Journal Series

The climate crisis has been called a “crisis of imagination.” The phrase refers to our inability to grasp the magnitude and violence of the changes we are facing, our reluctance to let the reality of it permeate our collective consciousness, and our resistance to envision positive futures. But imagination is the currency of artists. In this ongoing series, Chantal Bilodeau, playwright and artistic director of the Arts & Climate Initiative, invites theatre artists, practitioners, and scholars to reflect on the ways in which they use their imagination to create the stories that will support us through, and lift us out of, this transformative moment.

This series combines content from and about the 2024 Under the Radar Symposium, produced by the Under the Radar Festival and ArkType in partnership with the International Producing Commons (IPC), Creative and Independent Producer Alliance (CIPA), and HowlRound Theatre Commons. 

The aim of the festival and this series is to present and preserve the values of the theatre and theatrical heroes of the largest ethnic minority in Europe, highlighting the challenges the members of this minority face because of segregative and discriminatory practices—which offend minority rights. 

If history is made by those who write it, then the Latinx Theatre Leaders at the Forefront series serves as a historical intervention by adding to the limited existing documentation of Latinx theatre leaders.This series convenes Latinx theatre leaders to amplify their experiences in a field that has ignored their existence and failed to provide enough resources to build the infrastructure necessary for success. In an effort to continue legacy and leadership cultivation, these interviews pair established theatremakers with new and future leaders, creating intergenerational conversations that model horizontal mentorship and learning. Join us to share in these leaders’ hope for future generations and to learn how they have mobilized that hope by creating community and producing work that centers Latinx stories.

This is a series of four reports written by Porsche McGovern over the course of five years, looking at who directs and designs set, costume, lighting, sound, and projections in US LORT theatres by gender.

The Latinx Theatre Commons Designer and Director Colaboratorio was a five-day series of learning opportunities in Portland, Oregon designed to encourage authentic creative expressions and collaboration between Latinx designers and directors. The Latinx Theatre Commons brought together thirty-seven artists from around the United States to work together with the shared goals of fostering alternative communication models for production teams and challenging the typical director-driven model. This series of essays reflects on the learnings from Colaboratorio, the challenges that arose, and the meaningful ways in which the participants engaged with each other. We hope this encourages others to engage in these conversations, write about them, and continue pushing our field forward.

From slavery to stolen land, African Americans and Indigenous peoples have been harmed by settler colonialism from pre-revolutionary times to today. Their histories are unique and intertwined, with examples of distrust and violence as much as solidarity and alignment. At ArtsEmerson, our leadership is Black (David Howse) and Indigenous (Ronee Penoi, Laguna Pueblo/Cherokee)—a rare occurrence in a major arts institution. We see our shared leadership as a unique opportunity to imagine a better, liberated future together for Black and Indigenous peoples and, by extension, all peoples. As part of a year-long Black and Indigenous Initiative, we are collaborating with our colleagues at HowlRound on the Black and Indigenous Futures Convening and on this series that reflects on Black and Indigenous shared leadership, solidarity, kinship, identity, and artistic practice.

Parallel Tracks 2.0 gathers diverse voices of Canadian theatre artists and producers to explore the ways in which anti-oppressive approaches are part of our creative work, in live spaces as well as digital ones. Originally commissioned by and presented in partnership with Toronto's Undercurrent Creations, conversations about care, community engagement, and consent take centre stage in this series. From navigating ethics in contracting, to intergenerational storytelling, this series reflects on ways of gathering and collaborating in online creative spaces. This series is in part supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.