the coping strategies 1933–1945: Performance in Extremis (Berghahn and forms of strength that allow diasporic Books, 2001). groups to thrive. One aspect of this resilience resides in the way individuals and groups have Dr. Nicholas Rowe explored performance and arts-based work to Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland define and redefine cultural identities. In some performances the source of resilience can be seen to reside outside the trauma story, located Keynote Title: in the energy, the creativity and the adapted Reclaiming space: Reflections traditions that participants bring with them, on dance education through war, along with their dreams and aspirations for the earthquakes and exile future. The keynote will draw on examples from two recent multi-arts projects with young people ‘How can we dance when people are dying in from a refugee background completed as part of the streets?’ It was a refrain that I often heard a three year Australian Research Council project. in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, during The paper will explore how multi-arts (drama, the first few months of the Second Intifada. art, poetry, digital story‑making, dance, hip-hop, When a community is besieged by natural, film making) can strengthen local ecologies economic or political crises, dancing can seem of practice, through developing ‘braided’ arts irrelevant, even offensive. Why dance when processes that engage with participants in the world is crumbling around you? Doesn’t diverse aesthetic ways. The paper will posit that dancing deny the suffering of those around these kinds of artistic expressions may open you? These anxious queries prompted me up new areas of knowledge, and indicate the onto a decade-long reflexive journey into how possibilities for working outside the paradigm community dance education projects might of trauma and ‘bureaucratic’ performances. contribute to the sustainability of localities Where the arts function as a form of inquiry and and cultures during challenging times. In this activism may lead to a deeper appreciation of presentation I critically examine three particular the phenomenon itself. In this way art-makers experiences of designing and facilitating dance and participants may be afforded the benefit workshops in traumatised communities. of thinking about, through and with the arts.
6 7arakat Conference 2012 Panel Presentations
These include workshops in the occupied Palestinian territories during the second 11:30am–1:00pm intifada, in Christchurch, New Zealand, during the aftershocks of the 2011 earthquake, and in Morning Panel: Acting the Bourj el-Barajneh refugee camp in Lebanon. Local/Thinking Global While acknowledging the importance of a community dance project’s relevance to its Chair: Dr. Nicholas Rowe locality, I juxtapose these diverse locations and (Auckland University) their differing experiences of war, earthquakes Unregulated to illegal: Palestinian and exile, to allow for the emergence of some theatre in the twentieth century common issues for dance education within a traumatised community. Contributing to Samer Al-Saber, University of Washington, broader theory, these reflections on practice Seattle prompt a re-conceptualising of prevailing Palestinian theatre can be divided into multiple meanings of trauma, community and site. periods and geographies; however, on some level, the city of Jerusalem will intersect with all those Biography: narratives due to its symbolic significance within Nicholas Rowe graduated from the Australian Palestinian Jewish, Christian and Muslim history. Ballet School, holds a PhD from the London I identify and discuss the legal factors that Contemporary Dance School, and is currently intentionally suppressed the theatrical movement a Senior Lecturer in Dance Studies at the before the 1967 occupation and unintentionally University of Auckland. He has choreographed supported the flourishing of theatre in Jerusalem and performed with the Finnish National Ballet, in the seventies and eighties. Given that theatrical Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, activity and live performances are often deeply Royal New Zealand Ballet, Nomad Dance affected by the laws that govern the movement Theatre, Modern Dance Turkey and Ramallah of people, the freedom to assemble, and the Dance Theatre. From 2000–2008, Nicholas ability of artists to publicise their events in print, resided in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, I will discuss the changing legal status of cultural directing the Our Kids arts education project production in the city from the Ottoman era until in refugee camps and villages. He has since the present. Furthermore, I will talk about the organised the Symposium on Dance Education progressive transformation of Palestinian theatre in Arabic Speaking Countries (2009) and the from an unregulated civil art form to an illegal Reclaiming Space Symposium (2011). His books act of resistance under military occupation. include the performing arts workshop manual I will survey a series of Ottoman, British Art, During Siege (2004) and Raising Dust: Mandatory, Jordanian, and Israeli laws that A Cultural History of Dance in Palestine effectively rendered Palestinian theatre from (2010). In 2011 he was awarded a University a mostly unregulated art form to a heavily of Auckland Teaching Excellence Award and controlled and, at times, illegal one. By 1967, in 2012 a University of Auckland Research these laws formed the basis for the emergence Excellence Award. of East Jerusalem as the uncontested theatrical capital for the Palestinian people. By contrast, similar legal and military structures have limited theatrical activities in Jerusalem today.
