‘Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected. It is a function of creative men to perceive the relations between thoughts, or things, or forms of expression that may seem utterly different, and to be able to combine them into some new form’. – William Plomer
Creative connections are an important part of the performing arts, with the inspiration and intention of the process/product often seeking to push the boundaries of artistic expression for the creator, performer, and witness. The past few years have seen the discipline in a state of reconfiguration, and for artists, educators, performers, and researchers, adaptation was necessary. But what remained at the heart of the performing arts was the desire to continue to formulate these connections, exploring the physical, emotional, and visceral. Many of the “traditional” modes of creation and practice were redefined, altering the modes of conception and perception. And yet, the basic creative parameters never changed – and there was a continuation to dance/sing/play/compose/act/make art. Moving forward, what has been discovered is that the goal of the arts has not diverted, but more possibilities have been revealed, leaving it in a new state of creative hybridisation.
Subject/Object/Practice/Place: Connecting Creatively Through the Performing Arts seeks to explore these connections, both past to present. Over the three days of the conference, we want participants to encounter, recount, explore, and reflect, on sources of motivation and collaboration. As such, it is our intention to provide opportunities for both theoretical presentations and practical workshops. As can be seen by the quite broad title, exploring different modes of transmission is of interest, and outside-of-the-box thinking is encouraged! It is hoped that by the end of the conference, new links for creative, performative, and educational opportunities in and through the performing arts will have been presented and (re)discovered.
We invite proposals for papers, presentations (in-person or online), and workshops in any format that address aspects of the conference theme broadly conceived.
Possible formats of presentation include:
- Individual paper (15–20 minutes)
- Collaborative paper (up to 30 minutes)
- Pre-organised panel (3–4 participants, up to 90 minutes total)
- Practice-based presentation/Workshop (30 mins/1 hour/2 hours)
- Short Film/Screendance
- There will be a special panel for MA students where they can present 10-minute papers
Topics or presentation might include, but are not limited to:
- Cross-Disciplinary Collaborations
- Exploring and Incorporating New Technologies
- Multi/Cross Cultural Collaborations
- Practice as Research
- Performance Within/Without/Across Institutions
- Rethinking “Practice” – Exploring Educational Possibilities
- Community-Based and Public Engagement Projects
- Improvisation
- Challenges and Transformations
- Theories and Practices of Creative and Performance Knowledges
- Feminist and Queer Representation
- Investigating and Incorporating the Social and Political
- Performer/Audience Interaction
- Adaptation and Innovation
- Site-Specific Work/Performance
- Starting Points of/for Inspiration
- Short Film/Screen Dance (There will be a special film screening event)
Deadline for all proposals and film submissions – 1 December 2023.
Proposals should contain the following information in a single electronic document (PDF files encouraged):; Institutional affiliation (if any); Contact email address; Title of presentation; Brief description of presentation or workshop; Abstract (300 words maximum); Brief biography (125 words maximum). For a film submission, please also include a link via Google Drive, WeTransfer, Vimeo, or YouTube.
Questions can be directed to Co-Convenors Dr Deborah Williams or Mrs Margherita Borg Buhagiar by email.