OISTAT
Organização Internacional de Cenógrafos, Técnicos e Arquitetos de Teatro
OISTAT é uma rede global de produtores de teatro que celebra
o design e a tecnologia em apresentações ao vivo.
É a maior e mais autorizada organização não governamental internacional no campo do teatro global. Organização Educacional, Científica e Cultural (UNESCO)
Program in Scenography 2024
From August 26 to September 8, 2024, the third edition of the International Program in Scenography residency program is held at the Roman Castrum in Ovidiu/Constanța.
Organized by OISTAT Romania, in partnership with the Ovidiu City Hall and the State Theater of Constanța, this intensive program brings together artists from around the world, guided by international experts, aiming to revitalize the local heritage through temporary artistic interventions.
This year, 20 young artists with backgrounds in scenography, architecture, design, and cinematography from 12 countries — Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Georgia, China, USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Romania — have been selected for the program. Over two weeks, they will work in teams to create site-specific art installations, guided by five internationally renowned mentors. They are:
Director Paul Zimet and composer Ellen Maddow, founders of the avant-garde New York company Talking Band, former members of the legendary Open Theater led by Joseph Chaikin.
Nic Ularu, scenographer/author/director, recipient of the OBIE award for outstanding achievements in Off-Broadway theater, and a mentor for the third consecutive year in IPS.
Sabrina Hamilton, lighting designer, co-founder, and artistic director of the Ko Festival of Performance in Amherst, Massachusetts, and close collaborator with the Mabou Mines company in New York.
Sean Crowley, scenographer for film, opera, theater, and television, head of the design department at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
After two successful editions, this year, the International Program in Scenography aims to explore the rich interaction between ancient myths and contemporary challenges, encouraging participants to create installations around the theme "Myths & Algorithms." The creations will be inspired by local histories, aiming to promote and revitalize less-known spaces and contexts through artistic endeavors. The means of expression are chosen by the participants and may range from mural art, kinetic sculptures, or landscape design, to new media art or video art. The entire program invites a dialogue between different perceptions of history and how it can be reinterpreted and valued through temporary artistic interventions.
The International Program in Scenography also includes workshops, presentations, roundtables, artistic research explorations, and practical creative activities, aiming to develop participants' skills in creating site-specific scenographic installations and experiences that highlight less-known spaces and cultural identities.
The program concludes on the evening of September 7, 2024, with an Opening Gala — a public event at the Roman Castrum in Ovidiu/Constanța, where the works, installations, and experiences created by the young international artists will be displayed.
The Romanian OISTAT Center is a member of the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Technicians, and Architects, a global platform that facilitates international collaborations and seeks to stimulate the exchange of ideas and innovations and promote collaboration among performing arts professions at an international level. In previous editions of the International Program in Scenography, 40 artists from countries such as Greece, France, Hungary, Canada, USA, Germany, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Romania, along with 10 renowned mentors, were involved, including Jean-Guy Lecat, a collaborator for over 20 years with the legendary director Peter Brook, and Helmut Stürmer, creator of the phenomenal Faust production directed by Silviu Purcărete at the National Theater in Sibiu. In addition to this program, Romania organizes multiple conferences, workshops, exhibitions, awards scholarships, publishes albums dedicated to scenographers, and between 18-27 October 2024, it will organize, after a 20-year break, the tenth edition of the Bucharest Scenography Biennale.
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International Program in Scenography
3rd Edition: Myths & Algorithms
August 26 - September 8, 2024, Ovidiu/Constanța
ORGANIZER: OISTAT Romania (International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Technicians, and Architects)
CO-ORGANIZERS: Constanța State Theater, Ovidiu City Hall, Constanța County Council
CO-FINANCED BY: AFCN, Romanian Cultural Institute
SPONSORS: BRD Groupe Société Générale, Carrefour, IQOS, Crama DeMATEI
PARTNERS: UNITER, Goethe Institute, Cherhana Ovidiu, Hotel Piccadilly Mamaia, UNIART Theatre Company
MEDIA PARTNERS: Zile și Nopți, Radio România Cultural, TVR Cultural, Teatrul Azi
VIDEO: Bea Kopacz
University of Toronto
CDTPS faculty member Snežana Pešić to attend upcoming World Costume in Action Exhibition
Faculty of Art and Science
OISTAT
The International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1968 in Prague, Czech Republic. According to its founding name, the organization is mainly a network for theatre designers, theatre architects and theatre technicians around the world, made up of people associated with creating or studying live performances, including educators, researchers and practitioners. The organization has members from 51 countries, in the membership categories: Centre Member, Associate Member and Individual Member.
