THE 32nd RHUBARB FESTIVAL
Toronto’s Annual Convergence of Contemporary Performance
Feb 16-27, 2011, Festival Director Laura Nanni
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS 2011
Produced by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre for over 30 years, the Rhubarb Festival has offered artists a critic-free environment to experiment with new explorations in performance. Rhubarb continuously reconsiders the possibilities for performance – how we create it, how we present it and how we experience it. It is an invitation for artists to take risks, investigate new directions and challenge conventions. It is an opportunity for adventurous audiences to journey off predictable paths. Rhubarb provides artists with a rare opportunity to present work to a large and enthusiastic audience. Many Rhubarb shows have gone on to be further developed and presented in Toronto, across Canada and internationally.
GENERAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: 5PM, Tuesday August 17, 2010
Rhubarb seeks proposals for new, not previously produced performances (30 minutes or less) for the 32nd Annual Rhubarb Festival. Submissions are encouraged from both established and emerging artists working in the areas of contemporary theatre, performance art, dance, music, interdisciplinary and hybrid forms. Of particular interest are projects, approaches and ideas that are new territory for the artist and the medium.
Selected projects will be featured during the festival (Feb. 16-27, 2011) and will receive technical, production, administrative, promotional and artistic support. Invited companies will have the opportunity to access free rehearsal space leading up to Rhubarb. In addition to an honorarium, festival artists also receive an unlimited artist pass, allowing them to see work for free by local, national and international artists over the course of two weeks.
New to Rhubarb this year! TWO SPECIAL PROJECT CALLS:
SET IT OFF DEADLINE: 5PM, Monday August 30, 2010
Building on the culture of club nights at Buddies, Rhubarb invites DJs and musicians who venture into new and experimental territory of music performance (especially those working in live mixing and sampling) to submit proposals. This may include DJs/ electronic artists collaborating with animators, new media artists, choreographers, etc. to create a short set. Other possibilities include musicians working with non-traditional equipment and instruments (i.e. kitchen appliances, video game consoles, found objects, bicycle powered amps, etc.). Of special interest are proposals that not only suggest experimentation with the instruments themselves, but also consider aspects of the music in relation to staging, conceptual meaning, story and/ or form.
MOBILE WORKS DEADLINE: 5PM, Monday August 30, 2010
Taking the Rhubarb experience outside the walls of Buddies, the festival invites proposals for works that begin elsewhere and converge at Buddies (12 Alexander Street, Toronto). Performance interventions, performances on the subway, flash mobs, etc. that eventually end at Buddies are encouraged. Participatory projects and online performances that are developed in the lead up to Rhubarb and culminate in another form of presentation at Buddies are also welcome. The proposal should take into consideration not only the festival audiences but also the general public, unsuspecting and accidental audiences who may stumble upon or intersect with the work.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Only submissions delivered by or post-marked by the deadline dates will be accepted. Works submitted must be new and original. Submissions must be submitted in hard copy only and must be accompanied by the 2011 Rhubarb Festival Application Form (available online at www.buddiesinbadtimes.com) and the $20 non-refundable reading fee (payable to: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre). Fax or email submissions will not be accepted and late submissions will not be considered.
PLEASE MAIL OR DROP OFF SUBMISSIONS TO: Laura Nanni, Rhubarb Festival Director,
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 12 Alexander Street, Toronto ON M4Y 1B4
For further information please contact: Laura Nanni, laura@buddiesinbadtimes.com or 416-975-9130 x58