UNLOCK THE CITY! is an international culture-led regeneration project aimed at developing an integrated working method that combines technical scientific and design oriented research with theatre practice, making the latter a tool to trigger sustainable development processes in the post- pandemic city.
Within 4 sample cities in the participating countries (Antwerp in Belgium, Barcelona in Spain, Milan in Italy, and Piatra Neamt in Romania), the project aims to identify places or urban areas that played a key role for citizenship during the pandemic, and to initiate a research process that explores the concept of limits (economic, social, physical, etc.) in the post-pandemic city. This research will take place on 3 different levels:
-the physical dimension of urban space (object),
-community (subject),
-relationship between urban area and the theatre (relationship).
Over the course of 36 months (3 years), thanks to the close cooperation of artists, theatre operators, students, university professors and experts from different disciplines, the project aims to develop:
-land survey and landscape study of the post-pandemic city;
-the creation and realisation of 12 theatre performances entrusted to 10 European artists;
-workshops and thematic training courses for university students, and more specifically the MA students of NTA.
These activities will contribute to a macro-project objective: to generate a qualitative and perceptive growth in terms of habitability, accessibility and sustainability of urban spaces in the post-pandemic city through awareness-raising, empowerment and active involvement of communities, bodies, public administrations. Like the city model to which it aspires, UNLOCK THE CITY! is an open project which, through a replicable method & the formulation of concrete proposals for action, aims to make a contribution to the European Union's Green Deal policies.
Serge von Arx is the project leader for the project. Sage Canellis is the project manager.
The project was launched in Milan last week (here above Claudio Longhi, Artistic Director of Teatro Piccolo Milano - leading the project, Nathalie Martinelli, head of international relations of Teatro Piccolo Milano - managing the project and Serge von Arx Artistic Director of Scenography Dept at NTA)
Photo © Jacopo Buora. Courtesy @piccoloteatromilano
✅ 6 European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain)
✅ 4 theatre institutions with a strong international vocation (@PiccoloTeatro in Milan, @teatrelliure in Barcelona, @teatrultineretului.piatraneamt and @Toneelhuis in Antwerp)
✅ 2 academies specialised in performing arts and scenography (@norwegiantheatreacademy in Fredrikstad and @amupraha in Prague)
✅ 1 university with a know-how in the study of landscape (@polimi)
✅ 4 “sample” cities (Antwerp, Barcelona, Milan, Piatra-Neamt)
✅ 3 years funding from Creative Europe
✅ Overall funding: 969 400 Euros
Photo © Jacopo Buora. Courtesy @piccoloteatromilano
If you understand Italian, you can find a full length article here:
https://www.frammentirivista.it/il-teatro-nella-citta-il-progetto-unlock-the-city/
