THEATRE DIRECT CANADA
OAC CREATORS RESERVE 2008/2009
Call for Submissions
Theatre Direct is currently accepting Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Creators’ Reserve applications. The OAC Theatre Creators’ Reserve program assists Ontario-based professional theatre creators, and informal collectives of creators, by funding them to create work. This is a third-party recommender program. Applications are made to and funding decisions are made by the theatre.
WHAT WE DO
Theatre Direct Canada aims to engage young people through compelling, inventive and uncompromising theatre. Our major area of focus is the development, production and presentation of Canadian plays, which provoke, challenge, question and empower our audience.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe that young people are capable, and indeed deserving of experiencing complex theatre both in content and presentation. Our productions often push theatrical boundaries toward inter-disciplinary and multidisciplinary work. Because we have faith in a young person’s ability to contemplate difficult subject matter or issues, we never shy away from uncomfortable material and strive to speak directly to our audience in a way that avoids preaching or lecturing.
WHAT WE WANT
We welcome OAC Creators’ Reserve proposals that explore a variety of styles, art forms and perspectives. We are interested in supporting work that challenges traditional styles of theatre and performance for young people like dance, puppetry, music, site specific work, sound and image based work and storytelling. We are also interested in supporting work and artists that reflect a diversity of perspectives. For example works from a disability perspective, a culturally diverse perspective or works that are linguistically, geographically and physically diverse.
We are interested in supporting playwrights and artists by understanding both their project or script submission and also their connection to and reason for creating theatre for young audiences.
Following the writing and creation period made possible by the OAC Creator’s Reserve, Theatre Direct actively encourages playwrights to forward the company drafts and progress reports on their work-in-progress and will make it a priority to offer some form of dramaturgical feedback to playwrights should they request it.
WHAT TO DO
Writers wishing to receive support from the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Creator's Reserve Program are encouraged to visit the OAC website www.arts.on.ca for the program form and to submit a bio/resume, one-page proposal outlining their specific request accompanied by an excerpt of the work in progress and/or a writing sample. All applicants will be contacted for a telephone or in-person meeting. Applications are reviewed and recommendations will be made from September 15, 2008 to February 13, 2009.
Submission Package should be mailed or dropped off to:
WE DO NOT ACCEPT EMAIL SUBMISSIONS
For more information about Theatre Direct please see our website www.theatredirect.ca.
If you have further questions about the Creators’ Reserve please feel free to contact Associate Artistic Director & Dramaturg Thomas Morgan Jones at thom[at]theatredirect.on.ca or at 416-537-4191 ext: 222.