7arakat Conference 2012 7 Panel Presentations
Looking at Shakespeare with a Exploring the ethics of a cultural boycott contemporary eye: Richard II a political play for our time Samah Sabawi, Palestinian Activist and Playwright Iman Aoun, Artistic Director of Ashtar Many international artists find themselves Theatre, Palestine standing at a cross road between their desire When the Globe Theatre commissioned to support all forms of artistic expression Ashtar Theatre to produce Richard II, they Israeli or otherwise and the Palestinian call knew that Ashtar is a group that merges politics to support a cultural boycott of all Israeli state into art, and asks questions or raises debates sponsored forms of art. Some argue that art is around issues that are mostly untouched or an apolitical form of expression that must be controversial. Thus, dealing with a text of protected. Others highlight the vital role art Shakespeare was a controversial issue for the plays in affecting change by raising awareness troop. We usually develop our own plays based about political and social issues and inspiring on our political stories and daily lives. But to mass popular movements. They also point out touch upon a classic text – one of the more that there is a darker side to art that is not difficult ones of Shakespeare’s plays – was a only political, but is in fact a tool of political big challenge. Nevertheless, we accepted this repression, highlighting the many examples mission and were happy to bring our version where art was historically used as a propaganda of the play to the stage. Unfolding the text, we tool for various forms of political oppressive discovered how contemporary and familiar it regimes. In this paper, I will set out to examine was, and how much it represents what people the role of art in the Palestinian Israeli conflict in the Arab World are fighting for these days. and the ethics of the Palestinian Civil Society’s If Richard II had not been a play charged call for a cultural boycott of Israel. with highly political debate and the tapestry of human emotion and experience, it would not have made sense to us. Also, to be at the Globe was another challenge for us. We are 2:45pm–3:30pm a group that heavily relies on fundraising and donations for our projects, but theatre funding Panel: Performance and in Palestine is very limited. So, to do a major Advocacy: Artists reflecting production with a big cast was not an easy task and it demanded much effort to be achieved. on practice Then, the Globe invited Habima, the Israeli Chair: Polash Larsen National Theatre, which was a critical issue for (Melbourne University) us. Nevertheless, our presence in this context had a dual importance. We were part of ‘The Playing dead: Making theatre with children Globe’ and of a global event, which constituted from here about children from there a platform for our voice to be heard – despite the presence of Habima, who are allied with the Claudia Escobar, Independent Theatre Maker politics of the Israeli occupation. Culture is one and Artistic Director El Tarro way through which our struggle exists. We had How can we think of inclusion beyond our to participate and succeed. context? Beyond our community, our society, how can we picture global inclusion in theatre?
8 7arakat Conference 2012 It may sound outside theatre’s boundaries In the great tradition of oral history, Kutcha though global financial, politics, social and and his family presented a unique and personal economic issues are of interest to all and insight into the stories and songs of the Stolen amongst all media. Can there exist a global Generations. In 2010 Kutcha followed up with theatre beyond The Globe Theatre in London the musical and storytelling performance and the venue in New South Wales which has Yuyukatha (To Dream), which toured regionally a capacity of 225 and the standard theatre throughout Victoria. In this presentation Kutcha complement of data projection, built-in PC, will share some of his story and reflect on his document camera, microphone(s) and PA? artistic practice. Retrieving the differences between our social landscapes and collective thinking, afar from An overview of Back to Back Theatre’s the signs I get and you don’t, the world that The Democratic Set you know and the world I know, lies the world we share since I moved to Australia nearly Bruce Gladwin, Brian Tilley and Scott Price, six years ago. So what is belonging, what is Back To Back Theatre cultural citizenship? An agenda? Citizenship The Democratic Set is a residency model that is a concept caught between the lines in many extends Back to Back Theatre’s exploration people’s lives in contemporary societies such of the interface between screen based and live as Australia. Many new members of society are performance. Thematically the work explores bridging the limits of one country and another. the social ideal that all people are, in principle, So how do you make bridging theatre? How do equal and should enjoy equal social, political, we link local voices to global change? I believe and economic rights and opportunities. In it must be in a world of memory. As an artist