Curatorial Statement
How programming decisions are made
Public Energy takes communications from artists seeking to have their work presented, or be supported in any way, throughout the year. Send your inquires by mail or email, attention Programming Director. Our programming is focused on dance, theatre and related forms such as: circus, puppetry or object theatre, and interdisciplinary performance. A look through our online archives season by season will give you a good idea of what we are excited about.
A significant portion of Public Energy programming is curated by staff, who attend performances, festivals and industry events throughout the year at cities across the country. At the same time, some of our programming is done in conjunction with presenting partners who provide curatorial decisions, such as our relationship with Indigenous Performance Initiatives at Nozhem First Peoples Performance Space.
Programming ideas also come from colleagues in the field seeking to create partnerships around tour coordination or commissioning of new work. Public Energy’s membership in the CanDance Network is a productive way of fostering those connections with dance presenters.
Decisions on mainstage programming and residencies are made by staff. Other programming initiatives are made by juries appointed by staff. These programs include Alternating Currents and the Creative Generator Program. These juries include non-staff and non-board members. BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ representation are key considerations when striking juries, and we target at least 50% representation from these groups.
Public Energy’s Values Grounding Artistic Programming
Our mission is to be a cultural catalyst, allowing artists and audiences to grow, develop, and nurture each other.
We do this by:
- Presenting a multidisciplinary program of performances and activities with regional, national and international artists;
- Fostering dialogue and participation by bringing artists and audiences together in a shared experience.
- Supporting the creation and development of new work, and acting as a leader of artistic innovation in our community and beyond.
- Embracing collaboration with other organizations and community groups, through which our programming is made richer, more accessible and more meaningful.
These values guide our work:
- Putting relationships with artists, and their well-being, at the centre of our work.
- Taking risks and pushing boundaries.
- Creating spaces for new ideas, and amplifying the voices of those who have been systemically silenced.
- Programming and hiring that is equitable, inclusive and accessible.
- The belief that the performing arts are for everyone, and a commitment to continually working to identify and remove barriers to access, to create artistic experience that are vibrant, welcoming, relevant and respectful.
- The belief that the performing arts are a catalyst for community connection.
- A commitment to combatting colonialism, racism, ableism, ageism and sexism.
