GCDN Annual Convening – Athens 2024

Experiencing live performance creates powerful, embodied moments for convening and reflection, whether that is encountering an unexpected dance performance in a public space or having a downtown stroll scored by a local musician. Performance artists all over the world have been harnessing that power to shape the social and physical character of their cities, attracting and engaging new audiences along the way. Many, especially post-Covid 19, have brought their performances and programs out of theaters and directly into nontraditional and unexpected locations, challenging how audiences regard public spaces and the way people move through them.

Join us on a guided journey through SNFCC park, where we will walk alongside local artists, exploring their original site-specific works and discussing the impact performance can have on creative placemaking strategies.

This includes 90 minutes of walking outside with limited shade. Wear hats, light clothing, and walking shoes, and please remember to bring water with you. 


Scope of session:
Focus: Performance Art, people in bodies, bodies in space
How artists will fit into the session: 3 original performances by local artists throughout a predetermined walk. Discussion at end of session

Format: A guided walk and performance experiences in the park.
As participants arrive at the session starting location, they will be handed a colored post-it note and list of guided questions to help spark explorative discussion. We will then ask everyone to find other people with the same color post-it to pair up with on their journey. 3 groups total. 
Each group will begin to walk a predetermined, clearly marked path, leading them to their first Artist Encounter - performance by local artist. (They can take this time to introduce themselves, break the ice a bit).
Groups will discover and watch each performance before proceeding on their journey. In between performances, groups can reflect on and discuss each encounter, using the set of guided questions if they choose. There will be 3 Artists Encounters in total, each ~10 minutes in duration. Walks in between encounters ~5 minutes. 

All groups + artists will reconvene at the end of the session to have an open discussion or Q+A with the artists involved.