IDEA2024 Congress extended the deadline for Call for Proposals - submissions for Workshops, Panels and Paper presentations are now open until 31 January 2024.

IDEA and IDEAC invite drama/theatre educators, practitioners, and researchers to think about their work through the themes of the IDEA2024 Congress. This Congress will feature a range of practical workshops, panels and academic paper presentations addressing the Congress themes and sub-themes.

See IDEA2024 web page for additional details. https://www.idea2024congress.org/ 

IDEA2024 Congress is currently accepting Proposals for Workshops, Panels and Paper presentations. The Call Workshops, Panels and Paper presentations is open until 15 January, 11:59pm (GMT+8). 

IDEA and IDEAC invite drama/theatre educators, practitioners, and researchers to think about their work through the themes of the IDEA2024 Congress. This Congress will feature a range of practical workshops, panels and academic paper presentations addressing the Congress themes and subthemes.

See IDEA2024 web page for additional details. https://www.idea2024congress.org/ 

IDEA2024 logo

Overarching theme: “天下大同”（tiān xià dà tóng）A Harmonious World — Constructing a harmonious Cultural, Artistic, and Spiritual Home for Humanity through Drama and Theatre.

Sub-themes: 

1. Sharing Global Drama Education Experience and practice

2. Enabling cross-cultural communication and understanding

3. Exploring emerging possibilities and scenarios for drama education

4. Widening drama education conversations

IDEAC Conference in Zhuhai, China, in May 2023

The IDEA2024 Congress will be conducted in a hybrid format. It will take place from July 15-20, 2024.

In-person delegates will meet in Beijing, China. On-line delegates will contribute through technology. The in-person congress will be in English and Mandarin. On-line contributions may be in the IDEA languages (English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Mandarin).

For further enquiries, please reach out to the IDEA Administrator and IDEA2024 Congress Director.

Criteria for selection

All proposals will be reviewed by the IDEA2024 Advisory Committee using the following criteria:

o Contributions should make a significant contribution to knowledge and/or practice in Drama Theatre and Education and address the themes and sub themes of the Congress

o Contributions should clearly identify the author’s experience or other credentials in Drama Theatre and Education

o Contributions should specify whether suitable for live/online or only live presentation

o Contributions should clearly address Congress session time limits

o Papers (and workshops, where appropriate) must be suitable and presented to the IDEA Director of Publications for book or journal publication

o Live in person workshops should be presentable with minimal practical requirements

o An indication of the space and/or equipment and furniture required for live in person workshops

o Contributors must complete this Proposal/Expression of Interest Form including Declaration, Terms and Conditions.

o Contributors must indicate their intention to register for the IDEA Congress and their capacity to participate.

As a young girl, I have always believed that the twenty-first century will bring wisdom and harmony to the world. That humanity would have learnt its lesson from the devastating wars of the twentieth century. In my own lifetime, I have experienced what it means to live in crises and war, in the wars in Yugoslavia in the nineties. Somehow the hope was that we would, as a civilization, become wiser and nobler in this new era. 

IDEA President Sanja Krsmanović Tasić at the IDEAC Conference in Zhuhai, China, in May 2023

What we are encountering in the last few years is an escalation of violence, tragedy, horrific atrocities, migration, all happening as a consequence of wars in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan, and so many places in the world. The war industry seems to be the only industry that is blossoming. And what is even more devastating is that profit seems to be behind many of the things that are happening, not even power, colonization, conquering, but just money and profit.

On the other hand nature seems to be rebelling. The earthquakes, floods, tornados, global warming and catastrophes. Nature has been fed up with the way humans are mistreating it for so many decades.

Sometimes we feel helpless in this situation. Sometimes we remain speechless, paralyzed, afraid.