form, The Democratic Set is an empty room from Colombia that has devised and directed constructed for the purpose of the project. a series of performances, theatre works and Acting as a visual soap-box, the physical set visual arts projects with children in different is designed to be an egalitarian space, where societies and in different realities, I have found the contributing artists and audience are able children to be in the right place to influence to project their own understanding of the local and global voices and to develop a sense principles that underpin democracy. Back to of belonging beyond the world they just know. Back use this residency model as a means to respond to communities’ interest in developing Yuyukatha (To Dream): Indigenous their local practice. In this presentation Bruce musical and storytelling performance Gladwin shares insights, ideas and processes explored in the development of the work. The Kutcha Edwards, Storyteller and Musician project has so far toured 23 communities across A Mutti Mutti man and one of Australia’s six countries so far including Belgium, Denmark, respected Indigenous singer/songwriters, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom. Kutcha and his eleven brothers and sisters The resulting films from all of these projects created a theatre performance Songlines can be seen on The Democratic Set microsite: of a Mutti Mutti Man. democraticset.backtobacktheatre.com
7arakat Conference 2012 9 Panel Presentations
and that helps them in creating new theatre 4:00pm–5:30pm movements to reflect their reality? What kind of theatre do young Palestinian actors need Afternoon Panel: Moving/ to liberate themselves? What could be the Dancing Towards Inclusion role of the body in this perspective, and what could be an approach that takes into account Chair: Dr. Kim Baston the cultural and political circumstances of (La Trobe University) physical experience? In this presentation I will give a theoretical discussion on creativity and Resilience and creativity: The fantasy resilience backed up with particular theories of an occupied body and discovering in human development and drama therapy. the self through drama and movement I shall also explain some techniques in which Petra Barghouthi, Movement Coach and I combine theatre and therapy methods. Choreographer, Al Kasaba Theatre, Palestine The A.R.A.B performing arts program In this presentation I will explore the and eastern music: Connecting the impact of collective cultural and political past and present circumstances on the physical experience of young Palestinian actors by emphasising the Leila Alloush and Yousif Aziz, The Victorian relationship between resilience and creativity Arabic Social Services (VASS) and A.R.A.B in the Palestinian condition. According to Performing Arts Program Phil Jones, ‘the oppressed person tries to The Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS) suffuse his/her reality with fantasy. It’s a way Anti Racism Action Band (A.R.A.B) is a of being – wanting to satisfy a need within a performing arts program that was initiated fantasy which cannot be dealt with in reality’ as a creative outlet for Arabic Speaking (Drama as Therapy – Theatre as Living, 2004). Background young people in Melbourne’s In this presentation I argue that within a north who were engaging in antisocial and theatrical context this could contribute to problematic behaviours which was fuelled by a specific physicality and action. Over the low self-esteem and a lack of creative outlets past seven years working as a drama and across all cultural groupings. The VASS team movement therapist and a movement coach decided to throw open its doors to all young with young Palestinian actors in various cities people and engage them through music, dance and refugee camps, I have had to develop and and theatre. The results were explosive and the adapt a specific physical training for actors by ensemble quickly expanded in size and form. combining therapeutic methods and theatre VASS A.R.A.B is now a large multi-disciplinary techniques in order to create an atmosphere program that works actively to raise self-esteem of self-discovery and growth. My students at and confidence, challenge racial tensions and the Drama Academy Ramallah have performed promote social inclusion whilst imparting Shakespeare and other theatre classics in performance, event management, social and addition to some modern plays. In these life skills and crucial employment pathways. productions, directors try to find a connection The program currently is incorporating Middle between the theme of the play and of individual Eastern music and dance with Musician and or group experiences. Is this the theatre that International Artist Yousif Aziz who holds young actors need in order to be fully creative a Masters in Musical Science. Yousif will be
