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Charlotte Jones, Chief Executive of The Independent Theatre Council (ITC), draws attention to some key messages from the forthcoming Theatre 2005 conference
Theatre needs to open its doors, its mind, and its imagination if it is to thrive and survive in the 21st Century. This is the message of the Theatre 2005 conference taking place later this month. The three Management Associations for the performing arts are joining together to explore the issues of theatre?s relevance in 21st century society, how we can renew and re-invigorate the art form, and how the industry should be managed and led.

Theatre, which has the potential to inspire and transform people?s lives, is also under threat as it compromises to meet a range of imperatives ? twisting and turning to fit funding requirements, losing its entrepreneurial vitality to suit the demands of investors and self censoring to accommodate the constant priority of getting ?bums on seats?. The problem is that it?s always the same old bums on the same old seats! Theatre has to strive to reach the widest possible audience and it can only do this by taking risks, reaching out to the whole community and daring to speak out. Rani Moorthy Artistic Director of Rasa Productions, who will be speaking in one of the conference debates about freedom of speech comments ?Coming from a political arena in South East Asia that dictated what were ?sensitive issues?, as artists we knew the parameters of artistic freedom ? what we could and could not openly address in our work. The intrinsic problem with this is that these parameters change with every regime change, religious shift and ever-changing political positions? what this meant for my work was that I eventually became a victim of self- censorship which I?m only aware of now that I?m no longer living in South East Asia.?

In the UK we value our artistic freedom and our democracy, yet twice in the past six months a UK production has been cancelled due to censorship ? Behzti at Birmingham Rep and Jerry Springer the Opera at Derby. Representatives from both these organisations have been invited to join this debate at the conference. They will be speaking within a wider debate on renewal of the artform where theatre will be set in and tested against its social context. Stewart Wallis, CEO of the New Economics Foundation (NEF) will be speaking in the renewal debate and talking about ?well-being? and how the performing arts are crucial to this. NEF asks, ?What does it take to feel human all the time?? and ?what would policymaking and the economy look like if their main aim were to promote well-being??

Never has it been so important for the theatre industry to find a powerful voice, have courage in its convictions and find its inspiration where others would be afraid to look. In the words of Nelson Mandela: ?The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.? Theatre only fails if it fails to speak to people with an authentic voice. The theatre industry only fails if it fails to make this possible.

Let?s see what comes out of Theatre 2005?

Theatre 2005 will take place on 19 and 20 May at The Brewery in London. The conference will unite the three performing arts management bodies ? the Independent Theatre Council, Society of London Theatre and the Theatrical Managmeent Association to explore how theatre can meet the challenges and opportunities of a fast-changing world. Full details are at

w: http://www.theatre2005.com