Banner image by Søren K. Kløft | Irish artist Róisín Whelan at KLAP Theatre Festival 2024
Opportunity for artists passionate about developing performances for young audiences
Baboró seeks two artists to participate in professional development workshops hosted by international European festivals.
If selected, you will:
- Participate in two 5-day practical sessions in 2025 with a cohort of 11 other professional artists from across Europe;
- Experience two European children's arts festivals with your workshop cohort;
- Receive a daily fee of €200 to cover workshop and travel days. The cost of all travel, accommodation and festival tickets will be covered.
**Please note: If selected, you must be available for all days of both workshop weeks and the travel days. In the off chance there are any adjustments to the workshop dates, you will be notified promptly.
This opportunity is made possible through our partnership on BABEL, a 4-year Creative Europe project emphasising communication and multilingualism in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA).
There are two workshop series to choose from. Please choose one series to apply to.
Both workshops within Series #1 will be facilitated by JES (Stuttgart) founder and now-freelance director Brigitte Dethier. These workshops will have a particular focus on movement.
*Applicants for this series should have a strong foundation in dance and/or movement.
Schedule
30 March - 6 April 2025, KLAP (Denmark)
- Travel days on 29 March and 7 April 2025
- Multidisciplinary festival for children - mostly Danish work
6 - 10 November 2025, Export/Import Festival (Belgium)
- Travel days on 5 and 11 November 2025
- Biannual festival of Belgian and international performances for young audience
You must be able to attend all days of both workshop weeks and the travel days.
Description
The first workshop session in Denmark will focus on the creation of a mini performance, using choreography and theatrical improvisations, that will be presented to the public.
The second workshop session in Belgium will deal with questions that pop up in the first week, and the presentation will be reviewed and adapted.
Throughout both of these sessions, there will be an emphasis on the relationship between the performers and the young audience members. Every participant should feel empowered to bring their own personal impressions, associations and experiences into the production.
About Brigitte Dethier
Brigitte was an artistic director and director of the Junges Ensemble Stuttgart from 2002 to 2022, as well as artistic director of the festival "Bright View". She has also been active in international organisations for the promotion of professional children's and youth theatre for years, for example as the first chairwoman of the German ASSITEJ. In 2014, she was awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Baden-Württemberg for the foundation and successful work at JES.
In 2009, with Ives Thuwis-De Leeuw, she received the German Theatre Prize DER FAUST for her production "Noch 5 Minuten". As a lecturer for acting, directing and theatre management she works at universities in Stuttgart, Hamburg and Munich.
"One often encounters a certain simplicity in our line of work: children and adolescents are underestimated far too often, both as actors and as spectators. A theatre production is the result of everyone involved." - Brigitte Dethier
Both workshops within Workshop Series #2 will be facilitated by Alex Byrne, artistic director of New International Encounter (NIE) and Greg Hall, Music Director / Composer from NIE's core ensemble of artists. These workshops will have a particular focus on music and multilingualism.
*You do not need a background in music for this workshop.
Schedule
13 - 17 March 2025, Festival Visioni di Futuro (Italy)
- Travel days on 12 and 18 March 2025
- International early years festival with a focus on theatre
11 - 15 October 2025, Baboró International Arts Festival for Children (Ireland)
- Travel days on 10 and 16 October 2025 if needed
You must be able to attend all days of both workshop weeks and the travel days.
Description
This workshop process will explore and exchange ideas and methodologies in working across the boundaries and barriers of spoken language. It will do this in a context where spoken language is one of many means used to communicate in the creative and performative process (alongside: music, staging, scenography, objects, rhythm, sound, light and so on).
Week one will focus on presence and focus; languages of performance; verbal and non verbal story telling; working with self and collaborators as source material; meeting an audience to find out what will happen.
Week two will explore making and playing together; narrative language and confusion; narrative development; meeting and sharing with an audience. It will end with reflection and feedback.
About Alex Byrne
Alex is the Co-Artistic Director of New International Encounter (NIE), the company that he founded in 2001. NIE produces national and international touring theatre for children, young people and adults.
Alex's work for NIE has been invited to appear at young audience festivals all over the world and won prizes at numerous international festivals. As well as making, devising and directing shows for NIE he has been commissioned as a freelance director to make and lead projects across Europe. His work focuses on live music and a direct and dynamic relationship with the audience and often includes music and song as an element of performance.