I have no recipe of what to do in the global geopolitical sphere. What I can offer is the example of what was happening in my country, and my city, Belgrade, in those years of hardship. In the Center for Culture "Stari Grad“ a group of artists collected under the initiative of Ljubica Beljanski Ristić, one of the founders of CEDEUM, to offer a safe haven for many children and youngsters. They did drama and dance workshops and even worked during the NATO bombing of Belgrade and Serbia. This small island of hope helped these young people safely transcend this period filled with stress and distress. Many of them became established artists and important creators of the cultural and artistic life of Belgrade.

What we must never forget is that we have a powerful tool in our hands, a skill that can transform us into everything and anything we want, and this is theatre and drama. To act is to be active, to do, to move, to speak out, to try out different scenarios for the future. In the process of creating in the theatre/drama education world, we learn steps of becoming better versions of ourselves, we try to, in this process also change the world around us.

We as drama teachers and pedagogues, are the beacon of light and hope in dark times. We must never give in to hopelessness, helplessness and despair. What we do, and how we deal with things is an example for the children, young people, seniors, whom we work with.

In our spaces, classrooms, drama studios, we must be able to create these small oases of meaningful existence, of the vision of a better future, of solidarity and support for each other. This is why I called a series of workshops I did: ART NEST. What we create is a warm nest of understanding, but also of challenging and strengthening the young people to take flight by themselves. To learn to fly, despite the dark clouds, thunder and hard rain that fall on us sometimes.

We in the IDEA board look into the future with optimism, sure that next year’s IDEACongress in Beijing, China, will bring us all together, and allow us to have a first hand glimpse of the important steps that are happening, with the implementation of drama education in the school curriculum in this great country. This will be an opportunity to meet Chinese drama educators, to also meet each other from the international community , and present and share our work and expertise. As this will be a blended Congress, many can also join us though different online platforms that will be provided for the Congress.

I believe we can change the world by doing what we do best, and that we can learn so much from each other. Exchange is important, and we can inspire each other, and bring new tendencies in drama/theatre education to our own countries and spaces where we work. Our Congresses have always been the best place for all of this. So hopefully we will meet in Beijing next July.

IDEA celebrated IDEA Day in the form of an online Webinar dedicated to the theme of Drama/Theatre Education for Peace. Let us all see and hear how we can contribute with our work to the important and essential field of peace education through drama and theatre.

I will end with a quote from an exceptional man, who showed that change can be done in a non-violent way, Mahatma Gandhi:

"In a gentle way, you can shake the world.“

Sanja Krsmanović Tasić, IDEA President

The 25th International Drama/Theatre in Education Conference organized by IDEA Austria will take place in Retz, Lower Austria from 22-27 March 2024.

An anniversary should be celebrated; many people - let's call them "dinosaurs" - have participated in Congresses/Conferences and accompanied IDEA Austria over the past 50 years. We are looking forward to hearing their memories.

But we are also on our way into the next 50 years and we appreciate getting your thoughts and ideas for the next decades. The Conference itself will go for some issues. There will be also an opportunity for participants to present their ideas.

For all drama/theatre lovers – YOU ARE PART OF THE SUCCESS!

Embedded in the program we also offer the workshop days as used (One whole day with One Facilitator), plus Best Practice, Lectures and Marketplace presentations. New trends in Drama in Education create a bridge to the next 50 years. A rich supplemental program draws attention to the region where culture is so famous: Theater, whether professional or amateur, is very present in Lower Austria. Participants can also get inspiration by the culture of Austrian Wine. And the Conference venue is absolutely awesome!

The Conference is endorsed by IDEA as a Regional IDEA Conference.

IDEA AUSTRIA TEAM

Chair: Dagmar Hoefferer

REGISTRATION - www.oebvtheater.at/idea-conference-2024/

INFORMATION

IDEA AUSTRIA - BLOG: blog.idea-austria.org/

Questions & Contact: info@idea-austria.org

IDEA Day on the 27th of November is approaching, an important occasion when we celebrate drama/theatre education and advocate for the universal right to education and cultural life, with a special focus on children’s human rights.

