Theatre Cross-Roads (KA3118)
Funded by Karelia CBC 2014-2020

Objective of the project

Increasing the diversity of competitive theatre services oriented to family and youth work in the Republic of Karelia and North Karelia.

Main activities

• Communicative activities: - Organizing international youth theatre camps, theater laboratories and master-classes for young actors with involvement of high-level experts and specialists on both sides of the border - Experiences exchange and training seminar to teach contemporary theatre technologies (light, sound, video effects, installation, computer graphics, and etc.) - methodical seminars to train specialists to work with families, children, and youth. • Creative activities: developing and presenting new joint plays and touring programmes based on new theatre techniques and methods as well as common cultural heritage to make the theatre attractive for children, youth, and families. • Sociocultural activities: developing the functions of the theatre as an innovation hub and as a space for grass-root initiatives.

Achievements

Under the project 7 educational events for young actors and theatre professionals were organized on both sides of the border and 101 specialists raised their competences in the field of theatrical staging. Theatre Innovation Hub was established and introduced theatrical art programs to wider public. The mobile theater platforms for landscape performances and baby-plays were created. Theatre Cross-roads developed four performances incorporating new technologies and staging methods. The project produced film versions of project funded performances that were published in social media accounts. Thanks to promotion campaigns the films reached over 160 000 views by the end of the project. The project brought the best expertise and practices to the region, improved professional capacities of young artists and theatre specialists. New ways of interaction with audience were introduced into regional theatrical practice, like interactive baby-theatre techniques and landscape performance. Modern stage equipment made it possible to perform outside of traditional theatre stages, making theatre products more mobile and accessible. Development and introduction of new theatre art education programs also in the form of video lessons strengthened regional informational resources to work with professional community, youth that plans to become theatre specialists and general audience to get insights into theatre work. Thus, the project resulted in new high-quality and accessible theatre services to youth and families with children that are now offered in the region. The project directly provided benefits to young artists and theatre specialists, regional professional and amateur theatres, children and youth participated in project events. The project outputs will have greater impact on local communities and authorities in future since new theatre services enlarged the possibilities for good-quality family time and provided background for further strategic development of theatre services in the region. Project results are available after it is finalized. Staged performances are included into theatres’ repertoire and created films are available on the Internet. Purchased equipment are in regular use by regional theatres. Theatre Innovation Hub provides services as part of the Karelian union of theatre artists work. Theatre Cross-roads had a positive impact on the programme region. It facilitated the development of cultural services in the cross-border region, improvement of cultural stakeholders’ capacities and introduction of innovative forms of culture. Young theatre specialists said that the project offered multiple professional opportunities which encourage them to stay and work in the region.