The History
The predecessor of the organization was the scenography section of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), founded in 1948. This institute was expected to form an international co-operation of all artistic fields and establish leading publishing and educational direction from the drama sections. The project failed, but interest in the visual elements of theatre grew.[citation needed] Shortly after, in 1958, the International Association of Theatre Technicians (IATT) was formed in Paris. This association also faltered due to lack of direction, programming, organizational structure, administrative and financial provisions.
The representatives sought ITI to take up the activities again, and the ITI Secretary General Jean Darcante went to Prague in 1967 to discuss with representatives of the Czechoslovak National ITI Center, the Theatre Institute and the Institute of Scenography, the possibility of establishing an organization with a general secretariat in Prague. Czechoslovak scenographers, including professional workers and theatre specialists from both institutions, prepared a draft program for the activity of the new organization with the Czechoslovak Ministry of Culture. Darcante travelled to Prague again in early 1968 to obtain a binding promise from the Czechoslovak official authorities and agree the final details with the Theatre Institute and the Institute of Scenography. On 7 and 8 June 1968, the foundation committee met to establish the new International Organization of Scenographers and Theatre Technicians (French: Organisation Internationale des Scénographes et Technicians de Théatre; OISTT).
The founding membership consisted of representatives from Czechoslovakia, Canada, Israel, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States.
Organizational structure
The World Congress
OISTAT is composed of members in regions around the world, known as OISTAT Centres, Associate members and Individual members. As defined in the statutes, "the directing body of OISTAT is the Congress, which is formed when the delegates of the OISTAT Centres, Associate Members and Individual Members are assembled in plenary session". Every four years, the delegates of the World Congress elect the president and the members of executive committee. They also decide on changes in the statutes and other arising issues of the organization.
Executive committee and governing board
OISTAT affairs are coordinated by the governing board and its executive committee.
The executive committee consists of eight elected members including the president, elected at the congress. The governing board consists of the elected chairs of the six commissions.
Headquarters
The Headquarters, known as the Secretariat until 2011, are the only constant office of the organization in charge of daily communications, and serve as the central network for its members and commissions. The Headquarters has moved twice since its foundation; it was in Prague from 1968-1993, in the Netherlands from 1993-2005, and since 2006 it is in Taipei, Taiwan.
Commissions
Six commissions lead various projects in their field of studies:
Architecture: The Architecture commission was composed mainly of architects, theatre designers and technicians. The commission initiated the quadrennial Theatre Architecture Competition (TAC) in 1978 and the finalist designs are exhibited at the Prague Quadrennial.
Education: This commission is the main facilitator of OISTAT Scenofest and International Stage Design Students' Works Exchange (ISDSWE) in Beijing, China.
Research: The Research commission focuses on the theoretical and historical aspects of theatre scenography, architecture, and technologies. The Theatre Timeline Sub-commission is a recent establishment by the commission focusing on archiving theatre technologies, recording and preservation.
Performance design: Performance Design includes four sub-commissions: Costume Design, Lighting Design, Sound Design and Space Design.
Publication and communication: This commission's recent projects include Core Strategy, World Scenography, the Digital Theatre Words and the Bibliography of Theatre Arts.
Technology: OISTAT Technology facilitates exchange of ideas in the field of theatre technology, develops research projects, and examines standards and safety issues.
The commission offers technical advice and support for theatre technicians worldwide. The Theatre Invention Prize (TIP) is a competition initiated since 2011 by the commission.
OISTAT Presentation Labs
This presentation was delivered in person at a symposium for OISTAT in Wakefield, UK at the Academy of Live Technology on April 15, 2024. This was part of a joint-meeting between the OISTAT Education and Technology commissions. The content includes some of the presentations on labs already present on the site. While presenting, I spoke aloud using a version of this with subtitles and music only.