Unfortunately, we are everyday witnesses that children’s human rights are not only blatantly violated in many parts of the world but children are often victims of wars and conflict zones that are raging around the world.

In 2022, IDEA together with its partners from the World Alliance for Arts Education dedicated the program of the UNESCO International Arts Education Week to peace education through arts, as we believe that war and violence can only cause pain for human beings, while education and culture should have a pacifist and healing effect. Our unspoken hope was that the world would gradually progress from devastating wars to cooperation and solidarity.

As the situation is no better than in 2022, and in many cases the situation is significantly more concerning, IDEA finds that it is essential to foster collaboration, inclusion, empathy, and compassion through our work. That is why we are organizing the IDEA Day Webinar: Drama/Theatre Education for Peace on Sunday the 26th of November at 12 pm (noon) UTC.

At the webinar, you will have the chance to: 1. Hear presentations from drama/theatre practitioner from across the globe who dedicate their work to peace education; 2. Get to know new IDEA members who will present their work to the wider IDEA community; 3. Learn about about important upcoming events in drama/theatre education like the IDEA World Congress that will take place in China in July 2024.

Zoom link for the webinar: 

IDEA Day Webinar: Drama/Theatre Education for Peace

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86703449486?pwd=NkgvNHRXU0tSd3lNWkMrS3RueEFpUT09

Meeting ID: 867 0344 9486

Passcode: 119466

The webinar will be live-streamed on IDEA's YouTube.

We are looking forward to meeting you and using IDEA Day as a platform for drama/theatre education and peace!

SAVE THE DATE: the 10th IDEA World Congress will take place in Beijing, China, from 15-20 July 2024!

The Congress will be organized by IDEAC, an IDEA member and Chinese drama/theatre education association. 

The IDEA General Council Meeting will be organized as part of the Congress. You can also expect Special Interest Groups discussions, workshops, paper presentations, the Young IDEA project and many more activities!

Stay tuned for more updates. 

We are young

We have a lot of questions

We are international & worldwide

We are artists, educators & scientists

We want to promote transcultural exchange

We are students, young professionals & lecturers

We want to create a worldwide Young IDEA network

From October 4th-8/9th 2023, IDEA-member AAA Fabre Vieux – France, will host the IDEA Europe Meeting at the Château Fabre Vieux. Parallel to the IDEA Europe Meeting we organize a Young IDEA Workshop: ‘SITE-SPECIFIC 1M2’. Graduating Theatre-students and young professionals can participate.

We have accommodations for 12 to 15 young participants under the age of 30 years.

Site-Specific

ONE SQUARE METRE

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION:

‘The SQUARE METRE can be a beautiful symbol for how we as artists can give 'something' to our spectator, and contribute to a (better) world in an artistic way. This is not by climbing on barricades and revolutions and promoting theatre as a utopian universe that contains the truth, but by projects that relate to our daily lives.’

In the workshop SITE-SPECIFIC 1M3 the participants will work in duo’s. Each duo chooses a spot in the (outside) space which is challenging, strange or familiar, threatening or attractive to them.

Each of the DUO explores this chosen space by all the sentences: eyes, ears, tactile, taste, smell. They share these sensorial experiences with one another and continue to explore the space together more in depth. In the course of these explorations their sensory impressions will generate allusions and associations to memories, thoughts, subjects, ideas and themes, individually and together. At given times the DUO’S exchange their work-in-progress. 

With the results of these exchanges the duo’s improvise, discuss and try out further these materials in the making process leading to a performance, scene, song, poem, visual installation, with amaximal duration of 3 minutes.

Working in this way is an exercise also on theatricality, as the DUO creates a 'theatrical square metre' inspired by the specific characteristics of the chosen spot and by transforming their allusions and the limitation-in-space into a short theatrical presentation.

It will work as a dramaturgic experiment in combination with craftsmanship.

You want to participate?

Fill in the attached Registration Form ASAP - but no later than the 15th of July. 

