Wesley Morris and Todd London in dialog on the TCG Conference in Miami. (Photo by Jenny Graham for TCG)
NEW YORK CITY: After 13 years of operating its nationwide convention as an annual occasion, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the writer of American Theatre, has introduced that the group will return to a biennial convention schedule. In the close to time period, meaning there will likely be no TCG National Conference in June 2023, and that the subsequent National Conference will likely be in 2024. Over the long term, TCG has stated that it plans to collect “feedback and insight from both within and beyond the theatre field to reimagine how our convenings can best advance our new mission, to lead for a just and thriving theatre ecology.”
TCG convened its first National Conference in 1976, and ran it biennially, first on school campuses after which in cities throughout the nation, earlier than changing into an annual occasion starting in 2006. In 2020, as a result of pandemic, the convention went digital, then sat out 2021 and returned in 2022 with TCG’s first hybrid in-person-and-vitual National Conference in Pittsburgh and on-line.
In an electronic mail to members TCG wrote, “Over the previous few years we’ve skilled extra fast and radical modifications than our discipline has seen in generations. From the pandemic to the uprisings for justice to the local weather disaster, TCG has wanted to be nimbler and extra responsive than ever. We’ve hosted fast response webinars on COVID-19, accessing federal aid, collective bargaining, and extra. We’re additionally internet hosting common Theatre Leader Connectedness (TLC) calls primarily based on skilled affinity. By transferring to a biennial National Conference, we’ll have the capability to proceed responding to the ache factors and alternatives of the second with convenings all year long.
“Moving to a biennial National Conference will also allow us to strengthen the impact of the conference itself,” the assertion continued. “The capacity challenges of hosting a conference every year means our staff rarely has the time needed to rest, reflect, and innovate. This leads to truncated planning processes for our presenters and partners, which can often be harmful and doesn’t always foster our best work. This is especially true for hybrid conferences, which significantly increase accessibility but require us to essentially plan two conferences simultaneously. The additional time will also deepen the critical partnership with our host committee, and will help reduce the carbon footprint of the National Conference, which, with all of the air travel involved, is significant.”
The assertion concluded: “For those who have marked their calendars every June for the National Conference, thank you for your time and trust. The relationships that are forged and nurtured at the conference are not going away. We need them more than ever. We hope you’ll join us over the next year in envisioning how all of TCG’s convenings can evolve to be even stronger.” To assist us in that course of, please share your suggestions right here.” TCG invitations suggestions on this transformation right here. The location of the 2024 convention metropolis is anticipated to be introduced in early 2023.
In the meantime, TCG’s programming will construct on the three tracks of our 2022 National Conference: Redefining our Art, Transforming our Practices, and Tending to our People. Upcoming programming consists of:
(Re)Filling Our Houses: A TCG Virtual LAB on Bringing Audiences Back
On Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. ET, TCG will convene a digital lab to handle the urgent problem of the sluggish and inconsistent return of audiences.
Town Hall on the Salary Survey & Workforce Challenges
In February 2023, TCG will share the findings from Salary Survey 2022 to catalyze conversations about hiring, compensation, and employees wellness.
Theatre for Activism: Rest Up, Charge Up, Rise Up
In spring 2023, TCG will launch Theatre for Activism, a three-part collection of gatherings with the themes Rest Up, Charge Up, and Rise Up. This collection will prioritize BIPOC, TGNC, and disabled theatre staff whose activism is on the core of their follow, connecting them with the care, assets, and relationships they should strengthen their work.
Governing Boards Survey: Governance on the Crossroads
Building on the success of TCG’s current Governance on the Crossroads: A Strategic Retreat, the org will relaunch the Governing Boards Survey to proceed our deal with this essential facet of our theatre ecology.
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