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We, all of us—human beings and the planet we are a part of—are meandering in a mess. The mess is not new, but it is spreading and deepening. “What can we do about it? What new paths and alternatives can we create through performance and play? How shall we develop as performance activists? And what shape can our performance activism take?”
We can, and are, responding by creating and organizing power—and like the mess, the Performing the World community is also spreading and deepening.
ABOUT
Performing the World is Evolving!
Performing the World (PTW) – a project of the East Side Institute — is a global community of hundreds of performance activists who explore the power of performance and play to create a better world. The PTW community creatively engages social problems, educates, heals and activates others, to bring new social-cultural-psychological and political possibilities into existence. Since 2001, PTW welcomes all who are using play, performance and the arts to engage and transform the world. We have evolved as an imaginative, developmental, maker-space to explore and celebrate performance as a catalyst for human and community development and culture change.
Read MoreSome History…
Performing the World (PTW) began as an in-person conference in 2001 that brought together people from all over the globe who were using play and performance to engage and develop individuals and communities. Since the pandemic in 2020, we’ve had six online Performing the World (PTW) gatherings. The PTW virtual platform opened the work of performance activists to wider participation, generated new ways of participating and building relationships and allowing for a new and unanticipated kind of intimacy.
What’s Becoming….
Now we’re going bigger and deeper. Instead of bringing everything together over four days or multiple weekends, we’re carrying on the spirit of Performing the World throughout the year. Here are some of the ongoing activities currently in motion…
Performing the World Community Presents...
are workshops, panels, conversations, storytelling circles and performances inspired by the performative spirit of Performing the World and its playful approach to transforming the world. They might be one-time happenings or a series of related events. They might be virtual, in-person or hybrid. They are initiated by individuals or organizations from within the PTW community and are given access to the community’s global network as well as to various forms of production support when possible. We welcome your proposals.
Performing The World Co-Sponsorship...
when an organization or individual in the Performing the World community is organizing a public event, a class, a webinar, a forum, a performance, a fund raiser, etc.—be it virtual, live or hybrid—they can seek PTW co-sponsorship. Co-Sponsorship means that the organization or individual can use the Performing the World logo when publicizing the event and/or at the event itself. It also means that PTW will make the members of its global network aware the date, time and location (virtual or geographical) of the event.
Performing the World-X...
is a conference, gathering or festival inspired by the PTW spirit of engendering social development through play, performance and the arts. A PTW-X conference focuses on a specific geographical region and/or brings together organizations and individuals doing similar kinds of work/play. They can be in-person, virtual or hybrid and it might last half a day or span several days. They are initiated and produced by local organizers with support from and access to the PTW global network.
Performing the World Watch Parties...
Performing the World has a wealth of video archives of its presentations spanning more than a quarter of a century. They are available for the clicking. Watch Parties are a wonderful way to bring together in your home, community center, union, political organization, church, mosque or temple, friends, neighbors and family to introduce them to the powerful (and often courageous) work of performance activists from all over the world.
Performing the World WhatsApp Community...
Facilitating communication and innovation among members of the global Performing the World Community is the Performing the World WhatsApp Community. Performing the World has been one of the important ways progressive, creative, performative, and play-friendly people from all over the globe have been connecting for over a quarter of a century. Being able to communicate and connect with each other whenever we want to, as WhatsApp allows us to do, is an important next step. To join the PTW WhatsApp Community, just click here.
Contact Us!
Have questions? Want to find out more? Please use the contact form, and we’ll be happy to connect with you.