Future = NOW! A Youth Manifesto

ended

"Future = NOW! is an answer to a growing concern over the disappearing public space, divisive politics, and the need to create a safe space for youth to express their opinions on the environmental crisis and different forms of oppression. Art, and specifically devised theatre, will be an educational tool to address them. Project brings together professional theatre artists, activists, NGO’s and youth in a common aim to empower the latter by giving greater visibility to the issues of social and environmental justice through art, building a resilient community that is developing artivist practice as their method of expression. Project’s partners are Glej Theatre (Ljubljana, SI), Het Theaterschip (Deventer, NL) and The Theatre Education Ateliér (Ostrava, CZ). Partnership covers geographies outside the centres of power. All partners have developed creative work with youth in theatre. Inclusiveness and sustainability are at the centre of the project. Internal structures, pool of participants and methodology reflect balanced power relations. Methodology is based on peer-to-peer exchange. Objective of reaching transnational creation and circulation will happen by raising transnational awareness on issues through art, and international sharing of knowledge. Project’s main activities are research, performative intervention, international #youthmanifesto and theatre production, and conferences on artivism. Main outputs for dissemination of our methodology are documentary film and digital guidebook. Due to health and environmental risks, many activities are planned online, and others can be transferred. We will explore innovative hybrid forms of work. Dissemination is built on a combination of classic and innovative approaches and is embedded in artivism. Project will leave behind an empowered and resilient community, based on values of equality, solidarity and social justice, proving that art can be a tool for a more cohesive society. "