Call for Proposals at Scenofest 2021

WSD2021

The International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) has chosen Calgary, Alberta, Canada as the next destination for World Stage Design (WSD2021). From August 5th to 15th, 2021 the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) with the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology/Institut canadien des technologies scénographiques (CITT/ICTS), Canada’s OISTAT Centre, will host WSD2021. World Stage Design is an OISTAT event held every four years that is comprised of four distinct components that are presented simultaneously: International Design Exhibition and Competition, Scenofest Conference, Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC), and Technical Invention Prize (TIP). In addition to the four components of WSD, the OISTAT World Congress and the CITT/ICTS annual trade show and conference, Rendez-vous will be on the UCalgary campus.

Theme and Vision: Located near Canmore, Alberta, between UCalgary and Banff National Park, is a mountain known as the Three Sisters. The mountain is known for its three peaks and is a significant landmark to the area with stories and the name originating with the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. This mountain has served as an inspiration for our thinking around World Stage Design writ large and small. WSD is a multi-summit event, like the Three Sisters.

Through our discernment of priorities for this event, the planning committee has been inspired by landscape of the region. While travelling from Banff to Calgary, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and looking onto the prairie unfolding before us, we crafted our three sisters of Scenofest. These sisters are individual peaks but also closely connected as they share a singular base, and extend from the same piece of earth. Like the base of the Three Sisters mountain, the coming together of our Three Sisters will be a fertile and lively place.

Big Sister: Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Saakokoto, our friend, a Blackfoot Elder and member of the Blood Tribe, has graciously agreed to be the knowledge keeper for WSD2021. We look forward to working with Elder Bottle, Saakokoto, to learn more about the Blackfoot way of living in Mohkinstsis and how interaction with land, landscape and storytelling have meaning for cultures of today. Canada is at a watershed moment in our history where many truths are being unearthed and brought to light, where our history as a settler culture is calling current generations to begin to repair damages and live together in a good way with Indigenous peoples. Scenofest will offer opportunities for professionals and students to explore the beautiful landscape in Southern Alberta and learn about Blackfoot ways of knowing the land, landscape and storytelling.

Middle Sister: Ecoscenography: Coined by Tanja Beer, the term ecoscenograpy, conjures ideas of ecology, economy, landscape, scenographic theory, and possibility. We are living in complex times, facing climate change, animal extinction, and resource depletion. As artists, creators, and makers, we have been asking, “what can we do to consume less, pollute less, and yet maintain aesthetics that appeal to our audiences?”. Beer’s theories of ecoscenograpy are appealing because they are rooted in aesthetic thinking and hopeful approaches to the creation of performance. We look forward to events that will encourage innovation and hopeful exploration of the impossible. The Sustainable Theatre Project will be a central part of Scenofest activities on the Main Campus of UCalgary.

Little Sister: Multiple Realities: While the name of this sister seems diminutive, it is in fact, the hardest peak to climb of the Three Sisters mountain. The world of performance design has expanded to include virtual reality, artificial reality, and digital reality. Yet, we are still grappling with contextual and historical realities, cultural realities, and of course as designers, architects and technicians we cannot escape material reality. Multiple Realities allows the exploration of many aspects of performance design and lets us engage with digital methodologies and practices while connecting to our current state.

The effect of the whole or the trickling of ideas from these peaks to the base of Scenofest will be the connection of all WSD events. For example, the Sustainable Theatre Project may host Indigenous Ceremony or performance which may engage the creators and audience in cultural realities explored through digital expression. We look forward to seeing what the commissions of OISTAT and the artists of Scenofest will create!

More information:

Scenofest was initially instigated at the Prague Quadrennial in 2003 to foreground activities for students and emerging artists, and it became an integral part of WSD in 2013. Scenofest is the premiere conference for Design, Theatre Architecture, and Technical Theatre in the world, spanning several days with performances, workshops, lectures, and keynote speakers. The venues of the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) at the University of Calgary will be the home of Scenofest.

The University of Calgary is situated on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations. The university is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is “Mohkinstsis”, which we now call the City of Calgary. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Please view the facilities of the SCPA here:
https://scpa.ucalgary.ca/about/facilities
https://ucalgary.ca/facilities/buildings/barrier-lake
The outdoor greenspace known as the Taylor Quad, in front of the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) is a perfect location for outdoor performance and is at the heart of the campus. The outdoor paved courtyard in front of the Taylor Institute is a great place for outdoor installation or performance. The TFDL holds an art gallery, small lecture hall, film viewing rooms, and a maker-space complete with 3D printers, cnc cutting machines, and a 3D scanner.

Call for Performance at Scenofest 2021

Scenofest 2021 seeks performances that reflect the theme and vision of the Three Sisters of WSD2021. Performances should be around 60-90 minutes in length. We are aiming for each performance to be shown two or three times. Companies bringing performances are invited to consider also making a presentation, delivering a workshop, or holding a Q&A session that shares the work process. If you would like to make a presentation or deliver a practical workshop related to the performance, then please indicate your interest on the online form.

The final acceptance to present at WSD2021 will require the selected artists/companies to take responsibility for the transport of their performance to and from Calgary, Canada. WSD2021 will provide the venue, technical facilities, production personnel, and technical crew for the load in, operation, and load out. The WSD2021 Planning Committee will make the final selection from the submissions for performances. We will contact the finalists to coordinate all of the details required, including the performance venue information and technical needs.

WSD2021 reserves the right to photograph all events within the World Stage Design 2021 program and to use the imagery to publicize and document the event. All images used publicly will be fully credited with the Artist/ Company’s details. Releases for photographs and filming will be provided in the acceptance package.