To be sent to Tom Willems: tomwillems1961@kpnmail.nl as well as to Maria van Bakelen: fabrevieux@gmail.com 

More information about the IDEA Europe Meeting. 

International Arts Education Week aims at increasing awareness of the importance of arts education. The commemorations of the International Arts Education Week will be during May 22-28, 2023. 

WAAE and IDEA invite you to join in the commemorations, as follows:

May 22 at Noon 

The Ring the Bells for Arts Education action will take place again, this time on Monday 22th of May at noon.

Join us by ringing bells or sounding other instruments as a sign of support for arts education. It will be a 24 hour of actions, as we pass the time zones at noon. We also ask you to record a short video of the action and send it to ad.ideadrama@gmail.com so that it could be edited into a short video as promotion of arts education over the world, and presented at the IDEA Webinar at the end of the week. The visual materials, video or photo, can be sent either as attachment or by We Transfer.

You can also use the following hashtags:

#BellsForArtsEd #ArtsEdWeek #WAAE #IDEA

May 28 at Noon UTC - IDEA Webinar 

We invite you to the WEBINAR to be held on Sunday the 28th of May, at UTC 12 pm (noon) via Zoom organized by IDEA, as the closing activity of the International Arts Education Week. The topic will be the new steps in advocacy and the recent events such as the World Summit in Arts Education that took place in Funchal, Madeira, the Makerere Conference on Performing Arts in Kampala, Uganda, as well as the Multi Stakeholders Dialogue that will be held in Paris, on the 25th and 26th of May. You will get a chance to hear various speakers as well as the representatives from the four WAAE organizations. 

Zoom link for the webinar: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84417890857?pwd=Nnl4WFIvZGdUVXFlaFc4ZU5PWGdZZz09

Meeting ID: 844 1789 0857

Passcode: 841444

STREAMING: https://www.facebook.com/IDEA.DRAMA 

The Co-directors of Projects and Concepts are organizing the second Online World Festival ‘Together We Go On’ from August 26 at 8 am UTC until August 27 at 8 pm UTC.

To be as inclusive as possible we are going to program 36 hours non-stop. No time zones, no one excluded.

It will be a 36 hours online Festival! 

Screenshot from the Together We Go On Festival in 2021

We invite all IDEA members to send their proposals for content to the Co-Directors of Projects and Concepts:ideadirectorofprojects@gmail.com.

The content can be:

- a live stream of a performance

- conclusions from the Webinars

- special interest groups

- lectures

- IDEA Research

- a presentation of a current project

- an interactive intervention

- an introduction to the World Congress in China 2024

- Young IDEA

The deadline for proposals is August 7, 2023.

We are looking forward to your proposals,

Tomas Leijen and Tom Willems, Co-Directors of Projects and Concepts IDEA

The text was originally published as an introduction letter by the IDEA President Sanja Krsmanović Tasić in the IDEA Quarterly Newsletter May 2023. 

Dear readers, dear colleagues, dear members and friends of IDEA,

Since our December Newsletter two major live events have taken place in two different parts of the world, both in March. One was the World Summit on Arts Education in Funchal, Madeira, at the very beginning of the month, and the second one was the International Conference on Performing Arts, which hosted our blended General Council Meeting, in Kampala, Uganda, at the end of the month. 

WAAE Summit in Madeira, Portugal 1-3 March 2023

As you all know, IDEA has been involved in the preparation of the Madeira Summit, as part of the World Alliance for Arts Education, and its success can be measured also by the committed involvement of UNESCO and its representatives, which led us through the process of how the new document, the 2023 Framework on Culture and Arts Education, will be created through various consultations and recommendations from different stakeholders as well as the voices from members of our four associations, InSEA, ISME, WDA andIDEA. A survey was distributed to you through the IDEA mailing list, and I hope you have taken the time to fill it in, for each voice and opinion is important in this process. An IDEA UNESCO Framework Working Group is also right now in the process of shaping the recommendations of our association for this document, based on the work initiated by the focus group that was present at the Madeira Summit. 

