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Description
Contemporary performing arts invoke creativity, openness and critical thinking. Therefore, this form of art contributes to education of the public, helps to develop tolerance and engage the society in a dialogue. As an educational tool, contemporary performing arts can be used by a variety of social groups, regardless of their status, place of residence or age.
Menų spaustuvė together with "Assitej Norge" that unites 117 theatres for children and „Davvi - Senter for scenekunst“, a dance centre in northern Norway are organizing a project called "Across Borders: Theatre for Young Audience". The aim of the project is to promote development of professional contemporary performing arts for youth as well as to improve accessibility in regions and rural areas, increasing the involvement of local professionals who work with young people.
The project is for the youth (age 0-18) that lives in regions and rural areas. Moreover, it is aimed at professionals (artists and teachers) who work with young people. During the project, artists from Lithuania and Norway will be creating a brand new performance for young audiences. This production will become a part of an artistic program together with 3 more shows that have already been created by Lithuanian and Norwegian artists.
The project will not only present performances - plenty educational activities for young audiences and professionals will be introduced as well, such as creative workshops, Young Critics'' program, ingenious laboratories for local artists and pedagogues who work with kids and young people. All of these activities will take place in three different locations of Lithuania
The newly created show will be further shown in Lithuania and Norway. Local communities, artists and art spaces will continue their partnership when the project ends.
Summary of project results
Contemporary performing arts invoke creativity, openness and critical thinking. Therefore, this form of art contributes to education of the public, helps to develop tolerance and engage the society in a dialogue. As an educational tool, contemporary performing arts can be used by a variety of social groups, regardless of their status, place of residence or age. The aim of the project was to promote development of professional contemporary performing arts for youth as well as to improve accessibility in regions and rural areas, increasing the involvement of local professionals who work with young people.
During the project, artists from Lithuania and Norway created a brand new performance for young audiences. A total of 12 performances were presented to the audience. The project has not only presented performances - 9 creative workshops for children and youth were organized, Young Critic programme activities were organized in Dusetos, Birštonas ir Šiauliai and 6 ingenious laboratories for local artists and pedagogues who work with kids and young people were organized during the project. A total of 36 activities were implemented during the project, 1350 people participated in the project events and activities, 883 children and youth participated in activities and events at the regional or local level.
The project''s target groups were children and youth (priority target group) that lives in regions and rural areas and local professionals working with children and youth. The conducted survey showed that 91 percent of the respondents confirmed the increased availability of cultural activities. Project activities contributed to the development of self-expression of the participants, the audience got acquainted with the variety of performing arts, partners and artists contributed to the qualification improvement and professional education of the project participants with their knowledge and professional experience. The dissemination of the project''s activities in different territories of Lithuania provided an opportunity for children and youth from small areas of the country, as well as local professionals, to get acquainted with professional and audience-engaging Norwegian and Lithuanian contemporary performing arts.
Summary of bilateral results
ASSITEJ Norge is a national organization for the performing arts, a legal unit of the Assitej International network. ASSITEJ Norge currently unites 117 individual creators and theaters and troupes in Norway that create for children and young people. This organization is one of the best organizations in the country that know theater for children. Together with this project partner, Menų spaustuvė selected 2 Norwegian and 1 Lithuanian contemporary performing arts performances for children and young people - Hein Creations performance UNI (for children aged 10-12), Fiksdal Dans performance LAVA FOREST (for children aged 6-10 ) and the DANSEMA Dance Theater performance for babies "Unseen World". All 3 selected performances were successfully presented in Dusetos, Birštonas and Šiauliai. Troupe members also organized creative workshops for children and professionals working with children and youth during the tour. The choice of ASSITEJ Norge as a partner and its participation in the project contributed to the quality of the project and professional implementation of this project.DAVVI-Centre for Performing Arts has accumulated extensive experience in preparing international projects, prepares a program of residencies for Nordic-Baltic countries and local creators. A new performance for teenagers, BUILDING A TENT, created jointly by this organization and "Menų spaustuvės" was created during 6 international residencies in Lithuania and Norway. The creative group consisted of 4 Norwegian creators (choreographer Silje Solheim Johnsen, composer Bendik Sells, video creator Carl Christian Lein Størmer and scenographer, costume designer Kristine Gjems and 4 Lithuanian performers (2 teenagers and their mothers). The created performance was included in the artistic program of the project and presented in Šiauliai, Birštonas and Dusetos.