no.theatre.pl (no theatre, please!)
The project involves the presentation in Szczecin several leading Norwegian and Polish theatre and performance artists active in extra-theatrical spaces. It runs from January to December 2014, and the main events take place between June 29th and July 5th during the International Festival Bonds of Culture. Its results (the film, and the exhibition ) will be presented in September in Norway at the Bastard Festival in Trondheim.
The project’s partner is Teaterhuset Avant Garden. The cooperation between the TAG and the Kana Theatre Centre has been continued successfully since 2008. Within the frames of the no.theatre.pl project, organizational, substantive, and creative potential of both organizations is used correctly for the first time. Together, we create a program the urban interventions inspired by Szczecin (its multinational history, architecture, communities); such interventions, thanks to their “outside”, European perspective, help to define local identity.
The name of the project, no.theatre.pl (jokingly: no theatre, please!) refers to the participating countries (no for Norway, pl for Poland), but also the concept of “de-theatralization” of activities that do not take place inside buildings, but enter into a dialogue with the living tissue of the city. The project will include three-day presentations of five groups from Norway and three groups of Polish. Furthermore, a Norwegian artist Heine Avdal will run workshops for young people, followed by the presentation of the results. Another part of the project will also be a seminar CITY/WORK, participated by Polish and Norwegian experts on activities in public spaces.
The objective of the project is to strengthen the intercultural dialogue and understanding of cultural diversity, to modify receptive awareness, and social identity associated with the city as a culturally marked place. The project is our response to the problem – diagnosed by our own research and sociological analyses – of lack of a sense of identity and cultural identification of residents. It can be considered as development of the strategy of “identity restoration” through art projects, carried out by the Kana Theatre Center since 2005. Furthermore, the project is also a response to the already awakened receptive needs (the need of access to culture at the European level), as well as to the need of strengthening cooperation with the Norwegian partner, of a better understanding of Norwegian culture and art, of better use of contacts with Norway for sake of cultural, social, and economic development of Szczecin.
Accomplishment of the project will have positive impact on quality of the partnership; it will enhance accessibility to culture (of high artistic level); it will improve receptive skills of residents of Szczecin and activate them. It will promote works of artists of both countries, at the same time promoting Szczecin as a space of inspiration and as a partner of international projects. The project also serves as a factor reducing cultural, economic, and social differences and strengthening of bilateral relations between Poland and Norway. It promotes respect for cultural diversity, and supports development of a creative society. Admission to all events within the project is free of charge.
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