10 7arakat Conference 2012 teaching and mentoring young emerging artists on how to play the Oud, Saz, read and write 11:30am–1:00pm music. With the support and assistance of emerging artists a Mesopotamian Dance Group Morning Panel: will be formed to perform traditional folklore Policy Initiatives dance (Assyrian Chaldean) and the possibility of fusion with various other cultural dancers. Chair: Prof. Michael Balfour (Griffith University) Once upon a circus Building health through arts and new media Lena Cirillo, Executive Director, Westside Circus, Melbourne Jim Rimmer, Senior Project Officer, Social Connection, the Arts and New Media, VicHealth Westside Circus has been delivering programs (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation) that empower children and young people from culturally diverse communities for over Linking participation in the arts with health fifteen years. Westside Circus is a non-profit and wellbeing outcomes is an emerging area community arts organisation creating circus, for research and practice. Beyond the individual performance, physical theatre, and leadership therapeutic benefits of engaging with the arts, opportunities for young people. Westside little else is articulated about the broader social Circus aim is to make a difference for young and economic opportunities created by arts and people between the ages of 3 and 25 from health collaborations. If we agree that arts is a diverse social and cultural backgrounds to setting within which participation by those most access exciting and challenging programs which marginalised in our community, can occur, then build confidence, promote personal wellbeing we begin to engage in interesting arts/health and create positive relationships both with conversations about how the arts recognises peers and the community. Westside Circus has the importance of voice and agency, and how a unique history and style and has developed civic engagement and skill development through a successful model that enables innovative the arts can have positive influences on health program delivery for young people. Westside and wellbeing. An increasing global interest in Circus is committed to providing sustainable the promotion of mental health and wellbeing programs in an environment dedicated to has been generated by recognition of the fact circus arts, community cultural development that being isolated, poor, a victim of violence principles and innovation to build the social or discrimination will impede your mental and capacity of the most disadvantaged and at-risk physical health and wellbeing. The arts play members of the community. The development a significant role in influencing these factors of the individual participant comes naturally positively. As a global leader in the development and it primarily comes from ‘working on the of mental health promotion, VicHealth has floor’ with others. The participant responds to financially supported activity in the arts for natural evolutions and is guided by the circus health gain, for more than 20 years. This artists they work with. Respect and courage are presentation will reflect upon our more recent paramount, particularly in relation to the quality program, policy and research perspectives and of the circus arts program model delivered to experiences at VicHealth as well as showcasing participants and in the presentation of Westside a range of programs, learning and tools Circus work. developed over this time.
7arakat Conference 2012 11 Panel Presentations
Theatre and reality: Contextualising Including communities in arts the making of 100% Melbourne and culture through networked government arrangements Vicky Guglielmo, Arts and Participation Program Manager, City of Melbourne Andy Miller, Senior Arts Officer, Arts Victoria In May 2012, Rimini Protokoll created 100% As a network of Victorian arts organisations, Melbourne, in which our city was reflected by artists and government agencies, Castanet 100 citizens on stage. It started with a single supports community arts and cultural Melburnian. This Melburnian had 24 hours to development in Victoria by offering professional recruit the next Melburnian, who then had 24 development programs as well as planning, hours to choose the next, and so on, until 100 brokering and information services to anyone people were linked. These 100 people were who is interested in developing community chosen according to statistical criteria that arts projects and activities. As a model of reflected Melbourne’s demographics from networked government with an inclusion census data. Each individual represented agenda, the presentation will highlight benefits roughly 41,000 Melburnians – that is, 1% and challenges for these kinds of arrangements of Melbourne’s population of around 4.1 in the current operating environment. Million people. Together, these 100 people are 100 percentage points that represent a demographic profile of Melbourne. Working with Berlin’s acclaimed theatre makers Rimini Protokoll as part of the City of Melbourne Arts and Participation Program, these 100 citizens took to the stage at the Melbourne Town Hall and created a living, breathing portrait of Melbourne: part theatre, part reality, and 100% Melbourne. This presentation reflects on the outcomes, challenges and experience of producing this large-scale theatrical event in the context of local government arts programs. Presented by 100% Melbourne project producer Vicky Guglielmo.
