A conference on the creation of an independent Belarusian Institute of Theatre

It was attended online and offline by 50 representatives of the Belarusian independent theatre community: actors, directors, critics, theatre scholars and journalists, managers, technical specialists, among them: Kupalaucy’s Aleh Harbuz, Valya Gartsueva, and Zoya Belakhvostsik, directors Yura Dzivakou, Uladzimir Ushakou, producer Marina Dashuk, actor and director Andrei Novik, playwright Andrei Ivanou, theatre researcher Anastasia Pankratava and many others.

Following the format of a large-scale strategic session, the conference participants developed a vision and directions for the future work of the Institute, with a focus on: professional community development and support, research activities and archiving in the field of performing arts, non-formal and academic theatre education, promotion and advocacy of the Belarusian theatre agenda, and the establishment of international partnership programmes.

As a result, a memorandum on the creation of the BIT was signed. It outlines the main principles of the future institution: focus on the professional community in Belarus and abroad, decentralisation of work, non-discrimination and interdisciplinarity. Participants found the conference a compelling experience, noting the horizontality and openness of the work process, its bottom-up approach and its focus on people. During the evaluation,  participants highlighted the diversity of the activities and the value of a grass-roots initiative for the theatre community.

The conference was organised by the Belarusian Theatre Community, an informal initiative of Katsia Ramanchyk, Lena Kantsevich, Palina Dabravolskaya, Angelika Krasheuskaya, Valiantsina Maroz, and others.