CONFERENCE INFORMATION

Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, are hosting the 2020 AusAct: Australian Actor Training Conference on Friday October 2 to Sunday October 4. This three-day conference, training and performance event is a presentation of actor training scholarship by researchers, practitioners and pedagogues working with original performer training methods developed within the Australian context. It is an event focusing on Australian actor training pedagogies and research and its relationship to place, space, land, environment, culture and technologies. The conference will provide an avenue for the sharing of original materials and knowledge in dialogue within the Australian performer training context. The conference aims to celebrate, interrogate and showcase actor training methods that have been created and developed in Australia. We invite individual papers (20 minutes duration), workshop sessions (up to 90 minutes duration) and panel presentations (60 minute duration).

The conference will have three main parts: Conference, Training and Performance.

TRAINING

Professionals will be invited to propose workshops based on their research and practice. The material must be original and align with the conference themes.

PERFORMANCE

Public performances by performance practitioners who identify as having a unique place in Australian performing arts industry through their development of new, original work, or original processes.

AusAct 2019: BEING RELEVANT

In response to this theme, the 2019 AusAct conference calls for papers that consider how actor training can maintain its relevance in Australia, as well as drawing upon relevant methods, approaches and aesthetics that reflect contemporary and future Australian actors. Not only do we need relevant content material to reflect the ever-changing social climate, we need relevant artists who create works through which they can better connect to the world around them.

What do we gain for moving beyond the conventional methods and focusing on more relevant forms of training, and what is to gain or lose in ‘being relevant’?

Questions may stem from, but not limited to, the following points concerning being relevant in light of Australian performance pedagogies:

• Relevance of Australian actor training
• The relevance of training for performance
• Relevance of international actor training methods in Australian performance practice
• The development of relevant performance training in Australia
• The relevance of place, space and environment in Australian actor training
• The relevance of technology in performance training
• The relevance of health and wellbeing in actor training

ABSTRACT AND INFORMATION SUBMISSION 

Participants who are interested in presenting a paper, conducting a workshop or staging a performance must submit an abstract up to 250 words to both Dr Robert Lewis: robelewis@csu.edu.au and Dr Andrea Moor: al.moor@qut.edu.au

Applicants who are interested in submitting an abstract for a workshop must clearly state the level of participation, e.g., beginners, intermediate or advanced, the aims and objectives of the workshop, influences/inspiration behind the work, and any other requirements needed.

Applicants who are interested in staging a performance must indicate cast size, length of performance and any other helpful information. Technical requirements must be kept to a minimum.

Abstract for papers, panel presentations and workshops open Friday April 5, and are due by Monday May 15. Notification of acceptance: Monday May 27.

In addition to the abstract submission, participants should also include the following information with their abstracts:

• Dietary requirements (for catering purposes)
• Paper and workshop requirements (e.g., sound system, projector, technical needs, etc.)
• Short 100 – 150 word bio

KEYNOTE

DR JESSICA HARTLEY

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Dr. Jessica Hartley is Course Leader of the MA/MFA in Actor Training and Coaching and the PGCert Teaching and Learning in HE at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her research focuses on the role of pedagogy within actor training and within circus. After a successful career in secondary education, Jess ran away with the circus and worked alongside The National Centre of Circus Arts, The Why Not institute and Tara Arts as a freelance workshop leader, trapeze artist and clown. She was shortlisted for the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award on four Occasions between 2003 and 2007.

ACCOMMODATION

QUEST KELVIN GROVE
41 Ramsgate Street, Kelvin Grove, QL, 4059, Australia

Studio room – $159 per night
One bedroom – $ 179 per night
Two bedroom – $269 per night

All rates include ‘grab and go breakfast’ and a discounted rate of $10 per day parking.

Click Here to Make a booking

Please use booking code “QUTICC” for this special offer.

Please be advised that this code is valid for direct booking only – bookings can be made on the phone on 07 3308 4800 or through email: questkelvingrove@questapartments.com.au.
Also, if conference participants make reservation individually with the code, first night should be paid on the day reservation is confirmed.

PUBLICATION

Presenters have the option to submit their papers to be considered for the peer reviewed Fusion Journal. Presenters will be invited to submit an article version of their conference paper for inclusion by early 2019. This edition of the Fusion Journal aims to make a contribution to the field offering new insights into Australian acting pedagogies in the past and in the present. It will consist of a selected number of essays from submissions drawing on papers presented at the Australian Actor Training Conference. This volume will aim to engage with national and international debates on the nature and practices of Australian actor training as research as a scholarly methodology and/or as pedagogical practice. An expression of interest form will be available through the conference website: www.ausact.com.au. Every contributor must also fill out a ‘Preference for Publication’ form in order to indicate whether or not they would like to: have their paper published in the special edition of Fusion Journal without being double blind peer reviewed; have their paper double blind peer reviewed to be considered for publication in the special edition of Fusion Journal; submit creative works and or other projects of equivalent scope; only attend the conference and present without any publication outcome. Timelines, important dates and other information relating to the publication are listed in the ‘Preference for Publication’ form at: www.ausact.com.au

SCHEDULE 

Call for Proposals Open: Friday April 5
Monday May 13: Abstracts for papers, performances and workshops due
Monday May 27: Notification of acceptance
Early Bird Registrations Close: Sunday July 14
Full Registration: Monday July 15
Registrations close: Thursday August 1
Conference: August 9 – 11

REGISTRATION

Early Bird: $340
Full: $420
Student/Concession: $280
Registrations: https://ausact.shop.csu.edu.au/