The international academic Conference is to present and discuss the main themes adressed by the 2-year artistic project by the same name: Shaking the Walls. The project brought together organisations from five European countries operating in the scope of performing arts. The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre from Poland; Cooltour – Kulturní centrum Cooltour Ostrava z.ú., from Czech Republic; RaTaTam – Reykjavik Art Group from Iceland; Parrabbola – community theatre collective from London, Great Britain and An Grianán Theatre from Letterkenny, Ireland.
The conference’s aim is to explore the theme of walls between people using various methodological approaches, including the following:
– sociology
– philosophy
– linguistic studies
– arts engaged in social interventions
– theatre, performing arts, literature (including Shakespeare) studies
The conference aims to address specifically the metaphor of the wall of indifference, which is perhaps the most blurred and undefined boundary separating humans in today’s world, both as individuals and social or ethnic groups. We would like to talk about ways of identifying “walls” (barriers, boundaries, problems) in different countries and subsequently, through inter-cultural creative dialog, art and education find ways of raising public awareness of the issues tackled, and reach solutions.
Issues to be discussed each day:
September 25th: Shaking the walls – project introduction and results.
Welcome lecture by Philip Parr (UK)
Presentation of Shaking the Walls project (multiple speakers – project partners)
De-Walling Freedom – outdoor performance on the walls of Gdansk theatre – recording
September 26th: Barriers in wide social and cultural contexts.
Key note speaker: Mary Ann DeVlieg (Italy)
Presentation of papers
September 27th: Arts (theatre, performance, literature).
Key note speaker: Prof. Małgorzata Grzegorzewska (Poland)
Presentation of papers
The participation is FREE.
Detailed programme will follow soon.
Conference organisers:
Marta Nowicka
Anna Ratkiewicz
Anna Szynkaruk-Zgirska
Anna Nadrowska
Contact: shakingthewalls@gmail.com