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Status of the festival SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER


Aim of the festival

One of the main methods of the tuition at theatre schools is to prepare works that planned to be presented in public. These presentations may have different forms as for instance presenting results of workshops, showing the extract from preparation phases of performances or the whole theatre performances. The important acquisition of the festival for both, teachers and students is the possibility to present results of their activities to their colleagues from other schools and to reflect different creative methods. The experiences brought by SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER are exceptional also due to the fact it is the international festival.

The mission of the festival is to create the space for the meeting of students, teachers and theatre professionals from theatre schools of university type or similar national institutions. The festival wants to enable mutual exchange of experience, methods and results of their work and to develop the discussion about the future of art schools as well. The presentations of all schools are public and thus the festival is an important contribution to the cultural life in Brno.

Festival organisation is a part of study programme at Theatre Faculty of JAMU for all students. They are involved in the preparation as well as in the run of the festival. These knowledge and experience are important for their further career.

 

Organisers

The Theatre Faculty of Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts is the main organiser of the festival SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER. The festival is also supported by co-organisers: City of Brno, Centre of Experimental Theatre (Goose On The String Theatre) and Bolek Polívka´s Theatre. They support festival by providing administrative help, services, theatrical space and sometimes financial support. The Festival Board consisting of representatives from JAMU and festival supporters runs the festival. The main task of the Festival Board is to follow the mission of the festival and to supervise students´ activities. The Dean of the Theatre Faculty appoints the director of the festival. As a rule, the members of the team of organisers are different each year. It depends on the current number of students.

Festival profile

We are aiming to create the programme that consists of presentations prepared by participating schools in a range from short demonstrations of the teacher´s work with his/her students to complete theatre performances. Another important parts of the programme are discussions where the authors of the performances can confront their views with other participants of the festival.

The festival is running for five days (from Tuesday to Saturday) in first two week of April (after eight weeks of summer semester). In this part of the academic year there is enough material that can be presented in the festival.

During these five days about fourteen performances on average will be on programme. The programme is built on the base of dramaturgy and pedagogical criteria. The following spaces are available (according to our possibilities and needs of the participants):

DIFA JAMU, Mozartova 1

  • festival info-centre
  • rehearsals room (off –programme)
  • classrooms
  • club (informal meetings)

MARTA, Bayerova 5

  • presentation of performances (variable stage and auditorium)
  • exhibition of the scenographic works

Bolek Polívka´s Theatre, Jakubské nám. 5

  • presentation of performances (proscenium stage)

Centre of Experimental Theatre – Goose On The String Theatre, Zelný trh 9

  • presentation of performances (main stage, cellar stage)
  • teachers´ meetings (congress hall at CED)

Information, Education and Accommodation Centre ”Astorka”, Novobranská 3

  • library – AV fond, Internet
  • congress hall

What is offered

The number of participants is limited by our financial possibilities. The organisers will do their best to cover the costs of the participants´ accommodation, board and information material from the festival budget – as it is usual at all international festivals of this type – it is however necessary to keep to a balanced budget.

The participants are offered a certain number of free tickets (according to the number of people from each group). They can buy further reservations for the same prices as the students of JAMU – for symbolic fees. They are naturally admitted to all festival ventures (happenings).

Except of officially invited participants other interested people from school, press and public can take part in the festival. The honorary guests of the festival have to cover a certain part of the costs of their stay. They can book tickets for festival performances in advance at the same price as students and teachers. If the festival budget is well balanced the Festival Board has the right to invite honorary guests under the same conditions as if they were students or teachers.

The following diagram shows the structure of the festival budget:

50% Expenses of participants

20% Publicity

20% Administration

10% Operating costs

The festival is financed from the budgets of the organisers. The team of organisers is trying to get support from external sources. When looking for sponsors of the festival we always take into account its contribution to art schools, cultural life in the city of Brno as well as international co-operation. Some sponsors provide financial support, others sponsor the festival through their services or material help.

Dramaturgy of the festival

The concept of the programme and its dramaturgic intention has always in mind the festival mission: it goes especially about creation of the space where results of schools´ work can be presented and about mutual reflection these different ways and methods through given instigation and space for discuss.

The main motto of the Encounter festival is ”Education to acting of 21st century”. The festival describes and investigates transformations of acting expression in connection with social-cultural changes and development of theatre.

The international theatre festival of art universities and similar national institutions keeps henceforth friendships with similar theatre festival in Amsterdam.

Suggestion of programme is based on concrete possibilities of theatre venues.

The programme scheme of festival is made up usually as this:

 

MO

TU

WED

THRU

FRI

SAT

Morning

A

r

r

i

v

a

l

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

9.00 a.m.

 

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop

 

11.00 a.m.

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance

Noon to 1.00 p.m.

 

Lunch

Discussions

Lunch

Discussions

Lunch

Discussions

Lunch

Discussions

5.00 p.m.

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance

5.30 p.m.

Something more

Something more

Something more

Something more

 

Evening to 8.30 p.m.

Performance

Galla Opening

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance

Pronouncement of the Marta Awards

Night since 10.00 p.m.

Free time

Free time

Free time

Free time

Festival party

STATUS OF THE “MARTA AWARD”

AT THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THEATRE SCHOOLS “SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER”

 

  1. The “Marta Award” of the International Festival of Theatre Schools “Setkání/Encounter” is granted as an expression of acknowledgement for outstanding artistic achievements to the students who participated on the creation of the performances included in the main festival programme. The purpose of the award is not to rank the performances, but to highlight inspiring, exploratory works of young theatre-makers.
  2. The nomination of the awards is decided by the Festival Jury which usually consists of seven members - four theatre professionals and three students.
  3. The Jury is constituted after mutual agreement by the Dean of the Theatre Faculty of Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Brno and the Director of the International Festival of Theatre Schools “Setkání/Encounter” and it includes national as well as foreign specialists and students. The ratio of national and foreign members is not specified.
  4. The members of the Jury must not have any work or study relation to any of the schools participating in the main festival programme.
  5. The award can be presented in these categories:

  • Original dramatic text or script of a play
  • Dramaturgy or adaptation of a text
  • Directing
  • Stage design (i.e. the whole stage design or its individual parts)
  • Music
  • Female actor
  • Male actor

  1. The Jury can grant maximum three awards in any category. It means that awards won’t be granted in all categories.
  2. According to the consensus the Jury will appoint one of the awards as ”The Award of the Mayor of Brno” and one award as ”The Award of the Rector of Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts”. These awards are presented to those artistic student achievements, which in the opinion of the Jury deserve special attention.
  3. The performance that receives the highest number of votes in the audience poll will be granted the ”Audience Award”. The Festival Committee formulates the rules of the audience poll every year.
  4. The Dean of the Theatre Faculty of JAMU and the Director of the Festival are entitled to present their awards, i.e. ”The Award of the Dean of the Theatre Faculty” and ”The Award of the Festival Director”. According to their consideration the Dean of the Theatre Faculty and the Director of the Festival present these awards, which can be independent on the opinion of the Festival Jury and on the award categories. Neither of these two awards has to be awarded.
  5. Any of these awards can be presented only for a student achievement. Teachers, theatre professionals and the like cannot receive this award.
  6. The Festival Committee established the Status of the Marta Award of the International Festival of Theatre Schools “Setkání/Encounter” on 14th December 2000.

 

 

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