#UrgentExchange
What is #UrgentExchange?
#UrgentExchange is a Generator event that focuses on a timely, important issue facing indie artists. We host two in succession: one topic is crowdsourced on Twitter to make sure we’re tackling what matters to YOU; WE pick the other topic, and we choose it based on what we’ve been hearing from artists in the community.
These events happen both in person AND online: they are free to attend in Toronto, and we invite everyone to participate in the cyber conversation leading up to, during the conversation, and afterwards, using the hashtag #UrgentExchange and via our @GeneratorTO Periscope. These exchanges engage artists from coast to coast as they debate the issues affecting the independent performing arts sector. Join the conversation! Learn more about previous conversations below.
How We Crowdsource A Topic…
The Twitter and Instagram-verse has one week to propose topics for discussion, using the hashtag #UrgentExchange.
We select the top three contenders based on retweets and favourites.
The top three go to an online poll poll.
People have one week to vote on Twitter and Instagram on the topic they want to see discussed at our #UrgentExchange event.
Keep reading to view past #UrgentExchange events, or find all blog posts related to #UrgentExchange here.
#MeToo One Year Later
Sunday, December 9, 2018
A Partnership with PARADIGM productions
Daniels Spectrum Lobby, 585 Dundas Street East
Read a Summary on our Blog
Watch the Videos
In January, #UrgentExchange asked “Who is A Monster? What Makes A Monster? Am I Monster? #MeToo What Next?” One year later, a selection of speakers investigated how #MeToo has impacted the performance community - from triggers in the rehearsal process, to the changing role of the stage manager, to nudity and violence on stage, to the biases and blind spots that hold back change.
The second half of this event was be dedicated to a discussion with PARADIGM productions, using The Philosopher’s Wife as a case study to explore how they’ve tackled some of these issues in their production. We concluded with an opportunity for participants to speak in smaller groups. Everyone was invited to join us for a special pay-what-you-can matinee performance of The Philosopher’s Wife at Aki Studio immediately preceding this #UrgentExchange.
Our speakers were (in order of appearance):
Meghan Speakman: Stage Managing with #MeToo
Matthew Eldridge: Intimacy and Touch from the Perspective of Health Practice
Andrea Zanin: Consent and Power: Lessons from Kink
Stop Abuse and Exploitation
Monday, December 17, 2018
A Partnership with The Toronto Dance Community Love-In
Daniels Spectrum Lobby, 585 Dundas Street East
Read a Summary on Our Blog
Crowdsourced topic: Toronto dance community, this one’s for you! We’re partnering with the TO Love-In to cover what’s urgent in dance. Together with the Love-In, we asked community members to vote in Twitter and Instagram polls to choose between the topics “Accessible Process Now” and “Stop Abuse and Exploitation.” The results? 50/50 on Twitter and 27/74 on Instagram. On December 17th we’re coming to learn about what we can do to stop abuse and exploitation.
We thank Daniels Spectrum for partnering with us for our December 2018 events.
Precarity + Mental Health
July 10, 2018, 5-6:30pm
with the Toronto Fringe
Read a Summary on Our Blog
Crowdsourced topic: You voted! And we’re talking mental health. With financial instability and short non-secure work contracts, what are the effects to our mental health as artists?
The New Faces of Criticism?
July 13, 2018, 5-6:30pm
with the Toronto Fringe
Read a Summary on Our Blog
Generator with NOW Magazine and the University of Toronto launched emerging critics reviewing shows at the Fringe. Join a conversation with these new voices, seasoned professionals, and the audience about the changing faces of criticism.
Desiring Diversity, but who can afford to work for free?
Thursday January 4, 2018, 7-9pm
with the Toronto Fringe Next Stage Theatre Festival
Theatre Passe Muraille
Read a Summary on Our Blog
Crowdsourced topic: The desire to do work with more diversity, inclusivity and accessibility is strong in Toronto’s independent performance community but can our communities be truly inclusive if financial obligations keep many artists out of our rehearsal halls? Who has the ability to ride the financial risk of a career in the arts? What can creators with financial privilege do to shift the systemic classism in the arts? This #UrgentExchange tackled class and the arts.
