2015 ON-PAM Committee Projects Plan
January, 20th, 2015
Kei Saito
During these 2 years, from its establishment, ON-PAM has launched Committees in 3 categories – Cultural Policy, International Exchange, Community Collaboration, and they have held the meetings from 3 to 5 times each. The Committee Projects were considered as the core of ON-PAM, and in fact, they had achieved significant results.With that result in mind, I would like to propose a new plan of the Committee Projects.
1. On-going and past roles of Committee Projects
(1) Interaction among the members
Unlike the regular meetings or symposium, where many members gather, the Committee meetings are held with a rather small group of people. As a result, the members could deepen exchanges and share their thoughts and opinions among themselves. It is where they can experience the network.
(2) Deepening the topics within the performing arts
All the 3 Committees had their own approach to offer opportunities to learn and think about the contemporary performing arts.
(3) Getting to know the different cases
Members had opportunities to visit performing arts sites, where the other members are involved, especially in the rural areas. By knowing and learning their challenges, they found some hints for how to realize more universal discussions. They’ve visited Sendai, Yokohama, Kyoto, Kobe, Kinosaki, Tottori, Yamaguchi/Kita-kyushu etc, besides Tokyo.
2. Problem
(1) Participation of the members
Each Committee decided the dates and places of the events, but because some of them were scheduled at the last minute, or some Committee had meetings mostly in Tokyo, it wasn’t easy for some members to participate (even if they wanted to).
(2) Attachment and continuity in the participation
The members are required to belong to one of the Committees, but they may also participate in the events of others. As a result, the members tended to choose the meetings that they could attend with their schedule, and it created some difficulties to continue the projects or discussions within the Committee.
(3) Overlapped topics/themes
Especially in the International Exchange and Community Collaboration Committees, they had strong similarities in the choice of their topics. It is also to say that they have similar interests, so they also held a meeting together.
(4) Lack of concrete actions as a Committee
Each Committee started the intention of making concrete actions in the form of research or making policy proposals, as a result of the discussions. Yet, to be honest, it didn’t turn out so productively.
[For Committee Projects in 2015]
I propose that we unite the 3 Committees in 2015.
1. Direction of the program
(1) A place for learning and interaction
To follow the roles of Committees in the last 2 years, the Committee will promote the interaction among the members, from understanding and discussing the concerns and topics in the today’s performing arts. Other projects and activities of ON-PAM will reflect this Committee program as the basis of the network.
(2) Continuous discussions
Based upon what is discussed in the Cultural Policy Committee in the past 2 years, the selected topics will be discussed for the whole year.
(3) To create a system for the members to take a part in the Committee easily
The dates and places of the 7 events scheduled will be announced earlier in the year. We will propose a structure, which may help the members in the rural areas participate in the discussion more easily.
2. Program contents
There will be only one Committee, and the meetings will be held for 7 times in total. Seven Committee meetings will be organized in 2 types: “Theme Meetings”, where the themes will be deeply discussed on the regular basis (4 times) and “Produced Meetings” (3 times), where members may learn about particular projects or visit project sites in the rural areas. The latter will feature different kind of activities for each time. In addition, the members in the different areas will take initiatives to organize satellite events related to the discussions at the Committee Meetings. (“Community Club”)
3. Hypothesis calendar
March [Theme 1] in Tokyo
April [Produced] in Shizuoka
June [Theme 2] in Yokohama
August [Produced] in Kochi
October [Theme 3] in Kyoto
November [Produced] in Tokyo
December [Theme 4] in Tokyo
“Community Club Meeting” will be held before or after the Theme Meetings. Possible host cities: Sendai, Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe etc.
4. Operation structure
In the board, there will be Committee section which occupies the fixing of dates and budget management.With the Committee section members, the operation team will be founded to hold the meetings.The Committee consists of the Full Member, Support Member and Student Member, whereas for the Produced Meetings and Community Club meetings might be open to those without the membership.The Community Club will ask for the collaboration in the selected area, and it will be organized independently. (Though a part of the costs will be returned by the budget of ON-PAM.)