12 7arakat Conference 2012 Speakers
Leila Alloush Samer Al-Saber The Victorian Arabic Social Services University of Washington, Seattle (VASS) Samer is a PhD candidate in Theatre History Leila is the Manager of the Victorian Arabic and Criticism at the University of Washington. Social Services (VASS) and an accredited He holds an MFA in directing from the University mediator for the Department of Justice’s of Calgary. He works regularly as a freelance Dispute Settlement Centre. Leila was a artist and consultant. His directing credits member of the Ministerial Advisory Council include Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing, Paul for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (Human Rudnick’s Jeffrey, Carol Shields’ Departures Services) from 2003–2006. She is a founding and Arrivals, Noel Coward’s Private Lives, member of Women’s Health in the North, Diane Samuels’ The True Life Fiction of Mata and held the position as Chairperson for the Hari, David Auburn’s Proof, Shakespeare’s organisation for three years. She was also a A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Arthur founding member and Chairperson of the Milner’s Facts. His academic work is concerned Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria. with the cultural and political history of the Leila spent a significant period of time working Middle East and the Palestine/Israel conflict. for Settlement Services assisting newly arrived He is writing a cultural history of theatrical migrants and refuges and Women’s Specific activities in Jerusalem for his dissertation. Health and Women’s Mental Programs within His recent practical work includes theatre the Box Hill Hospital, the Austin Hospital and productions and performance workshops the Northern Hospital. In 2000, for her work in Arabic and English. with newly arrived migrants and refugees, Leila received recognition and was awarded Yousif Aziz the AMES National Humanitarian Award. A.R.A.B Performing Arts Program In 2005, Leila received an Award of Excellence of Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria Yousif has a Masters Degree in Musical Science from the Victorian Government. In 2007 Leila from Baghdad University – College of Fine received the top 10 Australian CEO award for Arts. He is currently working as a Creative her innovative approach to leadership and Producer for the VASS A.R.A.B Performing management provided by the Equity Trustees. Arts Program. Yousif is a strong advocate for Leila completed a Post Graduate Degree in hands-on, inquiry‑based learning, he engages Social Work (Human Services Management) his students in a variety of practical instrument from La Trobe University 1994. tutoring sessions that provide them with opportunities to use their skills to assist others. He is a singer, composer and author of his own music. This reflects on just how passionate Mr Aziz is in focusing on Arabic culture and traditions. His professional interests focus on music composition, and his projects include working in media as a director of music section of a television program labelled ‘Ishtar TV’; he moreover wrote an anthem for Iraqi Symphony Orchestra accompanied by 85 carol singers.
7arakat Conference 2012 13 Speakers
Petra Barghouthi Alissar Chidiac Movement Coach and Choreographer, Alissar has been active in community and Al Kasaba Theatre, Palestine cultural development for over 30 years. She initiated the Wattan Project at the Petra received her MA in Drama and Movement Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and diverse Therapy from the Central School of Speech projects with Auburn Community Development and Drama, London, and holds a BA in Network in Western Sydney. Recently she was Journalism and Mass Communication from Creative Producer of Casula Powerhouse Art Al Yarmouk University, Jordan. As a performer Centre’s national initiative No Added Sugar: she has worked with the Al-Hakawati Theatre Engagement and Self-Determination: Australian and the First Ramallah Troup, Ramallah, and Muslim Women Artists. In the 1980s, Alissar was employed as assistant director on the began her performance work with Woman joint theatre-dance production of Hussein Action Theatre and community arts work with Barghouthi’s Sahat Alward. She has worked Pipi Storm. In the 1990s, she worked with Death as a drama and movement therapist with the Defying Theatre, and was a member of Taqa Freedom Theatre in the Jenin Refugee Camp, Theatre and SAFA, creating Arab Australian and a project manager and trainer in an inclusive contemporary performance works. Her work art education program with Sakakini Cultural has been recognised by the Australia Council Center and the Palestinian Ministry of Education. for the Arts, with a Fellowship in 2005 and the Petra is currently employed as movement ‘Ros Bower Award’ in 2010. instructor by the Drama Academy in Ramallah and Folkwang University. For Al-Kasaba Petra has assisted on several productions in her Lena Cirillo capacity as movement coach and choreographer Executive Director, Westside Circus, including Antigone (2009) and most recently Melbourne A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2011) which Lena has a diverse background in the toured internationally to Essen, Germany. performing and visual arts sector. She is a dynamic leader who has led the culture Nicole Beyer of focussed, productive and creative arts Director, Theatre Network Victoria organisations over the past fifteen years. Lena has been a past performer, director Nicole Beyer has been with TNV as its founding and a participant of various theatre and Director since May 2009. Past positions include circus groups. Lena is a 2007 graduate CEO roles with Arts Access Victoria, Back to of the Williamson Community Leadership Back Theatre, and Young People and the Arts Program and is a Williamson Fellow with Australia. Nicole has been a member of many Leadership Victoria. She has been on a arts boards including Geelong Arts Alliance, Arts number of Boards including the Cultural Arts Access Australia, Snuff Puppets, and The Village Advisory Board for the City of Melbourne, was Festival. Nicole is currently Deputy President of the Chair of Melbourne Workers Theatre and Arts Industry Council (Victoria) and is a member is currently a member of the Advisory group of the advisory committee for Deakin University’s for Australian Circus and Physical Theatre new Arts Participation Incubator. In 2013 Nicole Association (ACAPTA). will complete the Masters of Public Policy and Management (MPPM) at Monash University.
