15th Research Forum for Children and Youth Theatre Art at 31st International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica

The 15th Research Forum for Children and Youth Theatre Art (hosted by Marijana Prpa-Fink, PhD) will be taking place as part of the 31st International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica (organized by the Open University Subotica and Theatre Museum of Vojvodina from September 22 to 27).

The participants of this year's Forum will arrive from 14 countries of 4 continents. A total of 27 participants will present their research of theatre art for children and youth to the public. Taking part will be speakers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Republika Srpska, Poland, England, Slovakia, Spain, the United States of America, Lithuania, Scotland, Latvia, Iran, Portugal, Chile and Ireland.

The topic of this year’s Forum (which will take place at Subotica Public Library from September 23 to 26) is Movement, Listening and a Changing Perception of Children and Youth Theatre. The 15th Research Forum will provide researchers from different parts of the world with an opportunity to perceive potential perception changes in theatre for children and youth such as: changes in observing young audiences’ needs, listening profoundly to their opinions and changes in the way children theatres create their stage language.

The received proposals will be divided in four categories that will be discussed during 4 days: a review of children and youth theatre in the 21st century – a view from the past; Movement, sound and perception, stage presence; Theatre for the youngest audience; Changes in Theatre for Children and the Youth; The Theatre and the Community.

Presented works will be published in the anthology titled Children’s Theatre: an Artistic Phenomenon.

Concerning the topic of perception in younger audiences of children and youth theatre, the crucial elements of stage language play an important role. Most certainly, one of those elements is movement - which the performer (with or without a puppet) utilizes to create its stage presence. However, stage movement retains its meaning when combined with other stage elements such as the costume, scenery, props, lighting, video... Or if the theatre stimulates the imagination outside its space: in the classroom, the playground, in nature, etc.

In this way - through the complexities of stage language- the secrets of visible and invisible worlds conjured up on stage are revealed to the young audiences. All those mysterious worlds existing on stage possess their own ways to address the young audiences’ perception. The aspects crucial to growth and development of future generations are contained in two listening processes: tuning into the process of stage expression creation and tuning into various subjects presented to the young audiences in order for them to grow up in theatre environment that will teach them what is good, noble or unworthy of attention.

The Forum is an opportunity for researchers of different countries to come together during the Festival in order to present their projects and research. Along with stage plays performed during the day, Subotica is quickly becoming an important meeting place where researchers and theatre experts meet creators of plays for children from around the world. The goal of such an event is to improve the children and youth theatre in future.

The official selection of the 31st International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica (organized by Open University Subotica from September 22 to 27) will present 13 plays for children from around the world, picked by the Festival selector Zoran Đerić, PhD. The festival’s audience will be able to watch a diverse and imaginative selection of performances arriving to Serbia from the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Republika Srpska - as well as performances by domestic theatres from Niš and Subotica.

This year's "Little Prince" Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the development of culture and performing arts for children recipients are Luka Kecman (in domestic artists category) and Jaroslaw Antoniuk from Poland (in foreign artists category). The "Oton Tomanić" award - an award for exceptional contribution to Theory of Theatre for children and youth - will be presented to dr Ewa Tomaszewska from Poland.

The International Festival of Children's Theatres Subotica is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Provincial Department for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities of Vojvodina and the Municipality of Subotica.