The RESEARCH ACADEMY invites applications from artists, practitioners, and theorists working in the field of theatre and performance to be part of this annual international research lab based at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). In this 7th edition, our focus is on Liveness as a concept and practice in the arts. One of the leading voices in the discussion on Liveness, Philip Auslander, will share his concepts, ask current questions, and challenge both himself and the participants to come up with research projects to capture new aspects of Liveness in the performing arts.
Where are we in terms of Liveness today? Without a doubt, the pandemic has intensified the longing for Liveness at the same time as making it disappear - perhaps forever? Will it come back, and, if so, will it look and feel the same as it did before the covid-19 cessation of live events? What does this mean for artists? Will digital forms of Liveness permanently take their place alongside co-presentational forms? Will audiences return to live events? As the quality of Liveness is ever-changing and interacting with the landscape of media we ask: Have the conditions for Liveness shifted - through the internet as the new leading medium, through streaming services, through digital interactive media, through the gaming industry?
The RESEARCH ACADEMY 2021 provides a supportive environment for experimentation and discussion, each participant pursuing her or his or their own research, sharing, and taking it to the next level with the help of peer-to-peer feedback. The process will be facilitated by Philip Auslander and Gunter Loesel.