Call for papers

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Amateur Acts: Why Amateur Theatre Matters

 

The ‘Amateur Acts’ conference evolves from the ‘Performing Citizenship’ project to ask why amateur theatre has mattered to individuals and societies across Europe, its colonies and its migrant communities, both in the past and today. We are interested to receive proposals that discuss any aspect of amateur theatre from any period of time, with a focus on the European context. Questions of interest include (but are not limited to):

Value:

  • What are the social benefits of amateur theatre practices on and off stage?
  • What position do amateur theatre organisations have in narratives on cultural and personal value?
  • How does amateur theatre relate to issues of gender, class, race, sexuality, disability?
  • How does amateur theatre contribute to our cultural memory? What are the material traces, archives and histories of amateur theatre?

Practices:

  • Why do people engage in amateur theatre?
  • What examples of acts of resistance, resilience, empowerment, experimentation, innovation, ritual and tradition can be found in amateur theatre?
  • What influences amateur theatre practice: for example, acting styles, design choices, scenography, costume and repertoire selection?
  • What is amateur theatre’s relationship to industries and creative practices including music-making, dance, painting, technologies, the media, and professional theatre?

Ecologies:

  • How do economics, legal matters and organisational structures impact amateur theatre?
  • What social, political, cultural, economic factors impact the position of amateur theatre within specific communities, nations, regions?
  • How has amateur theatre been utilised to develop and affirm national identities and to support colonial agendas?
  • Where do we find examples of transnational/transcultural amateur theatre practices?

We will be delighted to receive proposals for 20-minute conference papers or other in-person formats (such as provocations or performance lectures). Please send a 200-word (max.) abstract and a 100-word (max.) bio to: by 30 October 2024. After the event, a selection of papers will be published in an edited collection. The conference will include a formal launch of the project’s ‘Amateur Theatre Wiki’ and participants will be asked to join our first wiki edit-a-thon.

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Find out more about our the ‘Performing Citizenship’ project and conference: www.p-citizens.gwi.uni-muenchen.de

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