YOUR WORK IN FOCUS

Part of the Fermenting Change Skills Laboratories program.

Your Work in Focus offered free feedback sessions to established and emerging performing artists, or artists working towards a public outcome. Each artist of group of artists was invited to present excerpts of work in various forms: finished or in-development, visuals that express the core idea of a piece, or a reading of a text. Following each showing, participants were able to  discuss the work using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process (CRP), an inspiring, dynamic and non-judgemental approach that supports the artist’s quest to realize his/her vision.

Sessions will be facilitated by Black Hole Theatre Artistic Director Nancy Black and multi-award winning Director / Puppeteer Annie Forbes. Facilitators guided the dialogue between the artist and the responders/audience in a structured manner to support your artistic inquiry and to avoid debilitating criticism and unhelpful opinion.

About The Sessions:

Each session lasted 2 to 2.5 hours (This included approximately half an hour to set up, 15-20 minutes to share an excerpt of the work and then an hour for in depth feedback). The 15-20 minutes of material could be a performance from a work-in-development, a fully finished piece, a reading from a text, a series of images that express the core idea, a pre-recorded video, or something else that would help the facilitators and responders understand the work. Participants were asked to invite responders –  a group of friends, collaborators, colleagues, or even family that they wanted to participate in the feedback session. Black Hole Theatre also invited a number of guests.

About the Critical Response Process

“Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process (CRP) is a feedback system based on the principle that the best possible outcome from a response session is for the maker to want to go back to work. Whether returning to the studio, the desk, the kitchen, or the laboratory, CRP gives tools both to people who are making work and people who are responding to that work.

In use for over twenty years, CRP has been embraced by artmakers, educators, scientists, and administrators at theater companies, dance departments, orchestras, science centers, museums, and beyond. The Process has deepened dialogue between makers and audiences; it has enhanced learning between teachers and students. It has proven valuable for all kinds of creative endeavors, work situations, and collaborative relationships within and beyond the arts.”    [From Liz Lerman’s Critical Response (CRP) website]

WHEN: 9am – 7pm daily, 2nd –  6th February and 2nd – 8th March 2015
WHERE: Napier Street Theatre, South Melbourne

Your Work In Focus is part of Fermenting Change, proudly supported by the Australia Council.