February 2020

The Suspension of Disconnect: A new context and pedagogy for the arts in the 21st century

Simon Sharkey & Jess Pimore

Session Synopsis

What does it take to be present with yourself and your ensemble or team? What does it take to build a compassionate and brave space with and as an audience? What does it take to engage in artful living?

In February of 2020, Simon Sharkey and Jessica Pilmore led a highly interactive session to share the results of their current collaborations related to the Suspension of Disconnect. This project centers around four themes: self and process, ensemble and team, artful living, and audience (with and as). The session invited participants and viewers to explore these themes through a series of prompts and questions.

While the live discussion has been removed from the recording, viewers can still engage with the content by using the prompts and pausing the video to reflect on their responses.

Additional Resources

Learn more with the resources below:

Session Transcript

Session Guide and List of Resources: This PDF includes explanations of “Setting Your Sights”, the “3 year-old Filter,” and other activities from the session, as well as a list of influential works from thought-leaders.

National Theatre of Scotland: Learn more about Theatre Without Walls by checking out the organization where it got started.

The Necessary Space: Learn more about Simon’s current project that explores Theatre of Opportunity and Theatre Without Walls.

Creatively Independent: Learn more about Jess’ work about mindfulness, play, and community to develop sustainable artistry.

Stewart Brown’s “Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul”

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