14 7arakat Conference 2012 Lena has been the CEO of organisations such Claudia Escobar as Arts Project Australia, Polyglot Theatre and the 2003 Lygon Street Festa. Lena previously Independent Theatre Maker and Artistic worked with Make-A-Wish Australia where Director El Tarro she was the Victoria/Tasmania State Manager Claudia is a Colombian born artist currently in fundraising and development. Lena has a based in Melbourne, Australia. Her artwork Bachelor of Arts Degree – Fine Art (RMIT) and has been internationally catalogued as effective a Graduate Diploma in Arts Management (VCA). and deeply provocative. She has devised and directed a series of performances, theatre works and visual arts projects with children Kutcha Edwards raising spectres of childhood and imagination. Storyteller and Musician She is artistic director of El Tarro, the smallest Kutcha is a Mutti Mutti man and one of performing space in the world Official Selection Australia’s most respected Indigenous singer/ of South Project 2010 and showcased in songwriters. His music and community work Melbourne, Sydney, Bogota, San Francisco, has made him a legend in the Indigenous Buenos Aires, Berlin, Cesena and Venice. She community and beyond. Kutcha has toured, was visiting artist at Societas Rafello Sanzio performed and made connections throughout (Italy 2011). She is the recipient of the Keith and Australia and internationally. For many years Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship (2011), he was lead singer in Blackfire who began as Art and Youth for Peace Award (Colombia a community fund raising band and who ended 2010), IPCA Award (2008), Carolina Oramas up touring China, Mexico and Japan. He has Award ICETEX (Colombia 2007) and Orloff since gone solo with the Kutcha Edwards Band Family Charitable Trust Scholarship (2007). and recorded two albums, Cooinda and Hope. She was recently Assistant Director at the Recently Kutcha and his eleven brothers and Malthouse production Blood Wedding (2012) sisters created a theatre performance Songlines directed by Marion Potts. Performances include: of a Mutti Mutti Man. In the great tradition of SWEAT (Branch Nebula, 2010/2011) at the oral history, Kutcha and his family presented a IN TRANSIT Festival in Haus Der Kulturen Der unique and personal insight into the stories and Welt (Berlin), manola (solo work 2010) as part songs of the Stolen Generations. In 2010 Kutcha of Performance Space season, Carriageworks followed up with the musical and storytelling (Sydney) and Dance Massive 2011 (Melbourne). performance Yuyukatha (To Dream), which Escobar has over eight years of experience toured regionally throughout Victoria. in arts management and has worked as a consultant for cultural management. See claudiaescobar.com
7arakat Conference 2012 15 Speakers
Bruce Gladwin Vicky has also been an active musician and music director in Melbourne since the early Artistic Director, Back To Back Theatre 1980s and attributes her professional career to Bruce specialises in the development of years of networking, performing and attending adventurous theatrical work, working as cultural events that facilitate collective and director, designer and writer. For Back to individual expression and celebration. Currently Back Theatre he has created Mental (1999), Vicky works in the role of Arts and Participation Dog Farm (2000), Soft (2002), Small Metal Program Manager at the City of Melbourne Arts Objects (2005) Food Court (2008) and and Culture Branch. Ganesh versus the Third Reich (2011). He collaborated with Rosemary Myers at Arena Theatre Company to develop the Anthropop Rand Hazou trilogy (Autopsy, Mass and Panacea), which has 7arakat Conference Convenor been recognised for its dynamic integration of Rand was born in Jordan. His family are from technology and theatre. In 1998 Autopsy toured Jerusalem. Rand is an Australian/Palestinian to North America while Panacea premiered academic and theatre facilitator. In 2004 to acclaim at the Melbourne International Rand was commissioned by the United Nations Arts Festival. In 1999, the trilogy, along with Development Program to travel to the Occupied Oblong, garnered the prestigious ASSITEJ Territories in Palestine to work as a theatre International Honorary President’s Award for consultant running workshops for Palestinian inspiring, provocative and experimental ways youths. In 2009 Rand was awarded a PhD of expressing a new theatrical language. Bruce’s in Theatre and Drama at La Trobe University. other credits include The Island with Lano and His thesis examined the latest wave of political Woodley, Blue Rinse Club with MOMO (Museum theatre in Australia dealing with Asylum of Modern Oddities) for the 2004 Melbourne Seekers and Refugees. As an academic he International Arts Festival, Road Movie for has taught across a wide variety of subjects Melbourne Workers Theatre and Act Director for at La Trobe and Monash Universities. In 2011 Circus Oz’s New York season at the New Victory. Rand was awarded a Cultural Leadership Skills Development Grant from the Australia Council Vicky Guglielmo for the Arts to develop The 7arakat|Harakat Project, involving a series of theatre-related Arts and Participation Program Manager, initiatives between Australia and Palestine. City of Melbourne Vicky is an arts producer and program manager with more than fifteen years’ experience in Polash Larsen working in the arts and in local government. Polash is a Bengali-Australian playwright, As a producer and project manager, Vicky has musician and dramaturg based in Melbourne focused on maximising arts participation for who has worked extensively in the independent individuals and communities across all art forms. theatre sector for almost twenty years. As a With a strong commitment to and passion for songwriter/musician he is most often affiliated the arts, she has worked in a variety of settings with The Deans – a prominent Indigenous band including local government, community health, who were nominated as ‘Band of the Year’ non-government organisations, drug and alcohol for the prestigious Deadly Awards in 2008. services and the mental health sector.
