A Gathering in a Better World
Theatre maker Calvin Ratladi curates a five-day international Gathering of artists with and ‘without’ disabilities
Goethe-Institut in cooperation with festival Theaterformen presents “A Gathering in a Better World” in collaboration with the Centre for the Less Good Idea and the Market Theatre – a project that brings the expertise of artists with disabilities to light and focuses on their perspectives, creating spaces for shared experiences from the 1st– 5th March 2023 at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg.
South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA)-winning artist (2022) for Outstanding Person with Disability, Calvin Ratladi, has been appointed as the curator of the international theatre project, A Gathering in a Better World (GIABW).
GIABW is a collaborative and interdisciplinary project that seeks to create a worldwide network for artists with disabilities, for whom there are still hardly any structures or offers. It will host a 5-day programme of a series of performances, screenings, workshops and a masterclass aimed at artists, thinkers, scholars, and practitioners who are interested in all-inclusive practice and performance.
“Artists living with disabilities exist everywhere, but they are often very isolated and less visible in the performing arts scene, with fewer professional opportunities and resources. We initiated A Gathering in a Better World together with the Goethe-Institut to build connections between disabled artists internationally and support them to create their own spaces for artistic experimentation and creative exchange. While some disability art networks recently changed the field in the European context, the Gathering focuses on non-European regions and transnational relations”, explains Anna Mülter, artistic director of Festival Theaterformen.
The programme will feature live performances and conversations with seasoned artists, kicking off with a performance by Oupa Sibeko, an interdisciplinary artist whose work moves between theatrical, gallery, scholarly and other public contexts, overtly dealing with matters and politics of the body as a site of contested works. The opening night will also premiere a new collaborative work by Calvin Ratladi, Nadine Mckenzie, Andile Vellem, Chuma Sopotela, Hlengiwe Madlala, Sello Sebotsane, Thulani Chauke, Teresa Phuti Mojela, Anathi Conjwa, Siphenati Mayekiso, and Nceba Gongxeka.
“The Goethe-Institut is pleased to collaborate with Calvin Ratladi and Theaterformen festival on this important project. The endeavor to foster collaboration and connection among artists with and without disabilities, and to offer a public platform to their excellent artistic work, is a vital concern of the Goethe-Institut’s work in the region,” says Dr. Asma Diakité, Regional Head of Cultural Programmes at the Goethe-Institut Sub-Sahara Africa. The Market Theatre’s Artistic Director, Greg Homann, added, “Having this five-day gathering of work in our theatre and spaces is part of our long-standing commitment to dismantle historic barriers of access. We are proud to be a part of this important and necessary initiative that highlights the expertise of artists living with disability.”
This Gathering is a physical extension connecting Sub-Saharan African artists living with disabilities within the framework of the project. It is a meeting and networking opportunity as well as a place to access creative spaces conceptualised by artists with disabilities across different artistic disciplines for a broad audience with and without disabilities.
“The Johannesburg gathering is intended to go beyond ‘just another inclusion project’ that does not attract daily audiences and engage artistic reflections that relate to people living with disabilities,” explains Calvin.
Tickets available :
“The Goethe-Institut is pleased to collaborate with Calvin Ratladi and Theaterformen festival on this important project. The endeavor to foster collaboration and connection among artists with and without disabilities, and to offer a public platform to their excellent artistic work, is a vital concern of the Goethe-Institut’s work in the region,” says Dr. Asma Diakité, Regional Head of Cultural Programmes at the Goethe-Institut Sub-Sahara Africa. The Market Theatre’s Artistic Director, Greg Homann, added, “Having this five-day gathering of work in our theatre and spaces is part of our long-standing commitment to dismantle historic barriers of access. We are proud to be a part of this important and necessary initiative that highlights the expertise of artists living with disability.”
This Gathering is a physical extension connecting Sub-Saharan African artists living with disabilities within the framework of the project. It is a meeting and networking opportunity as well as a place to access creative spaces conceptualised by artists with disabilities across different artistic disciplines for a broad audience with and without disabilities.
“The Johannesburg gathering is intended to go beyond ‘just another inclusion project’ that does not attract daily audiences and engage artistic reflections that relate to people living with disabilities,” explains Calvin.
