toogoodtobetrue: 2009

In conceiving Generation there were a number of thoughts that went through the PBN/Bealtaine heads. For me the term ‘generation’ is not always related to age or number of years (although this could very well be the formal definition) it is not about categories, brackets, boxes, confinements, restrictions, parameters or such things but instead I see it as different ‘movements’.

As mentioned by Dominic terms like ‘emerging artist’ are unrelated to age but instead it pertains to an artist’s personal development and transition into a professional field. Also this draws the question, how long can an artist be emerging for? Some artists/companies spend 20-30years emerging while others propel to large scale work very early in their careers. It is also important to remember that emergent and established artists although are at the hands of the cultural ecology in which they emerge, they also often make conscious decisions about where they would like to position themselves. Some companies remain in an emerging arena for specific reasons and avoid entering into the world of funding applications etc. Perhaps this area/fringe/margin allows for more innovation, change and reinvention.

But for me generation is looking at movements in creative histories; shifts and changes in methodologies, trends, ideas, inspirations, platforms, education systems, audiences etc

An artist of young age could work in a very traditional model and an artist of older age could work through new forms, this to me makes them artists of different generations irrespective of their age. If they come together to make a piece of work they are making a piece of intergenerational work. Likewise artists both with the same age could both come from very different schools of thought and therefore create an intergenerational piece.

This allows for great fluidity and opens up the possibility for generational shifts, change and innovation. An artist can navigate through the generational paths.

Often people who are not of my generation comment freely about my generation. Oh your generation is so …… (insert any adjective) Mostly these statements are complimentary, conjured from a sense of lost time or from frustrations of political confinements that have existed or an enviable desire to get to a place where your generation is renowned for something. But do I belong to one? Wouldn’t it be more exciting to be part of a movement, a shift, an alteration, a development, a progression…And wouldn’t it be even more exciting that as I get older I can be part of newer movements, shift and alterations, in other words wouldn’t it be great if I could be part of a different generation?

When do we become fixed in our generation, is it a question of risk? Perhaps being fixed about how things are done, or how they should be done are the paths that lead to an artist being fixed in their generation? Maybe curiosity, interrogation, imagination, foresight and falling in love with ideas are the things that keep us fluid amongst generations. Making links to discover how existing forms, models and movements can relate to ones not yet conceived while believing that what has gone before informs the future. Having a good idea is not always the key to making good theatre, sometimes it is about letting go of a good idea and therefore making room for other ones. If an artist has a really good idea another one will be along shortly.

It is at this point that I must commend the 15 artists in Generation. They have each taken a bold risk by firstly putting themselves up for this week and they have continued to take, make and break risks all week. They have had countless good ideas that they have simply needed to let go of in order to collaborate and move forward. Each of the artists has experienced the nightmare of being locked in a room with two other artists for one week in order to make a piece of theatre in 5 days. They have taken the challenge of negotiating new territory and they are driving a very clear path towards the Project Arts Centre, Sat night 8pm.

Likewise Project Brand New is proud to have collaborated with Bealtaine, to have asked questions, set challenges and interrogated the possibilities. Once again we are falling in love with ideas.