WAAE Executive Forum in Madeira, Portugal

The Conference in Uganda was an IDEA-endorsed event, and developed in partnership with the main host, the Makerere University from Kampala, as well as the Rostock University for Theatre and Music from Rostock, Germany and IDEA. The whole program was rich in content, with participants from different international and African universities and drama/theatre education communities participating. Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare and her team made us feel welcome and enveloped in a most interesting and enriching program, interlaced with beautiful art sequences of dance, music, poetry and singing performed by the students of the Performing Arts department of Makerere University, that celebrates its 50 years anniversary this year.

We have met and spoken to dear colleagues that were present at the Kisumu Congress in 1998, as well as new generations of practitioners and scholars from Uganda and all over Africa. It is our joint feeling that IDEA has come home again to Africa and that many new members will join our association after this most important and successful event. 

Participants of the International Conference on Performing Arts in Kampala, Uganda; 27 March - 1 April 2023

The blended General Council Meeting, led by IDEA General Meeting Committee Vice President Ása Ragnarsdóttir and GMC Secretary Patrick Ogutu, accomplished its goal, with Liliana Galván, IDEA Vice President online, and Borisav Matić, IDEA Administrator, in person, carefully guiding the online participants so that they could feel included and that their voices could be heard.

I believe we all share the feeling that the world is regaining its normality after the years of the pandemic and that borders and countries are opening up more and more. For IDEA it all started with our Reykjavik Congress last year, as a meeting of friends and colleagues and the possibility to share and exchange, talk and be together in one space in real-time. But what these difficult times have brought us is the new paradigm that we can share not only an actual real-time place, but we can also include the presence of others that are thousands of miles away, and still feel like we are in the same room, that we are all together. These blended events, the Madeira Summit, the Kampala Conference and especially our Uganda GCM, proved that we can be together, work together and connect through screens and on-site.

Sanja Krsmanović Tasić at the keynote speech at the International Conference on Performing Arts

I am again full of admiration and respect for my colleagues that worked so hard to make these events come to life and also for those who have traveled so far to be there for all IDEA members, present and future. Marion Küster, Joachim Reiss, Colleen Roche, Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare, Liliana Galvan, Patrick Ogutu, Elisabeth Murrey, and many more.

But let us also reflect not only on successes and joyful events but also be aware of the turbulent world we live in, and that many of our colleagues need support and encouragement to pass difficult moments in their lives. We need to support our colleagues from the Creative Drama Association from Turkey, after the horrific earthquake that happened in February. There have been many turbulences in Greece, with the tragic train crash in Larissa and protests all over the country, involving drama school students and artists concerning the degradation of the position and qualifications of drama/theatre artists and educators. Not to mention the war in Ukraine and the suffering of all people in conflicted areas worldwide. And just recently the mass shootings in my own country, Serbia, where one of the shooters was a 13-year-old boy, and the victims were his schoolmates.

Discussion at the GCM in Kampala about IDEA-Africa relations and collaboration

It is impossible for us to solve injustices and world problems but what we can do is continue to nourish what we call IDEA culture. It is a culture of solidarity and support, without prejudice, inclusive and generous, warm and human. It is a special environment where drama/theatre educators, pedagogues, students, scholars, researchers, teaching artists, teachers and everyone who is involved in our field is welcome and feels a belonging and acceptance. We are here to connect, meet, develop and open doors and windows. We are a home for all. And we are growing stronger each day through the acceptance of our own vulnerabilities, imperfections reflecting our humanity.

I believe and practice in my work the African concept of UBUNTU, especially in my pedagogical drama/theatre education work on the prevention of bullying. It was exciting for me to talk about that in my keynote speech at the National Theatre of Uganda on World Theatre Day at the opening of the Conference, to talk about how African cultures and concepts inspire me and my work. So I share with you one of the essential messages of this concept:

“I am because we are.”

Enjoy reading our May newsletter!

Sanja Krsmanović Tasić, IDEA President