16 7arakat Conference 2012 As a dramaturg his focus has been on new Jim Rimmer play development and under the auspices of companies such as Red Ink Dramaturgy, Senior Project Officer, VicHealth Playbox, theatre@risk and Playwriting Australia Jim manages VicHealth’s investments and he has nurtured many writers towards positive partnerships in arts and new media. This work outcomes. He currently lectures in ‘Writing ranges from large scale, multi-year initiatives for Theatre’ at Melbourne University and is to more discreet, project driven interventions, the Artistic Director of the Merlynston Diverse all with a focus on improving health and Voices Festival. wellbeing outcomes across the community. His commitment to the potential of arts and cultural activity as a tool for engagement and Andy Miller development has informed Jim’s work within a Arts Victoria range of organisations including Victorian Trades Andy is a Senior Arts Officer with Arts Victoria Hall Arts, Platform Youth Theatre, Asialink, and where he has worked to improve the capacity of the Victorian College for the Arts. Directly before the State’s small arts organisations; develop Arts joining VicHealth, Jim was Executive Officer of Victoria’s Disability Access and Cultural Diversity both the National Arts and Culture Alliance, and Action Plans; and increase arts participation in Arts Industry Council Victoria. the community. Andy worked in the visual and performing arts throughout the late eighties Samah Sabawi and early nineties. He worked as a Cultural Development Officer at the Cities of Wyndham Palestinian Activist and Playwright and Yarra and has been involved in numerous Samah is a writer, political analyst, commentator, cultural development projects in Australia and author and playwright. She is co-author of the overseas. Andy Miller has a BA from the Canberra book Journey to Peace in Palestine and writer School of Art, and a Graduate Diploma in Arts and producer of the plays Cries from the Land Management and Masters in Public Policy and and Three Wishes. Sabawi is currently in the Management from the University of Melbourne. process of working on her third play Tales of a City by the Sea – a love story set against the backdrop of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in Scott Price 2008–2009. Sabawi is a policy advisor to the Back To Back Theatre Palestinian policy network Al‑Shabaka and Scott began working as a member of Theatre of former public advocate for Australians for Speed in 2005, with D9 (The Gaol Film) as his first Palestine. Her past work experience include project. After performing in Minotaur, he landed holding the position of Executive Director and the lead role as the Boatman in Pod 7 (Geelong), Media Spokesperson for the National Council a character he describes as being ‘really gentle’. on Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR) and Scott joined Back to Back in 2007 and performs working as Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Food Court and Ganesh Versus the Third Reich. on various countries in the Middle East’s He has also been part of the development of cultural and political landscape for the Tour Guide and community residency project Canadian Foreign Service Institute’s Center The Democratic Set. He enjoys his time with the for Intercultural Learning. company, being relaxed, having fun and a few adventures with some excitement and drama.
