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Contacting the World 08
October 2007 marks the launch of Contacting the World 2008, Contact Theatre's (UK) revolutionary international theatre project for young and emerging artists. "Evam Youth Forum" from Mumbai has been selected from 100 companies worldwide to be part of this unique exchange project developed by one of the UK's leading theatres for young people.
Contacting the World brings together the newest, most exciting and innovative young theatre companies from across the globe to help redefine the way in which collaboration and internationalism combine in the global community. 150 young people from twelve young theatre companies from countries including India, Nepal, Turkey, Poland, Germany, USA, UK, Zambia, Palestine and Brazil will be randomly twinned to engage in a year long exchange process to create brand new, visionary and truly global theatre/art.
For the first time ever Contacting the World's festival of theatre moves from Manchester to be co-hosted in Liverpool as part of the city's 2008 European Capital of Culture celebrations. "We're incredibly proud to be part of Liverpool's celebrations" Says Contact's Artistic Director John McGrath "Liverpool's commitment to young and emerging artists is an important part of the 2008 celebrations and what better way to showcase this by inviting some of the world's most innovative young artists to the city"
Liverpool's Culture Company have similarly been quick to recognise the importance of Contacting the World in their Cultural agenda for 2008, and have been inspired by its potential to create new and dynamic networks of young artists around the world. Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council, Deputy Chair of the Liverpool Culture Company added "Young people will play an extremely important part in the 2008 programme, and Contacting the World promises to be one of the highlights of a year when the city reaches out to the rest of the world."
This unique collaboration will grow over the next few months to embrace the specifics of engaging with artistic exchange in Palestine or Liverpool, of cementing a cultural identity in London and New York, or exceeding expectations in Manchester and Rio de Janeiro. Utilising the latest in on line social networking as well as personal exchange visits and good old fashioned airmail, participants will send each other ideas, audio visual samples, cultural histories and personal stories to inspire twelve new theatre productions.
Leading up to the Festival in July 2008, the journey of these young artists will be played out simultaneously across the globe and revealed on line as the collaboration intensifies.
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