Invitation to OISTAT Education, OISTAT Performance Design and OISTAT Research Conference in Brazil │August, 10th – 15th, 2014

E-Scapes
The exploration of escaping traditional boundaries of Performance and its Design

OISTAT Organisation Internationale des Scénografes, Techniciens et Architectes de Théâtre International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians

Letter of invitation from the Brazilian OISTAT members
To the National OISTAT Centres, Individual Members, Associate Members,
Education Delegates, Performance Design Delegates and Research Delegates.  

We welcome the Education delegates, Performance Design delegates and Research delegates to attend a Conference and Joint Meeting in August 10th – 15th 2014, in São Paulo, Brazil.
 
 
E-Scapes │
The exploration of escaping traditional boundaries of Performance and its Design
It is an inflection created from the words SCAPE and ESCAPE with the intention of bringing not only the sense of location or place (SCAPE) but the action of escaping normal boundaries (ESCAPADE); to look forward, of breaking rules, to rethink, to begin anew. This is to not only suggest moving out from the traditional space of theatre but to explore the designers’ attitude in the contemporary. 
 
We aim to create a conference that will develop discussion of common interest to all disciplines of Education, Performance Design and Research alike. Also to provide a fruitful encounter in which we can find inspiration for the continuity and development into collaborative projects between OISTAT Performance Design and Education.
 
We invite you all to present and discuss your work or the work of other inspirational practitioners, from past or present. This should include ideas, theories and research, the processes used and the results that have emerged through breaking the boundaries of conventional practice.  The topics listed below suggest the areas for discussion:
 

• From the directors and designers attitude of escaping the conventional, to a cultural identification and its influence into the visual aspects of the performance today.
• The impact of new technology on the performance aesthetics and the relationship with the audience. Also considering the diverse usage - application and adaptation - of these new technologies in the practice of the contemporary performance.
• Lighting, sound, stage and costume design have been pushing the boundaries for many years, not only in traditional theatre but in public spaces, exhibitions and museums, as installations that can stand alone as unique art forms.
• How to educate students, as well as young and established practitioners with the use of these tools and ideas.

Venues
 We wish to include a number of different institutions and venues in the conference and hold activities at them. It is hoped that these institutions will support the conference and in return they will be given a closer interaction and understanding of OISTAT and its activities. The names of the institutions and detailed agenda will follow.
Among the Theatre groups and Theatres, we wish to include visits and parallel program with are: Teatro Alfa, Teatro Brincante, Teatro Oficina, Teatro da Vertigem, Theatre groups of Praça Roosevelt area etc.
 
 
Plan of Activities
The activities we are proposing are:

1. Workshop – We are working on a partnership with Universities that could help in developing a workshop program to take place a week or two weeks before the meeting, so the group and its leader can present the result in an open presentation during our program. We will also make a call and a selection for workshop projects.
2. Conferences – a total of 3 presentations: 2 presentations given by invited professionals and 1 presentation about the above mentioned workshop process and results. (each section duration is 1h);
3. Symposium – We will send out a call for papers as it is important for the participants to share with the group new research that they may be working on or reporting on a recently completed project. We are proposing: 3 to 4 sections of presentations of papers, lectures presentations for everyone to attend. (each section has 1h20 and is composed of 3 lectures with a debate at the end).
4. Roundtables – 2 to 4 sections of simultaneous round tables focused on questions dealing with each commission and individual proposals (the estimated time for each section is 1h30);
5. Working meetings sessions – a total of 3 working sessions: 
   1 open session of each commission (simultaneously, the estimated time for each section is 2h);
   1 closed session for each commission and working groups (simultaneously, the estimated time for each section is 2h);
   1 closed session reuniting both commissions at the conclusion of the conference (the estimated time for each section is 2h).
6. Pecha Kucha – Open for all the public, we propose 9 presentations of 5 min each, divided into three sections followed by 10 min of discussion each. (Total time of 1h15). We will send out a call for images /presentations to be sent in advance and a selection of.
7. International School Panel – Series of recruitment presentations from the visiting Education members to Brazilian students. 
8. Side Program – Visits to Ateliers, Theatre Groups, Theatre Tours, Performances and others.
9. Exhibition –Exhibition of Brazilian theatre design. Including an exhibition of World Stage Design and Scenofest in anticipation of World Stage Design and Scenofest 2017.
10. Catalogue – we are looking for possible partnerships to produce a printed catalogue to publish the papers, the work of exhibitors, side activities and projects. This will include the papers that were not presented at the conference, encouraging input from people who are not able to attend and increasing the content beyond what was available at the conference.

Call for the workshop projects, papers, presentations and posters/displays on the theme of the Conference will be send later.
 
Conditions
This is a low budget meeting therefore delegates must be responsible for all costs relating to airfares and accommodation for the period of the event in Sao Paulo: 10-15th August, 2014 (5 nights). We will organize also a conference side-program of three days to Rio de Janeiro, from 15th to 17th August for people who interested. The host will provide the visiting OISTAT members with information about travelling and hotels.

Further information will follow before the end of the year.
 
Arrangements have been made between Artist Professor, Doctor of Arts Reija Hirvikoski, Chair of OISTAT Performance Design; Senior Lecturer in Technical Studies & Production Ian Evans, chair of OISTAT Education; Professor Dorita Hannah (PhD), chair of Research; Rosane Muniz, Aby Cohen and Fausto Viana, Brazilian members of OISTAT.
 
Aby Cohen
Performance Designer
Curator of Brazilian National Exhibition for PQ’11
Professor of Scenography at the FBA – University of Belas Artes – Sao Paulo
Brazilian member of OISTAT Education
Member of WSD2013 Exhibition and Design as Performance Curatorial Panel
Email: abycohen@uol.com.br
 
Rosane Muniz   
Journalist and Costume Design Researcher / Professor
Curator of Brazilian Extreme Costume Exhibition for PQ'11
Professor at the FBA – University of Belas Artes – Sao Paulo
Brazilian member of Costume Design Group (OISTAT Performance Design)
Email: rosanemuniz@usp.br
 
Fausto Viana
Set and Costume Design Professor
Curator of Brazilian School Exhibition for PQ'11
University of Sao Paulo- Brazil
Brazilian member of OISTAT Research
Email: faustoviana@usp.br
 
Reija Hirvikoski
Artist Professor, Doctor of Arts (DA)
Stage and Costume Designer
Chair of OISTAT Performance Design
Curator of Finnish National Exhibition for PQ’11
Member of WSD2013 Curatorial Panel
Email: reija.hirvikoski@gmail.com
 
Ian Evans
Senior Lecturer in Technical Theatre and Production - Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Chair of OISTAT Education
Technical Director, Transformation & Revelation, UK National Exhibition of Design for Performance, PQ 2011, V&A Museum London.
Technical Director World Stage Design 2013
Email: Ian.Evans@rwcmd.ac.uk

Dorita Hannah
Performance Designer/Architect/Academic
Chair of OISTAT Research
Visiting Scholar: NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Visiting Professor: SUNY Buffalo (USA) Roskilde University (Denmark) NACTA (China)
Design Director: Fluid States, PSi 2015
Research Curator: WSD 2013
Theory Curator: PQ 2015
Email: dorita.m.hannah@gmail.com