We opened with a video instigation from Shaista Latif, and were joined by three panelists:
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Jivesh Parasram
Michael Maranda
Who is a Monster? What makes a Monster? Am I a Monster? #MeToo What next?
Saturday January 6, 2018, 1-3pm
with the Toronto Fringe Next Stage Theatre Festival
Theatre Passe Muraille
Read a Summary on Our Blog
Watch the Videos
Our news feeds and social media have been flooded with how women, men and gender non-conforming folk are treated in our workplaces. New accusations, and firings, are happening almost daily. You tweet #IBelieveYou, but are you wondering if you’ve ever crossed a line? Are you unsure what to do #AfterMeToo? Is #YesAllWomen making you wonder what you aren’t seeing?
Join #UrgentExchange on Saturday, January 6 from 1:00-3:30 PM for an afternoon of learning and unlearning about Toronto’s live performance workplace through different models for change. Come to be heard or to listen. Together we will come up with solutions and strategies for transforming how we make work together and the spaces where art happens. Learn more about the presenters below.
Container-Building: Facilitating Accountable Creative Spaces
Nikki Shaffeeullah
Producers, directors, arts managers, and others: we design the safety of the creative spaces we inhabit - either by intention or by omission. Most often, 'Monsters' cause harm (sexual violence and otherwise) because their surroundings allow them too. Nikki Shaffeeullah, Artistic Director of The AMY Project, speaks about structures that inhibit safety in our industry, and about purposeful practices that artistic leaders can employ to shift their work spaces into ones that enable greater safety, accessibility, accountability, and creativity.
How to learn better ways of relating before the big damage happens
Brook Thorndycraft
How can we take a preventative approach to the issue of sexual harassment, bullying and assault in the arts and theatre community? To build equitable and inclusive workplaces and communities, it’s essential for all of us to develop our capacity to accept feedback that helps us learn from and shift our attitudes and behaviours before they lead us to a crisis. Led by Brook Thorndycraft, a mediator, coach and facilitator working in the field of conflict transformation.
Violence in Theatre: Staging Triggering Material
The JONNO team
As artists, we want to shine a light on challenging issues. But where do we draw the line between being empowering and exploitative? We understand that there is value in discomfort, but how do we avoid harming our audiences? Producer Mirka Loiselle, director Paul Van Dyck, and actor Erica Anderson reflect on these questions while discussing their experience with JONNO, a show at the Next Stage Theatre Festival that aggressively tackles the issue of sexual assault.
Sharing the power, sharing the freedom.
Thalia Kane
In the midst of our current climate and the cultural shift occurring, what is our responsibility? What can we do? In the entertainment industry, unions and associations are stepping up. Ecuadorian-Canadian artist Thalia Kane speaks about ‘Not In OUR Space’, a new initiative from Equity. The time for change is now and it is the responsibility of everyone.
Bystander Intervention
Sedina Fiati
One person in one moment with one action can make a difference. Maybe you didn’t act in the past when you wanted to. Forgive yourself. It’s time for a new paradigm. Time to learn the skills to go from bystander to professional intervener. Take a breath. Asses the situation and act. We need you and we need each other.
Conflict resolution processes and strategies for healthy work environments
Pippa Feinstein BA (Hons), JD
Pippa will introduce and discuss different types of conflict resolution processes and how they work. She will also address how they can be applied to performance-art environments to better ensure healthy and appropriate workplace behaviour. The subsequent break out session will include an opportunity to practice specific strategies in role-playing scenarios.
Counsellor on site: Alexia Dyer
Alexia Dyer is a therapist at East End Therapy where she offers individual and couples counselling. She began her career as a sexual assault trauma counsellor in Winnipeg and has worked for many years in Toronto as a counsellor, mediator, educator and facilitator. Her career path has reflected her capacity to be empathic and non-judgmental while working to further social change. Alexia uses she/her pronouns and identifies as a queer, white settler.
The January 2018 #UrgentExchange are free events in partnership with Toronto Fringe and hosted by Theatre Passe Muraille.
