The AOTP Symposium
An annual meet-up of Designers, Technicians, and Managers featuring livewire themes on challenges and opportunities in the live performing arts and events sectors across India and the world.
In August 2022, the NCPA held its first ever Art Of The Possible Symposium
Curated by the theatre department at the NCPA, this free online symposium brought together designers, technicians, and managers working in the live performing arts and events sectors from across India and beyond. This first edition held eight sessions across two days, looking at a variety of current topics in the technical arts industry and led by technical professionals across India and the UK. The Symposium topics were framed by contextual concerns unearthed in the NCPA-commissioned Art of the Possible study published in 2021.
Symposium Schedule
Saturday 27 August
1.1 What is the Art of The Possible?
15:00 -16:00 IST
In this opening session, we introduced you to the Art of the Possible, how it came about, and what it will be. We chatted with Shabana Azmi about her love of theatre and the importance of design, technical, and management roles in producing high quality theatre.
1.2 Collaborative Practice – Panel Discussion and Q&A
16:30-17:30 IST
This session explored what collaborative practice means in terms of the design and technical elements of a theatrical production. A director, a costume designer, and a lighting designer discussed what collaboration means to them and how they aim to achieve it.
1.3 Pay & Working Conditions – Round Table
18:00-19:15 IST
In this session, we heard from you and also looked into the Art X Company’s research regarding pay and working conditions in India. In small groups, we looked at some of the current issues to give feedback to the community as a whole.
1.4 Networking Event
19:30 – 20:30 IST
Participants met some of India’s top theatre directors and producers at this social mixer.
Sunday 28 August
2.1 Designing Internationally – Panel Discussion and Q&A
15:00 -16:00 IST
This session looked at the challenges of designing internationally from the perspectives of lighting, sound, set, and video. It examined the main considerations involved, and how best to embrace them.
2.2 Contemporary Working Practice – Panel Discussion and Q&A
16:30 – 17:30 IST
One of the main themes to emerge from the Art X Company’s research was the challenge of standardising contemporary working practice in India. In this session, production managers discussed health and safety protocols in their particular region – the good, the bad, and the indifferent. We also looked at contracts for freelancers.
2.3 Women in Production Arts – Closed Table for those identifying as Female
18:00 – 19:15 IST
During this round table, we investigated some of the issues that surround being female in technical arts disciplines in India, and how we can develop career progression as well as encourage younger women into these professions.
2.4 What Happens Next
19:30 – 20:15 IST
In this session, we looked at the outcomes from this symposium and how we can enable the Art of the Possible to move forward in the best possible way for everyone involved. We specifically looked at how best to continue to build this community both online and in-person.