For more information and the full programme visit www.markettheatre.co.za
Tickets available at www.webticket.co.za
GIABW is supported by Theaterformen Festival, Goethe-Institut, Market Theatre, The Centre for the Less Good Idea | SO Academy, Calvin Ratladi Foundation, UNMUTE Dance Company, Yellow Bunny Productions and TrialbyMedia.
Notes for the editor:
About Calvin Ratladi
Calvin Ratladi is a South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) winning artist (2022) with international acclaim. He works as a freelance producer, director, actor, dramaturg, designer, and arts administrator for the Calvin Ratladi Foundation, the South African Theatre Village, and William Kentridge’s Centre for the Less Good Idea, among other institutions.
Ratladi has worked with the National Arts Council of South Africa for script development projects, completed a screenwriting course with the NFVF Spark Programme, and has done fieldwork for The South African State Theatre Community Arts Dramaturgy Outreach (CADO) Programme. Directorially – Calvin has won numerous awards comprising two Standard Bank Ovation Awards, the 2019 ImpACT Award for Young Professionals (Theatre), and the 2019 Lesedi Spirit of Courage Naledi Theatre Award. To date, Calvin has graced international festivals such as SPIELART Festival in Munich (Germany), Red Bridge Festival in Luxembourg City (Luxembourg), and Theaterformen (Germany). He is proclaimed as a highly competent and adaptable individual who advocates for activism on issues about identity, politics of the body in post-coloniality, and giving voice to people living with disabilities. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Performance-making, employing praxis action research to investigate embodiment within a South African performance-making context.
Calvin received the first residency for creative exchange from The Centre for the Less Good Idea in Johannesburg and the Teatre Lliure in Barcelona for 2021 and has completed thinking in cardboard scenography mentorship with Sabine Theunissen – in collaboration with UNITA program. He is currently spearheading Johannesburg’s A GATHERING IN A BETTER WORLD event as a curator.
About the Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide. The Goethe-Institut promotes the study of German abroad and encourages international cultural exchange. The Goethe-Institut Johannesburg supports local South African projects and regional exchange within Africa and continues to facilitate engagement with Germany.
Goethe-Institut Südafrika| Language. Culture. Germany.
About Theaterformen
The Festival Theaterformen is an international theatre and dance festival with a local focus in Braunschweig and Hanover. The festival’s goal is to give space to perspectives that are rarely visible and audible in the local context and that question existing power structures.
Festival Theaterformen – Theaterformen.de
About The Centre for the Less Good Idea & SO | The Academy for the Less Good Idea
In 2016, William Kentridge and Bronwyn Lace founded the Centre for the Less Good Idea: a space for responsive thinking through experimental, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary arts practices based in Maboneng, Johannesburg. The Centre has quickly gathered momentum and by 2022 has become a formative space for experimental, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary arts projects in South Africa and beyond. Between 2016 and 2022 over 400 individual performances, films and installations have been created and shown at the Centre and more than 700 artists of all disciplines have worked on projects at the Centre.
SO | ACADEMY FOR THE LESS GOOD IDEA
In early 2020, SO | the Academy for the Less Good Idea was launched, the Centre, in its collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, has recognised a powerful yet unforced learning that takes place between practitioners in the building of seasons and programmes. SO Academy seeks to expand and extend these learning opportunities.
About the Market Theatre
During the past four decades, The Market Theatre has evolved into a cultural complex for theatre, music, dance and the allied arts. Today, The Market Theatre remains at the forefront of South African theatre, actively encouraging new works that continue to reach international stages.
The Market Theatre is renowned world-wide for brilliant anti-apartheid plays that have included Woza Albert, Asinamali, Bopha, Sophiatown, You Strike the Woman You Strike a Rock, Born in the RSA, Black Dog – Inj’emnyama, as well as the premieres of many of Athol Fugard’s award-celebrating the past, but it is also confidently looking forward to playing a major cultural role in the 21st century for South Africa, and the African continent. Its twenty-one international and over three hundred South African theatre awards bears eloquent testimony to the courage and artistic quality of its work.
For media inquiries and interviews contact info@calvinratladifoundation.org | 072 667 3926 or nadine@unmute.co.za | 076 407 2253
