This year, the cycle of workshops and lectures for theatre professionals by the black box is being held in Kharkiv, Lviv, and Kyiv under the theme “The Theatre That Has Not Lost Hope.”
Curators of the program, Nina Khyzhna and Artem Vusyk, state:
“The idea of the program revolves around the dichotomy of theatre as a temporary utopian space — a restorative refuge where we can be together, reflect on the present, and imagine the future — and critical theatre, cold and sharp like a blade, with which we dissect reality.
When we consider the theatre context of Kyiv and its tendency to shape mainstream narratives, we believe it is crucial to emphasize the development of critical thinking skills among theatre artists — the ability to sensitively, precisely, and thoroughly address complex and uncomfortable social topics in public artistic space.”
PROGRAM
September 20, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Workshop by Artem Vusyk: “Fantasy, Structure, Autobiographicality”
September 20, 7:00 PM – Performative lecture by Magda Szpecht: “Cyber Activism During the War”
September 21, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Workshop by Magda Szpecht: “Digital Landscape and Its Impact on Privacy”
See workshop and lecture descriptions further down the page.
Location: Kyiv, Small Theatre (Malyi Teatr), 33 Oles Honchar St.
DETAILS
Participation in the workshops is free, but requires registration.
Due to limited capacity, participants will be selected based on their applications.
Deadline to apply: September 13 (inclusive).
Responses will be sent by September 16.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed and participation invitations sent throughout the open call period and may close before the deadline if the spots are filled. (We recommend submitting your registration form early.)
WORKSHOP BY ARTEM VUSYK: “FANTASY, STRUCTURE, AUTOBIOGRAPHICALITY”
For: actors and actresses, directors.
When we reflect on what processes Ukrainian theatre is undergoing today, it’s hard to reduce it to one genre or direction. The war has pushed us to think boldly and unexpectedly, making today’s theatre increasingly unpredictable. And yet, within this unpredictability, it’s crucial not to lose oneself or one’s sincerity.
In the workshop “Fantasy, Structure, Autobiographicality”, we will attempt to merge the fictional and the profane, to find intersections between creative freedom and mathematical precision, and explore how documentary material can interact with fiction. By blurring the lines between the roles of actor and director, we’ll discover new ways of creation — guided by structure, but above all by intuition. The workshop may culminate in group etude presentations, with themes and forms developed by the participants during the process.
Artem Vusyk is a theatre artist, author, and performer.
In 2011, he co-founded the independent theatre company Prekrasni Kvity in Kharkiv.
In 2018, he founded the independent Nafta Theatre, also in Kharkiv, where he continues to work.
He views theatre as a safe space for dialogue and community-building, and as a tool for introducing themes such as equality, ecology, war, and the role of the artist into public discourse.
PERFORMATIVE LECTURE BY MAGDA SZPECHT: “CYBER ACTIVISM DURING THE WAR”
For: anyone interested in the topic.
At the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Magda Szpecht returned to her original profession — journalism. She stepped away from her work as a theatre director and chose the path of a “cyber elf.”
She now fights Russian trolls, combats fake news, and spreads verified information — spending long nights in front of the computer, navigating between media outlets, social networks, and other “battlefields” of the modern war.
This lecture summarizes and reflects on Magda’s work as a “cyber elf.” It is also a diary of everyday activist resistance. Most importantly, it shows how we can support one another in difficult times.
Magda Szpecht is a Polish theatre artist, installation and performance creator.
She graduated from the directing department of the National Theatre School in Kraków and earlier studied journalism and social communication at the University of Wrocław.
Her work combines research and activism, focusing on feminism and new technologies.
WORKSHOP BY MAGDA SZPECHT: “DIGITAL LANDSCAPE AND ITS IMPACT ON PRIVACY”
For: anyone who uses the internet for artistic work or activism. Participants should bring their own laptops for hands-on activities.
During this workshop, we will discuss the current state of the digital environment and its impact on privacy.
We will explore how technology has affected our lives and methods of information dissemination, and we’ll become familiar with tools to help protect our privacy.
The exchange of practical experience will be based on a shared understanding of open-source intelligence tools to verify online information.
We will learn not only to identify fake news but also to optimize our online presence, navigate the digital space safely, and use it for more effective research.
The program is organized by Jam Factory Art Center in cooperation with Nafta Theatre.
Kyiv partner: Malyi Teatr (Small Theatre).