This working group is concerned with the application of drama and theatre to community, educational and therapeutic settings. Interest in the efficacy of theatre-making in such contexts has grown in the last twenty years, raising new questions about the role of universities in shaping social policy and in the wider community. The working group was established to raise questions about the ethics of practice and research in applied and social theatre, and the relationship between practice, research and teaching in this aspect of scholarly inquiry.

The working group intends to offer a forum for those engaged in research and practice that is orientated towards social change to discuss the implications of practice, particularly in contexts where they may be cultural outsiders. The working group has a strong interest in work that takes place internationally, as well as recognising the complexity of community.

Call for Papers 2010 - deadline for submission is 30th April

The programme of the group will incorporate short provocations given by convenors and specially invited guests, and presentations from working group members and other delegates. We welcome proposals for individual papers or practice-based presentations that do not exceed fifteen minutes.     

We expect the discussion to be wide-ranging and we would also like to expand on the discussion of evidence started at last year’s conference. With this in mind, we are proposing the theme of ‘Histories and Geographies of applied and social theatre practices’ for this year’s conference. Questions that might be considered within this theme include:

•    What are the ‘geographies’ of applied and social theatre? How do practices engage with, recreate and/or extend spaces and places? How might applied theatre as a spatial practice be conceptualised and practised? How are practices circulated and reinvented across the different spaces of policy-making, academic settings and practical application? How do practices circulate and develop across different spaces globally, nationally and locally?

•    What are the ‘histories’ of applied and social theatre? How do practices engage with, recreate and recycle historical experience? Papers might refer to the evolution of ‘models’ of practice that have developed or inspired the field. They might also explore how practices negotiate the experiences, memories and heritages of practitioner and participants directly engaged with projects. How are the histories of applied theatre practice being traced and written, and by whom?

We would like to provoke explorations of applied theatre practices as they
have intervened in and are materialised across different spaces and times.

This theme responds to interest in conceptualising the history of applied theatre practice - both its theatre-based influences and interdisciplinary roots – and exploring the implications of history (or lack of) for understandings of current practice. Applied and social theatre projects frequently express an intention to achieve efficacy or some kind of ‘transformation’ in the moment. The practice might also aim to work creatively with our memories or pasts, and rehearse changes for the future. How are specific kinds of practice circulated across different moments and spaces/places? How do different times and spaces generate alternative and competing conceptualisations and practices of applied theatre?

‘The materiality of performance’ - joint session with TAPRA’s Performance, Community and Identity working group

A joint session will be hosted by TAPRA’s Applied and Social Theatre Working group and Performance, Community and Identity Working group, adapting both groups’ 2010 themes.

For the joint session, we invite papers that explore the ways in which performance practices can be considered to be ‘materialised’ as forms of identity, relationship, community and/or event, and the relationship between the materiality of performance and theatrical and social efficacy. Papers might explore the relationship between materiality and authenticity, materiality and evidence, physicality/liveness and the affect or effect of performance, the kinds of ‘communities’ and ‘identities’ materialised through performance and the remnants and relics of performance leftover or re-circulated once a performance has finished.

The theme of ‘materiality’ opens up territory of relevance to the Performance, Community and Identity group’s interest in ‘authenticity’ and the Applied and Social Theatre group’s interest in exploring the histories and geographies of applied theatre practices at this year’s conference. The theme is purposefully broad so as to allow for an open exploration of confluences between the interests of the two working groups.

Please indicate on your proposal if you would like your presentation to be considered for the joint session.

Please note that there is a brief session on the Applied and Social group’s themes if you are attending the Theatre Applications conference, on Wednesday April 21st (see www.theatreapplications.org.uk)      

Deadline for proposals is 30th April 2010

Please send a proposal including your name, organisational affiliation, title of presentation and 250 word abstract to Jenny Hughes, Sally Mackey and Simon Parry. We would be grateful if you cc all three co-convenors

Co-convenors: Jenny Hughes This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Sally Mackey This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Simon Parry This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it