March 2009: UU participates in two research projects with RAAK-Publiek subsidy
Utrecht University acts as a consortium partner in two research projects that were recently honoured with a RAAK-Publiek subsidy. These projects are titled ‘Arts-professionals in transdisciplinary art projects’ and ‘Inside movement knowledge’. The Utrecht University Theatre Studies department acted as co-applicant and initiator in both of these research projects that are supported by a number of knowledge and educational institutions and art organisations within the regions of Utrecht and Amsterdam.
RAAK subsidy: Regional Attention and Action for Knowledge circulation
The RAAK-Publiek subsidy is part of the broader RAAK subsidy which is a regulation of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to support and develop innovative projects that are regionally initiated. RAAK stands for ‘Regionale Aandacht en Actie voor Kenniscirculatie’ (‘Regional Attention and Action for Knowledge circulation’). The goal of RAAK projects is to allow for an alternative exchange of knowledge between educational institutions and, for example, smaller companies in the same region, led by a set of shared questions of all partners about the same topic. The RAAK subsidy is handled by SIA (Stichting Innovatie Alliantie), a foundation that supports knowledge exchange between regional partners, more specifically between professional schools, companies and public institutions.
‘Arts-professionals in transdisciplinary art projects’ (2008-2010)
Arts-professionals in transdisciplinary art projects is a RAAK-Publiek-sponsored research project of a consortium with 7 partners who are all related to the Utrecht field of art practice, art study and art education. It consists of 3 knowledge institutions: Utrecht School of the Arts, Utrecht University (Theatre Studies Department) and the Hogeschool Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (Department of Communication and Journalism) and of 4 Arts-professionals: Yo! Opera, Huis en Festival aan de Werf, V2 Institute for the unstable media and Domein voor Kunstkritiek.
In addition to these 7 main partners, experts from a diverse spectrum of art institutions, foundations and festivals will be collaborating on and contributing to this project. These are among others: Het Walter Maashuis, Kosmopolis, Festival Nieuwe Grond, Stichting Public Amusement, Theater Instituut Nederland, Kunstfactor Theater, Community Arts Lab, Carrières en barrières and Patching Zone.
Contemporary artistic practice shows more and more a tendency to combine disciplines that were traditionally divided. The art products that are the result of this practice can be defined, apart from a combination of disciplines and media, by their engagement with non-artistic domains like science and technology. These ‘transdisciplinary art projects’ have a lot of complex consequences for the arts-professionals that are involved. Aspects that are influenced by this significant change are, for example, the participation of the audience, the clear positioning of artists within the field, programming and facilitating by art organisations, art marketing and reviewing. These developments force the partners that are involved to innovate their working strategies and knowledge of these processes. In this project the gathered partners will explore new ways of knowledge exchange about these issues through a joint study of a set of concrete cases presented by the art organisations. The thematical focus of this practise-based project is ‘Art and Reality’.
‘Inside Movement Knowledge’ (2008-2010)
Inside Movement Knowledge is a RAAK-Publiek-sponsored research project between Media and Culture Studies at Utrecht University, Dance Company Emio Greco|PC, The Amsterdam School of the Arts (Dansafdeling, Lectoraat Arts Practice and Development) and the Netherlands Media Institute. Inside Movement Knowledge is also part of the project New Corporeal Literacies project that is presented within the programme The arts in contemporary society of the Centre for the Humanities (CFH) of Utrecht University.
The project is a continuation of Emio Greco|PC’s Notation Research Project that began in 2004 based upon a number of fundamental questions. These included the problem of how to develop an adequate notation system “capable of capturing the indispensable elements involved in a dance (EG|PC) performance” (quote from Maaike Bleeker’s announcement for Springdance). The question of how to capture or record and transmit intentionality in movement resulted in the development of a research prototype based on the DS/DM workshop using DVD-ROM and interactive installation. Additional research references are found in the book of essays and documentary film related to the DS/DM workshop.
Working with the same interdisciplinary development team, the aim of the next phase is to develop the research prototype as a means to support links between different research areas [UU and AHK/dance] by triggering questions about body state and awareness, movement and metaphor, documentation and media, training/ learning and transmission. To this end, a series of platforms will be created supporting interaction between research within dance practice and research within different areas of the university (Questions of Meaning and Movement). For EG|PC, the aim is to work on the development of the dance notation scores on the DVD-ROM and on the motion tracking and transformation of recorded data into sound and visual feedback for the interactive installation. This phase of the project will run from 2008 to 2010.
To follow the proceedings of the RAAK-Publiek sponsored research projects, please consult the website of the Utrecht University Theatre Studies Department: www.theatrestudies.nl
You can also contact prof. dr. Maaike Bleeker of the Theatre Studies Department at:
m.a.bleeker@uu.nl