Archive, Events & Projects

Call for Participants APAF 2017 International Collaboration Workshop

======================================================= Outline of APAF International Collaboration Workshop =======================================================   What is “APAF International Collaboration Workshop”? APAF-Asian Performing Arts Forum, formerly the Asian Performing Art Festival which was inaugurated in 2002 and now is one of the sectors within the Tokyo Metropolitan Festival, is a platform to seek mutual understanding and to encourage collaborations among young performing artists in Asian countries.   Co-organized by The Japan Foundation Asia Center, in the APAF International Collaboration Workshop, a wide variety of participants will be grouped into three teams and each team will create a short piece of work to perform in public.   We seek for participants, especially from Southeast Asia, with a wide range of talents to build a network of young performing artists within Asia and to strengthen the role of the workshop as a place to tryout international collaboration.   Producer: Satoshi Miyagi (General Artistic Director of SPAC, General Director of Tokyo Metropolitan Festival)   Organized by the Executive Committee of Asian Performing Arts Festival (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau), Toshima ward Co-organized by The Japan Foundation Asia Center In co-operation with SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Centre Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan in the fiscal 2017   The specific contents of the program are as follows:
  • Participants will be grouped into three teams, each team led by an Asian director (one from Japan, one from Southeast Asia, and another to be confirmed), and will create a 15-minute original production on a theme set by the producer, called “seed piece”, during the workshop.
  • One of the three seed pieces will be selected to produce a full-sized production, called “Creation through International Collaboration”, for the presentation at the APAF the following year.
  • The directors will be introduced on Nov. 20, the first day of the workshop. The grouping is expected to be announced on the same day.
  • The public presentation at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre by three teams is scheduled on December 1 and 2.
  • After the workshop and presentation, there will be a wrap-up session for the general audience and participants of APAF’s other projects, including the presentation of last year’s seed In the session, participants are expected to discuss the current situation of performing art scenes of their own countries, and what they have achieved through this project.
  Period of stay in Japan November 19 – December 5, 2017 (17 days)   Schedule
November 19 Arrival in Tokyo
20 Orientation, preliminary inspection of the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, Moving to Shizuoka
21–26 Workshop at SPAC in Shizuoka
27  Moving back to Tokyo
28–30 Rehearsals in Tokyo
December 1–2 Performances in Tokyo
3–4 Wrap-up Sessions in Tokyo
5 Departure from Tokyo
                    Venue Shizuoka (Workshop): SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Centre https://www.spac.or.jp/e/index.html Tokyo (Performance): Tokyo Metropolitan Theater https://www.geigeki.jp/   Theme of the Workshop 2017 In previous APAF workshops, participants worked on each of their pieces with the theme of “Rice and Rice plants: Our Similarities and the Differences Reflected in Food Culture”, and “Rain.” The theme for this year is “Makeup” following last year’s theme.   “Makeup”（Maquillage） Claude Lévi-Strauss wrote that, for indigenous peoples of South America, the boundary between nature and culture lies in whether food is raw or cooked, and, likewise for those of North America, whether they are decorated or not. Makeup and decoration is a custom that is only seen in humans, and has been worn and pursued by people in all times, in all regions. Makeup is also an essential element in theatrical plays. In this sense, to think about makeup is to think about what humankind is and what theater is, as well as how it has changed. At this workshop, directors and actors will begin the production by thinking carefully about makeup. This process of deepening their thoughts on the subject prior to rehearsals already signals the start of production.   APAF Producer Satoshi Miyagi         ============================================ Terms of Application and Conditions ============================================   Qualification requirements
  • Young artists based in Asia with skills and some experience in theater. (Those involved in the creation of a theatrical production including actors, dancers, musicians, traditional performance actors and puppeteers.)
  • Those in theater with a clear willingness and motivation to challenge new grounds and work collaboratively in unfamiliar environments with foreign cultures; those interested in stepping out of their comfort zones.
  • Those who can participate fully in the program from November 19 to December 5, 2017.
  • Those who can process all necessary documents, including visas, by their travel date. (The organizers will prepare necessary documents for visas.)
  Number of Openings Aproxmately twelve in total (six from Southeast Asia, and six from Japan and East Asia)   Benefits
  • International Airfare: A round-trip air ticket (discount economy class) between the nearest airport from your residence and Tokyo (Narita or Haneda) will be provided.
  • Domestic travel: A round-trip between the Tokyo Airport and downtown Tokyo as well as downtown Tokyo and SPAC in Shizuoka.
  • Accommodation: Reserved and paid by the organizers.
  • Insurance: Traveler’s insurance during the term of invitation will be purchased by the organizers.
  • Per diem: 37,140 JPY for 16 days from November 20 to December 5. * Transportation fees and food costs. Lunch during the stay in Shizuoka will be provided. * Muslim and Hindu lunch meals can be provided during the Shizuoka stay. Costs for lunch during the Tokyo stay will need to be covered by your per diem.
  • Honorarium for the Wrap-up presentation: 30,000 JPY * A 20.42% tax deduction at source may apply.
  • When the organizers recognize its necessity, interpreters will be provided during all the activities related to the workshops and productions, otherwise the main language of communication among performers will be English.
  ============================================ How to Apply ============================================   Complete the application form provided, attach a head shot photo, and send by email to the email address below by July 23, 2017 (Sunday).   Send to: The Japan Foundation, Bangkok Email: siree@ba.jpf.go.jp   * The selection results will be notified by August 31, 2017. *Correspondence and notification of selection results will be done by email, so please make sure you can be contacted by email. * We will not return submitted documents. The Japan Foundation and APAF Executive Committee will take strict precautions to control and handle personal data and will not use it for any other purposes other than getting in contact for this project.   ============================================ Inquiry ============================================ The Japan Foundation, Bangkok Email: siree@ba.jpf.go.jp   APAF Website: https://www.butai.asia/e/   Download APAF 2017 Application Form