photo credit/Vanessa Fortin Dancer Liane Thériault
Production Théâtre à l'envers Photo: Michel Pinault
Young People's Theatre | Photo Cylla von Tiedemann
photo credit/Vanessa Fortin Dancer Liane Thériault
Mission and mandate
Mandate
ASSITEJ Canada is a membership-driven, non-profit, inclusive service organization. It supports and promotes the cross-cultural exchange of knowledge, development and practice in the professional performing arts for young audiences in order to increase creative co-operation and to deepen mutual understanding. ASSITEJ Canada, as part of ASSITEJ International, allows creators and presenters of work for young audiences across Canada to take part in international conversations and activities.
Mission
ASSITEJ Canada is an open and inclusive service organization developed for the purpose of providing leadership and support to professional groups and organizations that present or produce live performances for young audiences across Canada. In this role, ASSITEJ Canada will:
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Endorse and foster the value of live performances for young audiences
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Connect and communicate with partners nationally and internationally
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Encourage new ideas and concepts for this specific profession.
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Share the excellent work accomplished by its members
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Promote the creation and dissemination of the work of its members
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Explore avenues to include associated communities such as academics.
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Participate in the development of cultural policies both national and international that reflect the role of live performances for young audiences.
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Provide bilingual communications and services in Canada’s official languages and others as feasible
Vision
Over the next five years, the objectives of ASSITEJ Canada are:
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To be a unifying, inclusive and open organization.
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To provide its members with services developed and crafted according to the needs they express
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To actively participate in all discussions on a national and international level which are directed towards cultural policy affecting live performances for young audiences.
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To bring together a solid, united and diverse membership base that is truly representative of the creators and developers of work for young audiences in Canada
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To be the recognised Canadian organization for all live performance arts for young audiences across the country and internationally.
Board of directors
Monica Dufault
President
Chair, Conference Committee
Sophie Labelle
Co-Vice President
Caroline Howarth
Secretary
Hélène Langevin
Chair, Membership Committee
Giselle Clarke-Trenaman
Board Member
Corben Kushneryk
Board Member
Vern Thiessen
Board Member
Carol Cassistat
Co-Vice President
Kevin Bergeron
Treasurer
Pragna Desai-Vargos
Chair, Communications Committee
Viktorija Kovac
Chair, Grants Committee
Simon Fournier
Board Member
Julie Lebel
Board Member
Lindsay Tremblay
Board Member
Committees
Conference Committee
Monica Dufault (Committee Head), Caroline Howarth
Membership Committee
Hélène Langevin (Committee Head)
Communications Committee
Pragna Desai (Committee Head), Corben Kushneryk
Grants Committee
Viktorija Kovac (Committee Head)
ASSITEJ International
ASSITEJ unites theatres, organisations and individuals throughout the world who make theatre for children and young people.
Mission
ASSITEJ is dedicated to the artistic, cultural and educational rights of children and young people across the globe and advocates on behalf of all children regardless of nationality, cultural identity, ethnicity, or religion. ASSITEJ brings people together so that they can share knowledge and practice within the field of theatre for children and young people in order to deepen understandings, develop practice, create new opportunities and strengthen the global sector, on behalf of all children everywhere. The members of ASSITEJ are National centres, Professional Networks, and individuals
Manifesto
As Covid-19 crisis was raging, hundreds of professionals of performing arts across the globe collaborated through the Coffee Sessions of ASSITEJ. They shared their realities, expressed their points of view and their emergencies. ASSITEJ Manifesto is the fruit of all this work. We wish it to be a tool, and, through a coordinated international campaign, a mighty lever for recognition and support to arts addressed to children and young people, and those who produce it. We encourage you to circulate it, to share and explain it to the public, circulate it through social media, and confront the cultural decision-makers with its content. More than ever, taking action in favor of an equal and equitable access to arts and culture is an indispensable requirement, as we want our children live in a sustainable and healthy world.