“… truly perspective altering…I learned about artistic processes that are dynamically different than a Canadian method of theatre. It’s enriched my practice deeply…” – Makram Ayache
“This experience has inspired me and challenged the ways I approach my practice. I cannot express enough how thankful I was to be part of this…” – Vanka Salim
“…a vital conversations about how art gets made and how processes can better serve artists and communities alike…” – Deneh’Cho Thompson
This fall, I was invited to bring 3 Canadian artists to the flausen+ Festival (Bielefeld, Germany) to participate in the Catalyst phase of an international collaboration with Residenza I.Dra (Italy) and flausen+ Network (Germany) artistic teams from Sept. 30, 2021-Oct. 3rd, 2021.
The flausen+ Residency is an innovation incubator that acts as a catalyst for and then develops new ideas, forms, and voices. The award winning platform is supported by the flausen+ Network of 28 German companies and growing EU partners and is at the for-front of independent German innovative practices. A special project at the festival, everyone was excited about the outcome.
An opportunity to good to pass up. I gathered an amazing team gathered from across three provinces: Vanka Chaitra Salim (BC), Makram Ayache (Alberta), & Deneh’Cho Thompson (Saskatchewan). For 4 full days, our artists worked with artists from Brazil, China, France, Italy, and Germany in the flausen+ way of creation.
This project was made possible by a grant from
Gallery
Meet the Canada flausen+ Team
MAKRAM AYACHE
Makram Ayache (he/him) is a community-engaged writer, actor, director, and producer. His playwriting explores meaningful representations of queer Arab voices. He bridges complex & interlocking political struggles to the intimate and real experiences of the people impacted by them. Ayache is the 2020 recipient of the Playwrights’ Guide of Canada’s annual Tom Hendry Award for his play Harun. He has also been nominated for four Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards. www.makramayache.com
DENEH'CHO THOMPSON
Deneh’Cho Thompson (he/him) is a director, actor and playwright and member of the Pehdzeh ki Nation. As Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan he oversees the wîcêhtowin Theatre Program, one of few Indigenous programs in a Canadian university. Deneh’Cho’s research focuses on the development, naming, and centring of Indigenous pedagogies; new play development, in various roles, and Indigenous collaborations while centering the values of reciprocity, respect and reflexivity. Deneh’Cho is also engaged in the (re)storying of personal family archives focusing on healing, resilience, and Indigenous storywork as a pathway towards the creation of new works of theatre.
VANKA CHAITRA SALIM
Vanka Chaitra Salim (she/her) is a Muslim Indonesian-Canadian Set, Lighting and Projection designer, theatre technician and scenic painter based in the Unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories, colonially known as Vancouver, BC. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums of storytelling that revolve around the interaction and interplay of art, culture and technology. Apart from her involvement in the theatre community, Vanka also works as an acrylic paint-maker at Kroma Artist’s Acrylics and is part of Srikandi Indonesia Dance Group. She also loves gaming, game art & design, dance, videography, illustration and learning XR technologies, and has recently been experimenting with immersive experiences. She is grateful and beyond excited to have the opportunity to learn, collaborate and experiment with the rest of the team at Flausen+ Festival. www.vankasalim.com
JACK PATERSON
Jack (he/him) is a Vancouver launched devisor, director, dramaturg, translator, and theatre maker. Projects have ranged from contemporary devising, cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary and multi-lingual events to main stage and classical theatre in contemporary form across Canada, UK, Europe and Indonesia. He is the co-founder of Bouche Theatre Collective (Vancouver) and Global Hive Labs., a network of international independent artists working together in shared practice.
About our International Partners
RESIDENZA I.DRA (Italy)
Based in Brescia (Italy), Residenza IDra is a multidisciplinary independent development and producing centre, Our desire to be adequate to our times, in search of new forms of representation through integration and collaboration. In addition to development residencies, IDra produces The Wonderland Festival (Mibact and the Lombardy Region), Città Dolci Touring Circuit, NdN (New dramaturgy Network), CURA Project and AL Petroni Award. IDRA actively participates in various networks including CRESCO, ETRE and IETM. www.residenzaidra.it
FLAUSEN+ NETWORK & FESTIVAL (Germany)
flausen+ is unique innovation incubator platform for generating new forms, new approaches and new ideas. For the last decade, the “flausen+” model has been driving creative scenic research by providing paid residencies for process based new explorations free of the pressure of production. To date flausen+ has facilitated over 48 ensembles and 160 artists in their research. flausen + explicitly promotes bold approaches and highly current socio-political topics.
flausen + residency ensembles have gone on to receive high acclaim with their work presented at leading EU companies such as GHent (Brussels) and festivals. According to pulk fiktion, recipient of prestigious George Tabori Award for their work placing children and parents on an equal footing, “we would never have dared to tackle such a theme and aesthetic form without flausen.”
Supported by the flausen+ network of 29 theatres across Germany, flausen+ awards 9 residencies per year, in 5 German states hosted by 8 theaters. In addition to producing, hosting and artistic support of the residencies, flausen+ Network members provide administrative support.
Ensemble projects developed through the flausen+ Residencies are further supported by the network with additional research periods, 2 co-productions with flausen+ network theatres per year, the network touring model (NATIONALE PERFORMANCE NETZ) and are showcased at The flausen+ Festival (Bielefeld) and the flausen+ bundeskongress (Koln).
Presenting f+ projects, the biennial f+ Festival has become a gathering point for independent, small, and mid-sized companies from across the EU. Artists, company leaderships, and cultural representatives meet, develop new artistic and admin. relationships, and exchange knowledge through a series of networking activities, workshops, panels, and events.
Special Thank you to our Supporters
Full Circle: First Nations Performance
Full Circle: First Nations Performance (Proudly located on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations) provides opportunities for Indigenous artists to create, work and train in the Arts. Producers of the annual Talking Stick Festival, Moccasin Trek: Arts on the Move!, Indian Acts and home to the Aboriginal Ensemble. www.fullcircle.ca
PHT Creative Hub
The PHT Creative Hub Co-operative has transformed how we collaborate and share performing arts with our communities. Co-op artist members from across performance disciplines fill our spaces, work on their own creative projects, and share their skills and expertise with each other. The PHT Creative Hub Co-operative