Year-End Report from President

Dear OISTAT friends!

I hope 2023 has started well for you all. It was amazing seeing many of you in 2022! Despite all the uncertainties still in force in 2022, we had some dreams come true and opportunities to gather and celebrate faceto-face our passion and drive for Theatre, Performance and Live events.

In 2022, two major projects were carried out, facilitating and promoting international gatherings: the 5th edition of World Stage Design (WSD) held in Calgary, Canada and the 2nd edition of Southern European and Northern African OISTAT Scenography Forum & Festival (SENA), in Rabat, Morocco. Congratulations to all organizers, exhibitors and participants for making these brilliant events! Due to the pandemic these two events overlapped in the second half of the year, making it difficult for many to attend both, but this was an extraordinary situation as they are planned to take place in different years; the next editions are scheduled for 2024SENA and 2025- WSD.

Many other face-to-face and online opportunities have been promoted by OISTAT commissions, OISTAT Centres and OISTAT members. Of the beautiful memories of the OISTAT 2022 events that I was able to participate in, I would like to highlight the incredible kindness and enthusiasm of the OISTAT people, and how in our diversity of languages, cultures, points of view - in the context of this special international community - we feel welcomed, cared for, and provided with plenty opportunities to share our visions.

I would like to emphasize in this report, special moments I experienced from some face-to-face 2022 events. Starting with the most touching performance I watched - Iniskim: Return Of The Buffalo, in Calgary at WSD 2022; the chance of meeting talented young designers from Morocco at SENA exhibition; to celebrate the Theatre Day with dear colleagues from

President Aby Cohen

APCEN, OISTAT Portuguese Centre, in Portugal; to participate in great presentations and discussions at the amazing Performance Design Future Symposium in Cyprus, organized by CYCSTAT, OISTAT Cypriot Centre; to gather with OISTAT members from many countries in Prague, attending the PQ Symposium, as many are national curators – reinforcing the historical and natural bridge between OISTAT and PQ.

Online events and meetings were many, just as today they allow us to connect more often, work closer and meet new people from a distance. Thus, I had the pleasure of meeting the designers of Imaginario Colectivo, Chile, an important bridge promoted by AOS, OISTAT Spanish Centre; being once again, but online, with colleagues from Portugal, at the APCEN event and president elections; and collaborate with ABTT, OISTAT UK Centre - as a member of the editorial committee for ITEAC 2023International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference, which in its preparation was held a 1-day event - Horizon - tuning in people from all over the world in October 2022.

There was a particularly touching online event that I was honoured to participate in, the International Conference: Theatre in Shelter, organized by our dear colleagues in Ukraine, who also courageously organized a gallery exhibition! All I can say is Thank you, as it is difficult to find words that can express the experience. Therefore, reflecting on 2022, two words came to mind: HOPE – in sense of dreams and chances, and RESILIENCE – the balance between strength and flexibility.

2022 seems to mark a watershed year in many aspects of history. As the COVID-19 pandemic eased in many countries, allowing international gatherings, families reunite, the return of live events and to put new projects in perspective, we saw the rising of political, economic and climate global crises, leading to deepening humanitarian crises. With the prospect of these crises continuing into 2023 and beyond, hope and resilience must keep on alive.

As an international organization of theatre and performance makers we have the capacity to expand and maintain international bridges, overcoming walls and breaking borders. OISTAT is a very important platform in this scenario, as it allows us to strengthen professional networks and stay connected; to share and access information that reflects reality through members from different countries and regions; to express and educate critically and creatively the new generations through the Arts and Theatre.

The continuous meetings, projects and activities organized and promoted by OISTAT commissions and members invite us to think and act in response to what we can do through our practices, in the education field and in our capacity to help minimize the direct or indirect impacts of these crises, in the short or long term.

2022 as a post-pandemic turning point forces us to review ways of doing in many areas. Considering the management of OISTAT, we continue to adjust to the new world order and seek for new ways of operating and communicating. Changes imply more work and time, in addition to foreseeing possible impacts on a large and diverse community. In collaboration with EC, GB and members, we brainstorm, formulate and test new ideas, but we also need to be prepared for unforeseen events. It's important to stay connected, working as a team, communicating ideas and visions; I'm here to listen to you all.

As stated in my first letter as your President-elect, there is a high aim to establish continuous and close communication and collaboration with OISTAT members. In 2022, with the HQ Team, we had online meetings with representatives from a good number of OISTAT Centres. This work continues as I am looking forward to meeting with representatives of Centres that I have not yet had the opportunity to. There is also a proposal to meet individual members in the first half of 2023, with three online sessions grouped by time zone. It is also imperative and forward-looking to continue and expand relationships with other international organizations, in addition to improving and expanding communication about OISTAT.

As we move into 2023, our main gathering this year will be on June 10 - 15, in Prague, at the OISTAT Hub, held at Vila Štvanice, where commissions' meetings and activities, and special events will take place.

Some of the special events include: WSD celebration, with the handover from WSD 2022 to WSD 2025, the second Latin American Day, some surprises and of course… A Party! I would like to thank the ČOSDAT, OISTAT Czech Centre, for the incredible cooperation on the arrangements for this event.

As the OISTAT Hub will run parallel to the 15th edition of PQ23, we are taking care not to overload the schedule, but to create a meeting point, where, in addition to the scheduled OISTAT meetings and events, will be a place to chill out by the Vltava River and have good chats over a drink.

Before landing in Prague, there are other events to attend in person scheduled for the first half of 2023. February 17-21: EC, GB and HQ visit Sharjah Performing Arts Academy and meet WSD 2025 organizers. Commissions Chairs will be able to share relevant information with commission members on plans in preparation for WSD 2025 upon their return from Sharjah; March 15-18 is the time to go to USITT in St. Louis, representing OISTAT in the Conference and Stage Expo; June 5-8: the DTHG SHOWTECH and International Conference in Berlin.

Once again, I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all dear friends for your incredible work and continued collaboration. With the amazing HQ team and the hard work of the brilliant EC members, we seek to continue to develop OISTAT in tune with the current context and operate to keep the members connected, the bridges opened and in great condition.

I wish you all the best in 2023, and to keep connected around the world! Looking forward to meeting you all at the OISTAT Hub in June, in Prague.