Highlights of a Growing Industry Series
February 15, 2024
Additional programming is offered during the PuSh Festival to complement the outstanding works that we present from across the globe every winter. It’s a robust community outreach program and a week-long conference for folks working in the Performing Arts Industry. If you’ve been interested in what happens during the Industry Series at PuSh, read on.
This year, the PuSh Industry Series brought together 197 artists and arts workers from 14 countries, including 98 Vancouver locals.
The Industry Series opened with Artist Walks, which gave delegates a chance to informally be welcomed to the city through the eyes of a local artist. Each Walk saw a small group journey to a neighbourhood that is meaningful for their walk leader’s artistic practice. The week that followed included Indigenous Protocols, artist talks, panel discussions, workshops, shows, social receptions and cabarets, and 12 new/in development projects pitched—including robust OFF PUSH programming from our community arts partners—in addition to information sessions from both the BC Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.
The Industry Series featured rich and rigorous Indigenous programming presented with Talking Stick following their Weaving Connections: Indigenous Arts Leadership Symposium.
A Territorial Welcome officially opened the Industry Series, inviting all delegates to witness protocol and also embodied the collaborative spirit and shared learning that defined the days ahead. “Weaving Connections: A Conversation” marked the culmination of Talking Stick’s Weaving Connections symposium, featuring Indigenous arts leaders sharing the collective wisdom and insights developed over the preceding days. A Ceremonial Fire was a gathering for community reflection, storytelling, and connection. Embraced by the natural harmony of land, sea, and fire, it was an occasion to share knowledge, music, food and camaraderie… despite the rain.
Festival artists shared the practices and ideas underpinning their artistry. These unique deep-dives framed practice as intervention. Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim led a discussion about the relationship between theatre and democracy that they have been investigating with their collaborative work, including FARCE, Culture Capital, and asses.masses. Cherish Menzo spoke on the way her use of hip-hop music techniques and tropes in Jezebel led to her award-winning work DARKMATTER, which uses post-humanist and afrofuturist ideas to seek liberation in the grotesque and monstrous.
The Industry Series also brought together leading figures from across the international performing arts sector to share insight and create conversation. Marcus Youssef moderated a discussion among Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Gabrielle Martin and Catherine Bourgeois on what responsibilities artists have to the communities they are a part of and the communities whose stories they tell. In particular, how to care for ourselves and each other while navigating the ethics of representation. Adam Barrett held space for Aaron Fernandes, Natacha Melo, Quito Tembe, and Rakesh Sukesh to share insights from their unique perspectives as globally engaged artists, managers, presenters, producers, and curators. They spoke to navigating the many logistical and cultural challenges unique to international collaboration and the solutions and joys that make it possible and worthwhile. These one-time-only assemblies of arts leaders are the best place to learn what really makes the international performing arts market tick. Watch the PuSh Festival socials and this space for details on when these conversations will be released on PuSh Play, our official Festival podcast.
The Series also continued the ongoing work of decolonizing the arts sector in a discussion and workshop with Sae-Hoon Stan Chung, who challenged delegates to bring more skepticism to DEI initiatives that focus only on individuals while leaving colonial power structures intact. Chung’s decades of experience with community-led work brought a vital and radical perspective.
The Pitch Sessions brought together a curated lineup of 12 Canadian artists to share their in-progress or presentation-ready work in just 5 minutes. This allowed artists to become directly connected to leading producers and presenters. From dance in dystopian landscapes to multi-lingual activism, and from immersive sound performance to sacred ceremony, the PuSh Pitch Sessions highlighted exciting works and excellent artists who are pushing boundaries and playing with form.
As always, a number of Western Canada’s leading producers and presenters came together to present the Industry Series Off-Programming. With events scheduled to complement the Industry Series program, delegates had a chance to see a curated multi-company showcase presented by Dance West Network and The Dance Centre, selected excerpts and performances at Hold On Let Go (presented by Theatre Replacement with Company 605) and Left of PuSh (Plastic Orchid Factory), and a work-in-progress showing of “Playing Fields” (The Chop). They also attended informational and networking sessions from International Market of Contemporary Circus and Theatre Manager.
The PuSh Industry Series is where the conversation happens.
Thank you to each and every one of the participants who made this year’s Industry Series a tremendous success.
Join us for the 20th PuSh Festival Jan 23-Feb 9 2025 (Official Industry dates to be announced).