As a faculty member who teaches design, you may know about the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, if not having attended yourself! We encourage you to bring your student designers and directors to Prague to experience the inspirational events of PQ23 firsthand!
As you consider your syllabi, please know the USITT/PQ23/USA website has information about PQ23, specifically ideas how you and your students can get to Prague in 2023.
Here are some things you can do to support your students and prepare them to participate in PQ23!
GETTING READY TO GO:
¨DESIGNS & SUBMISSIONS:
- Encourage students to send existing work:
Look over your student’s existing portfolios to see if they already have work that speaks to the PQ23 theme: RARE. Advise students how to take their project to the next level of presentation using high-definition photographs (300dpi) and dedicating time to write cogently about the (near)finished design.
- Add a Special Topics class into your curriculum where students can address the PQ23 theme: RARE in a project for submission to PQ23 in the EMERGING Designer category. The project from any discipline of designer/maker can reflect a team/individuals, represent an existing/new play, or feature a devised play/installation/production. Directors could be involved, too.
- Explore the PQ year round projects website page and learn about, not only many great opportunities, but also the PQ Studio (UN)COMMON Project headed by Patrick Du Wors. Created for students and teachers, this global project culminates in the submission of one project per institution for curatorial consideration. The PQ Curators choose a select group of designers, each of whom will get feedback from internationally renowned designers and teachers at PQ23 in Prague.
(Travel is the responsibility of the designers. USITT Members are eligible to apply for travel grants.)
PROMOTE THE PQ:
Give students informational sessions about what PQ23 is all about. The USITT website has helpful videos and informational tabs for drumming up interest!. FAQs range from the inspirational to the practical, starting with “What is PQ?” and moving on to:
- Travel tips to Prague, Czech Republic
- International phone tips
- Safety issues
- The latest on COVID awareness for travellers
Some institutions have HR services for student and faculty travel and require you to register your travel information. Click here for Traveler Alerts through the U.S State Department and register your travel there too, if you are so inclined.
RAISE MONEY:
- Advocate for help from your upper administration to raise money for students’ travel and housing costs. As we hear more from the Prague organizers, there will be information on our website for you.
- Educate students and build their grant-writing skills by identifying student funding sources at your institution, meeting with administrators, and knowing what information ensures successful grant-writing. Offer to proof-read and give feedback on student grant writing.
- Take advantage of Institutional or Social Media crowd-sourcing opportunities.
- Encourage student leaders to create fund-raising events!
- COVID-safe bake sales before/during performances, at department events during recruitment times if in-person is allowed, at holiday celebrations
- Color copy renderings/photographs and mount onto card stock for gift cards. Buy envelopes.
- Special performances – concerts, cabarets, talent shows
- Clear out costume stock and have a pre-Halloween sale
- USITT members accepted into the Emerging or National Designer exhibitions are eligible to apply for USITT travel grants! Check out the USITT site!
KEEP CHECKING PQ.cz & PQ23.USITT.org & STAY IN TOUCH:
As we get closer to June, 2023, the PQ.cz site and our PQ23.USITT.org site will have updated information. Please keep checking in! Stay in contact with the Curatorial Group who sent you this letter, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Click Here to visit the FAQ for further guidance