"I work in a chaos of ideas, all at the same time, of music and objects, puppets and costumes and stories and words and deeds, and in this spoken language is one of the elements at play, one among many. I enjoy misunderstanding, confusion and the struggle to be heard and understood, this is stuff of life, of everyday life and art." - Alex Byrne
Is this opportunity for you?
Baboró strives to make sure that all children in Ireland see themselves and their stories reflected in the arts. We endeavour to deliver projects and present performances which reflect the diversity of the Ireland we live in today. We strongly encourage artists from currently underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
We welcome applications from individuals who satisfy the following criteria:
- Are artists or creatives with at least two years' professional experience. This includes, but is not limited to, performers, actors, dancers, directors, devisors and choreographers;
- Are passionate about performance for young audiences and can demonstrate clear ambition for making work in the TYA sector;
- Can commit to attending the full programme (see 'Workshop Series' section for schedules);
- Are based on the island of Ireland;
- Are over 18 years of age and not a full-time student;
- For Workshop Series #1 only - have a background in dance and/or movement.
Desirable Criteria:
- Enjoy working collaboratively with new people;
- Have some experience traveling internationally;
- Are interested in multicultural work;
- Have professional experience in performing/making performances for young audiences.
We'd love to hear from you! Please submit:
- A brief CV (3 pages maximum);
- 3 short examples of previous work:
- Can be photos or videos (5 minutes maximum), a script extract (2 pages maximum), written descriptions or testimonials/reviews (1 page maximum), or a website entry.
- Identify which Workshop Series you would like to apply for (see 'Workshop Series' section for schedule and details about each series).
- Remember, you must be available for both sessions within the desired Workshop Series to be eligible.
- A response to the following prompts in either written (500 words maximum), audio or video recording (3-5 minutes maximum) format:
- What about this opportunity excites you as an artist? (approximately 200 words or 1-2 minutes)
- Share with us a moment when you could not use your own language to communicate. How did you communicate instead? What did this reveal to you about yourself? (approximately 200 words or 1-2 minutes)
- How will this opportunity enhance your practice and/or future plans? (approximately 100 words or 1 minute)
Please send your document or recording to rachel@baboro.ie including 'BABEL Round 4' in the subject line.
Closing date for applications is end of day Wednesday, 6 November at midnight.
Should you need any assistance in creating your application, feel free to contact Rachel at rachel@baboro.ie or call the Baboró office at 091 562 667.
Please note: The Baboró festival runs from 11 - 20 October and the office will be closed from 14 October - 4 November.
We will respond to all applicants by 20 December.
If, at any point before the deadline, you would like to withdraw your application, simply send us an email.
We recognise that life comes with challenges and needs are different for everyone. We want to minimise barriers you may face in applying for, or participating in, this opportunity. We can offer limited access supports and want to work with you to ensure this opportunity is attainable. Access supports can include, but are not limited to, additional funds for child care, a companion or accessibility costs such as taxis. We are happy to chat about any additional support you may require and will try our best to accommodate you. Please contact Rachel at rachel@baboro.ie or call our office at 091 562 667 should you have a particular query.
Aithnímid go dtagann dúshláin leis an saol agus go mbíonn riachtanais éagsúla ag gach duine. Cuirimid roinnt tacaíochtaí rochtana ar fáil, ag brath ar acmhainní teoranta, agus ba mhaith linn oibriú leat lena chinntiú go féidir leat tabhairt faoin deis seo. Is féidir cistí breise le haghaidhcúram leanaí nó compánach nó costais inrochtaineachta ar nós tacsaithe a áireamh, ach níl siad teoranta dóibh sin amháin. Beidh muid sásta labhairt leat faoi aon tacaíocht bhreise a d’fhéadfadh a bheith uait agus déanfaimid ár ndícheall freastal ar na riachtanais seo. Déan teagmháil le Rachel ag rachel@baboro.ie nó cuir glaoch ar an oifig ar 091 562 667 má tá ceist ar leith agat.
Information Session
The Information Session is now over. Please find a recording of the session below.
Key Dates
- Applications Open Wednesday, 11 September 2024
- Information Session Monday, 16 September 2024
- Applications Close end of day Wednesday, 6 November 2024 at midnight
- All participants will be notified by Friday, 20 December 2024
Supported by
Baboró is committed to making sure that all children in Ireland will be able to see themselves reflected in the arts. We want to support you to help build this community.
Baboró tiomanta do chinntiú go mbeidh gach leanbh in Éirinn in ann iad féin a fheiceáil léirithe sna healaíona. Ba mhaith linn tacaíocht a thabhairt duit chun cabhrú leis an bpobal seo a thógáil.
