DESIGN OF THE SB-ADaPT Festival (A Dance and Physical Theater Festival)
Our Intent
It
is our intent to create an environment that builds local, regional,
national, and international community that will lead to building bridges
of support between communities leading to potential opportunities to
share their creative expression in new communities all over the world.
We serve artists making work of high integrity.
Our
primary focus is on creating an educational adventure in a conference
format for the hard core community of artists who are committed to
carving out their lifework no matter how difficult it is, carrying out
careers in related and unrelated fields to earn their living.
Technically, some may be "amateurs" but the integrity of their
expression illustrates these artists are anything but! The conference
is geared not only towards serving "amateurs" who do not earn their
living at the arts but to seasoned professionals who've been fortunate
enough to settle into a lifestyle where making and performing their art
has become their livelihood.
Collaboration
The
design of the conference is a collaboration between the artists and the
host company. The host company for the SB-ADaPT Festival (A Dance and
Physical Theater Festival) is SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre.
Host Company Responsibility
The
host company puts in the hundreds and hundreds of hours to create the
conference. They put out the call for submissions, process applications
and conduct an adjudication process. They design the programming and
contact the artists about the outcome of the adjudication. They
fundraise for the costs to: rent the theater, purchase insurance for the
event, pay for the technical support, for printed materials (programs,
poster, flyers), videographer, etc. The host company generates all press
materials and sends them to the appropriate contacts, they make sure
preview articles are written as well as reviews, and create the
container for the process for sharing work.
The Artists’ Responsibilities
The
artists collaborate by submitting an application along with an
application fee (and at times a production fee.) The nature of the
application and fees vary from Festival to Festival. For the SB-ADaPT
Fest artists went through a rigorous application process. They submit
information that includes video documentation of the work they hope to
bring to the Festival, a biography, description of their achievements
over the past five years, a description of what they hope to get out of
the Festival, and sign a Festival Agreement form outlining
responsibilities of the artists. The artists pay for all costs
associated with creating the work (artist pay, costumes, rehearsal
space, etc.) & the costs associated with travel, lodging, and food.
Artists do not receive compensation for performances.
Crazy huh?
Why?
Taking
work into a new community as a lesser known artist who does not manage
their career through booking agents is hugely expensive and extremely
risky. You not only have your costs associated with creating the work
but the costs associated with taking it to another city, paying for
housing while you are there, you have the challenges of booking the
theater, figuring out who to send the press releases to, how to get an
audience there and so on. There is a very good chance, since you are not
known, that you may very well perform for very few people (if any at
all.) Attending Festivals saves an artists the time and money associated
with producing the work. Additionally, in that the host company is well
connected in their community, the local community comes out to support
the work they do guaranteeing not only an audience, but in a well
organized festival, the presence of the local press.
How this Festival DiffersConference:
Dance Festivals generally only include a short technical rehearsal with
the opportunity to perform once (sometimes twice.) There is no time
built into the Festival for artists to devote to building community and
an artistic exchange of ideas. We have built in ample opportunity for
this by adding treating the Festival like a conference. Conference
components include:
- An Artist Welcome - provision of a free continental breakfast with initial artist introductions
- Education: artists will have time set aside to discuss topics
pertinent to the arts as well be afforded the opportunity to engage in
master classes.
- Business Development: artists will be afforded the opportunity to
network and establish contact with artists from many different cities
and countries which we hope will lead to opportunities to share their
work in different cities and countries.
- Creative Feedback: There will be a private artist exchange where
artists will have the opportunity to share their work with other
artists. Afterward their will be time set aside to discuss respective
processes in an atmosphere of mutual admiration, respect, and support.
Lodging: For those who wish, we are attempting to
reduce their Festival costs by searching for free lodging with host
families. Additionally, we offer a list of affordable accommodations in
the area.
Fund raising: We are offering some support with fund
raising coaching those with less experience on how to draft effective
fund raising letters, ideas on who to approach for funding, and when
needed will advocate on behalf of international artist. An example of
this is procuring $2,000 from the Israeli Consulate to be used for
bringing two Israeli artists to the Festival.
Food: Local
organizations are donating food for a free continental breakfast, lunch,
and Shop Talk Reception so there will be times in the Festival where we
will be feeding the artists.
Additional Technical Rehearsals:
While most Festivals only allow the artists 15 minutes to 1/2 hour to
set their lights with no dress rehearsal we offer artists the chance to
not only set their lights but enjoy a dress rehearsal during the day
devoted to a Private Artist Exchange. Each program will perform for the
other, and there will be opportunity for dialog after each dress
rehearsal.
Performances: Many Festivals provide only one
opportunity to perform. The SB-ADaPT Festival will provide three for
Center Stage Performers. Once during the Private Artist Exchange, one
matinee for the community, and one evening performance for the
community.