Your proposal to WSD2021 must be submitted via the online portal between January 30 and June 30, 2020. If you are offered an invitation from the planning committee to bring your performance to Scenofest, your company will be given 5 guest registrations to WSD2021.
Detailed information you will be required to provide online:

1. Title of performance
2. Name of Company / Artist
3. Name of Contact Person
4. Company / Artist Address
5. Contact Phone Number
6. Company Link / Website
7. Video Link / Website
8. Description of Performance (150 words max)
9. Length of Performance in minutes (60 minutes max)
10. Ideal Audience Numbers per performance (i.e. Restricted number of audience or unrestricted dependent on venue capacity only)
11. Age restriction or Family-friendly event
12. Date Available in August 5-15, 2021
13. Number of cast members travelling, number of cast members acquired locally
14. Number of crew members travelling, number of crew required onsite

Preliminary Technical Information Required
*If accepted a more fulsome Technical Rider will need to be completed, along with a singed presentation agreement.

1. Venue type required (i.e. workshop space, rehearsal space, performance indoor or outdoor, warm up space)
2. Load-in time needed
3. Onstage rehearsal time required (warm up, sound check, lighting check)
4. Load out time needed
5. Contact person for Technical Requirements or Questions
6. Lighting requirements beyond a conventional house plot
7. Sound requirements beyond a conventional house plot
8. Projection or AV requirements
9. Additional Specific Requirements
10. Unusual Stage action in the performance
11. Upload a maximum of four images (Images will be published online and in print, please include any photographer or performer credit details needed for images. Images resolution: min 300dpi; please complete copyright clearance form for photos attached)
12. Would you be interested to conduct a talkback or workshop on your performance process?
13. Room Set up (Panel, circle, studio)
14. Technical Requirements (computer, projector, screen, other)
15. Length (30, 60, 90 minutes, half day or full day)
16. Max number of participants or audience
17. Clothing or tools participants need to have or bring with, in the case of a workshop
18. Describe session / workshop (200 words max)
19. Other requests

Calls for Workshops, Masterclasses, and Panels at Scenofest 2021
Scenofest 2021 seeks proposals for Workshops, Masterclasses, and Panels that fit within the Three Sisters theme and vision of WSD2021. Workshops can be of varying lengths from ½ day to 2 days. Masterclasses can be from 3 hours to a ½ day or one full day. Panels should be well-formulated and not exceed 2 hours.

The final selection for WSD2021 will require the selected artists/companies to take responsibility for the transportation of the instructors to and from Calgary, Canada. WSD2021 will provide the venue and technical facilities for the pedagogical requirements of the workshop or masterclass. The WSD2021 Planning Committee will make the final selection from the submissions. We will contact the finalists to coordinate all of the details required, including the venue information and technical needs.

WSD2021 reserves the right to photograph all events within the World Stage Design 2021 program and to use the imagery to publicize and document the event. All images used publicly will be fully credited with the Artist/ Company’s details. Releases for photographs and filming will be provided in the acceptance package.

Your proposal to WSD2021 must be submitted via the online portal between January 30, 2020 and June 30, 2020. When you submit your acceptance to present at Scenofest, you will be required to register for WSD2021 as a delegate.

Detailed information you will be required to provide online:
1. Title of performance
2. Name of Company / Artist
3. Name of Contact Person
4. Company / Artist Address
5. Number of presenters/instructors
6. Contact Phone Number
7. Company Link / Website
8. Video Link / Website
9. Description of Workshop or Masterclass or Panel (200 words max)
10. Room Set up (Panel, circle, studio)
11. Technical Requirements (computer, projector, screen, other)
12. Length (90 minutes, 120 minutes, 3 hours, half day or full day, etc.)
13. Max number of participants
14. Clothing or tools participants need to have or bring with
15. Other requests

Calls for Activities for Community Engagement or Families at Scenofest 2021
Scenofest 2021 seeks proposals for Activities for Community Engagement or Families that reflect, ask questions, and embrace the theme and vision of the Three Sisters of WSD2021. We anticipate a number of local participants from the Calgary arts community to engage with these activities which could range from a maker session with 3D printing to an outdoor installation to a cultural presentation on traditional ways of knowing.

The final selection for WSD2021 will require the selected artists/companies to take responsibility for the transportation of the instructors, artists, and collaborators to and from Calgary, Canada. WSD2021 will provide the venue and technical facilities for the requirements of the workshop or masterclass. The WSD2021 Planning Committee will make the final selection from the submissions. We will contact the finalists to coordinate all of the details required, including the venue information, technical and material needs.

WSD2021 reserves the right to photograph all events within the World Stage Design 2021 program and to use the imagery to publicize and document the event. All images used publicly will be fully credited with the Artist/ Company’s details. Releases for photographs and filming will be provided in the acceptance package.

Your proposal to WSD2021 must be submitted via the online portal between January 30, 2020 and June 30, 2020.

Detailed information you will be required to provide online:
1. Title of performance
2. Name of Company / Artist
3. Name of Contact Person
4. Company / Artist Address
5. Contact Phone Number
6. Company Link / Website
7. Video Link / Website
8. Description of Workshop or Masterclass (200 words max)
9. Room Set up (Panel, circle, studio)
10. Technical Requirements (computer, projector, screen, other)
11. Length (90 minutes, 120 minutes, 3 hours, half day or full day, etc.)
12. Max number of participants
13. Clothing or tools participants need to have or bring with
14. Estimated costs of the materials needed
15. Other requests