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<p>Apologies for cross posting:</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><b>CALL FOR PAPERS</b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Charting New Territory: Theatre for Early Years in Research and Practice </b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><i>Symposium on concepts, contexts and methods of research and practice in Theatre for Early Years</i></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><b>The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Toronto and Theatre Direct</b> are inviting proposals from artists and researchers from a wide range of disciplines for a symposium on theatre for children under the age of six. Supporting this burgeoning field of inquiry, we want to consider what kinds of resources we have available to advance the study and practice of theatre for early years and map existing and potential multidisciplinary intersections and approaches to the work.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The symposium takes place at the Helen Gardiner Theatre at the University of Toronto May 12-14, 2014 as part of Theatre Direct’s inaugural <i>WeeFestival of Theatre and Culture for Early Years</i>, which runs from May 12 – 19, 2014. (www.theatredirect.ca or www.weefestival.ca)</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">For the purpose of this symposium, “Early Years” or “Very Young” means children aged 6 and younger, it includes babies and toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">During the festival, symposium participants have an opportunity to join young audiences witnessing performances by companies from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Quebec, and Toronto-based Theatre Direct. In addition to performances, Theatre Direct in partnership with The Centre for Drama, will host an exhibition of design-driven, exploratory performance spaces and installations for young children conceived by professional scenographers and stage designers.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Participants can also join a series of professional roundtables and discussions, organized by the WeeFestival, that explore the challenges and opportunities of creating, producing and touring Theatre for Early Years. These are offered along with presentations from artists working with young children in schools and community settings through residency projects.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Valeria Frabetti, Artistic Director of Italy’s La Baracca Testoni Ragazzi will deliver the festival’s Keynote address. Ms Frabetti leads one of the pioneering companies in this field and is the force behind the European Small Size Network and the creation of The Cultural Rights of the Child, a manifesto inspired by Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">We invite proposals for short papers to a series of working groups that will be formed around the subjects listed below. Three weeks prior to the symposium, on April 21, participants will submit paper drafts (1500-2500 words) to be circulated among the participants in their working group. Participants will then be asked to prepare a set of questions and responses to the circulated papers that will be shared and discussed by the working group at the symposium.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Proposals should focus on theatre for early years practice, praxis and research and address scholarly as well as artistic types of research in the field of Early Years Theatre. Working groups may focus on (but are not limited to)</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Cases of theory and artistic practice for very young audiences - Training pedagogies for theatre for early years artists (evaluation and proposals) - The artistic production processes of theatre for the very young</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Scenography, object theatre and design for theatre for the very young child</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Interdisciplinarity and mixed media in theatre for very young audiences</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- The aesthetic needs and the perceptual capacities of very young children</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Imagination, creation and sensory exploration through theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Spectatorship research with very young audiences</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Theatre and early cognitive development</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Health, well-being and theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Applied theatre and performance therapy for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Social, health and education policy and theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Community experiences generated or supported by theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Theatre in early childhood institutional settings</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- The cultural rights of the young child in the context of theatre and drama</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Researchers and artists who wish to participate in a working group should submit a 300 word proposal for a paper, a 200 word biography (with affiliation), and a sample bibliography by email to heatherff@gmail.com by <b>February 20.</b> Please indicate which (if any) of the working group subject(s) suggested above that you wish to address.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The symposium will also be hosting moderated, plenary roundtable discussions with a focus on challenges, strategies, and idea for the advancement of theatre for early years research and practice. Scholars and artists who would like to participate in a roundtable discussion on one of the following topics are invited to submit a brief indication of a challenge, strategy, or idea that inform you interest in exchange, a short description of your current research or practice, and a 200 word biography.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Research and practice in theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Aesthetics and early years audiences as performing spectators</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Theatre, performance, and artists in early childhood settings and institutions</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Pedagogical and aesthetic tensions in theatre for early years</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">- Cultural and cognitive diversity in early years audiences</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Please email proposals to heatherff@gmail.com by February 20, 2014</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Heather Fitzsimmons Frey Symposium Organizer</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Lynda Hill Artistic Director, Theatre Direct</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Pil Hansen Symposium Advisor, Drama Centre, University of Toronto</p>
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