7arakat Conference 2012 17 Speakers
Shahin Shafaei Brian Tilley Shahin Shafaei is a storyteller, writer, director Back To Back Theatre and Forum Theatre practitioner originally from Brian began his work with Back to Back in Iran, who has called Australia home since the 1995 as a member of Theatre of Speed – taking year 2000. During his time in Australia, Shahin lead roles in Minotaur, Pod 7 in Geelong and has written, directed and/or performed several DMI. Since 2007 Brian has worked consistently stage productions such as Refugitive, Through as an extra in film and TV work. Since joining The Wires, Opera Norma, Carrying Shoes Into the ensemble in 2008 he has performed in The Unknown, Homebody/Kabul, What’s You’re numerous Theatre of Speed productions, his-Tory?! and films likeInnocent Man, Where in Tour Guide (Austria) and as a collaborator Are You From?, TV series such as SBS’s Kick, with The Democratic Set. He is a devisor/ and Documentary films;Daughter’s of Sudan performer in Ganesh versus the Third Reich. and Voices of Horn of Africa. In 2007, Shahin graduated with a Masters degree in Community Cultural Development at the Centre for Cultural Partnerships, Victorian College of Art, University of Melbourne, where he also worked as the Artistic Director for five years. He is currently practicing his Forum Theatre with the Unusual Suspect Theatre Company, engaging the Hispanic communities around Los Angeles.
18 7arakat Conference 2012 City Highlights
With its convenient and central location, Public Transport the conference venue is close to vibrant areas of the CBD. Metropolitan public transport includes trams, buses and trains, which run in the CBD and Melbourne Central, a shopping and inner suburbs (zone 1). They also connect the entertainment mall intriguing in its design, city with the outer suburbs (zone 2). and Melbourne’s famous open-air Queen You can get around by purchasing daily Victoria Market are just around the corner. paper-based Metcard tickets that are used qvm.com.au on all forms of transportation and have to be Only a 15-minute walk from the venue, to both validated onboard the vehicle. A daily Metcard sides of the river, you find the cultural centre costs $7.60, a two hour-ticket $4 if you travel of the city: Federation Square, Hamer Hall, within zone 1. Arts Centre Melbourne and the National Recently, the Myki system has been introduced Gallery of Victoria (NGV). to Victorian transport. You can purchase a artscentremelbourne.com.au prepaid Myki card, which you need to top ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions up before you travel. This is the easiest and cheapest way to use public transport. You On the other side, Federation Square – equally just touch on and off at the Myki machines fascinating and intimidating in its postmodern, on busses, trams and trains and the exact deconstructive architecture – compliments fare will be automatically deducted from the uniqueness of this area, hosting many your card. An overview of the transportation performance spaces, restaurants, cafes, network, timetables and fares can be found galleries as well as the Australian Centre on the following websites: for the Moving Image (ACMI). ptv.vic.gov.au fedsquare.com www.myki.com.au acmi.net.au myki.com.au/Latest-News/myki-pack- Notorious for its coffee culture, Melbourne for-overseas-and-interstate-visitors offers countless cafes that excel at the high There is a free tram service in the city centre art of coffee-making. In the vicinity of the city, called the City Circle, no 35. It runs in a circle you might want to pay a visit to Sensory Lab in both directions along Harbor Esplanade, in Little Collins Street (basement of David La Trobe Street, Spring Street and Flinders Jones) or Seven Seeds in Berkeley Street, Street. The stop on the corner of La Trobe Carlton, very close to the conference location. Street and Queen Street is only a short walk sevenseeds.com.au/seeds from the conference venue. sensorylab.com.au ptv.vic.gov.au/route/view/1112 As ‘the 2011 most livable city’, Melbourne For trips to regional Victoria or other states, has plenty more to offer and can hardly be the national bus companies and interstate summarised at this point. Hundreds of bars and trains offer excellent travel options. Most restaurants of great culinary and ethnic diversity coaches and trains leave from Southern spread across the entire city and highlight Cross Station in central Melbourne: Melbourne’s multicultural communities. southerncrossstation.net.au agfg.com.au/guide/vic/melbourne/listings/ restaurants-dining ICON 5677 ICON La Trobe University City Campus latrobe.edu.au 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne
Conference Convenor Dr. Rand T. Hazou Theatre and Drama Program, La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus, Victoria 3086 T +61 3 9479 2340 M +61 0407 042 552 F +61 3 9479 3037 E [email protected]
Conference Information Officer and Emergency Contact Dr. Hannah Schürholz English Program, La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus, Victoria 3086 M +61 0415 314 226 E [email protected]
La Trobe City Campus Contact and Security 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 T +61 3 9285 5100
Sponsors The conference is supported by Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV), the Centre for Creative Arts at La Trobe University, the Diversity in Australian Theatre Alliance (DATA), Australians for Palestine (AFP), and the Australian Government through the Council for Australian‑Arab Relations (CAAR). Through support of the 7arakat Project, the conference is also assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
CRICOS Provider 00115M