Mid-Career Crisis: Can you get your mojo back?*
Monday, July 10, 2017, 5-6:30pm
Neville's Nook Tent @ The Fringe Club
Crowdsourced topic: Hannes Schwandt, a researcher with Princeton University states that "Mid-career crises are, in fact, a widespread regularity, rather than the misfortune of a few individuals." If satisfaction is indeed a U-shaped curve what can we learn from those who have gone before and how can we create new opportunities in our practice and in our lives? Join the respected panelists David Yee (Artistic Director at fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company), Deanna Fleyser (Fringe artist, Butt Kapinski), Elenna Mosoff (CEO of The Mission Business & Life Coach) and moderator Kristina Lemieux as we delve into ups and downs of mid-career.
Work/Work Balance
Thursday, July 13, 5-6:30pm
Neville's Nook Tent @ The Fringe Club
How can we balance what we do for love vs. what we do to live and is there room for overlap? Is it possible to find work that inspires you artistically and pays the bills? Let’s collect our experiences and share our strategies on balancing the beast of living in Toronto with being inspired as artists. You might be the novice or you might be the expert at this #UrgentExchange.
What is Criticism in an Age Where Anyone Can Be a Critic?
Thursday Jan 12th, 2017, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave
Crowdsourced topic: When reviews can be crowdsourced and galvanized with a click of a button, what does that mean for theatre criticism? Generator's Executive Director Michael Wheeler leads a discussion on the on criticism in a self-publishing digital age. Are there new parameters to determining merit and informing audiences? Do critics require qualifications? What IS a review? Join the panel to discuss if we should we embrace all opinions as equal or leave theatre criticism to the experts.
The panelists:
S.Bear Bergman
Carly Maga
Michelle MacArthur
Glenn Sumi
Group shot of the brave participants wanting to tackle challenges with hiring practices in Canadian theatre at The White Guy Shuffle on Jan 15, 2017.
The White Guy Shuffle: Changing Hiring Practices in Canadian Theatre
Sunday, January 15th, 2017, 2-3:30pm
Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave
Read the Summary on Our Blog
This past year over half a dozen Artistic Director jobs were up for grabs across Canada. While many were excited at the chance to finally diversify the leadership of some of our country's most recognizable institutions, all of the positions were filled by white men. How can we influence boards and hiring committees to change homogenous hiring practices? Come participate in a community conversation that will examine the mechanics of how these decisions are made and strategize how the community can be of influence.
Some background reading to prepare for the discussion (links in the article title):
White Fragility in the Hour of Chaos by Michael Wheeler (SpiderWebShow)
Briefing Notes for Hiring Committees by Christine Quintana (SpiderWebShow)
Trying To Be Good, Roundhouse Radio interview with Kristina Lemieux Nov 2, 2016. "This week I had the great honour of being asked to speak with Heidi Taylor and Emelia Symington Fedy on Trying To Be Good on Roundhouse Radio. We talked about our work in the arts, feminist beginnings, fights, Hilary Clinton, and hopes. Here's the notes I took during the talk and the link for your listening pleasure."
Basing pay on salary history is a harmful, borderline-unethical practice that we need to abolish by Vu Le (Nonprofit with Balls)
Our hiring practices are inequitable and need to change by Vu Le (Nonprofit with Balls)
Palm Springs film festival ex-interim director was offered half the salary of her male predecessor, lawsuit claims by Brett Kelman and Bruce Fessier (The Desert Sun)
New Study Investigates Why Few Women Hold Leadership Positions in Theatres by Olivia Clement (Playbill)
The Future of the Storefront Movement
Monday January 11, 2016, 7:30pm
The Hoxton, 69 Bathurst Street
With the surge of storefront theatres in Toronto, indie artists are moving away from studio theatres in favour of more transient locations. Is this a sustainable model or simply the latest fad? Many wonder if it is truly helpful in developing audiences. Join our esteemed panel as we discuss the future of the storefront movement.
Panelists: Claire Burns, Diana Bentley and Cole Alvis
The Myth of a Professional Career in Theatre
Tuesday January 12, 2016 @ 7:30pm
The Hoxton, 69 Bathurst Street
A candid and informative discussion on the ever elusive career in professional theatre. Is there enough work available in Canada to expect regular employment? Can you sustain a decent lifestyle on your artistic earnings? Our panelists will speak from their own personal experience, offering thoughts on the challenges of raising a family as an artist, preserving mental health amidst multiple projects, and sustaining passion for your art.
Panelists: Marjorie Chan, Richard Rose and Nigel Shawn Williams