cfp.english.upenn.edu

In recent years, with the popularity of such global movements as Occupy and SlutWalk, the issue of public protest and performance has been at the forefront of debates about how we engage with and in public spaces. This symposium will take up the issue of street performance/performing the streets in light of these recent phenomena. Jan Cohen-Cruz defines street performances as ones which "take place in public by-ways with minimal constraints of access." With this definition of open access in mind, we hope to problematize issues surrounding the relationship between public and private space via examples of both activist and commercial street performances and other public acts of social engagement on the streets.

This symposium is guided by a number of questions, including: How is the digital expanding our understanding of street and public performance? How has/does street performance relate to political, social and environmental change? In what ways are public and private spaces contested via street performance? How can/have street performances both reinscribe(d) and challenge(d) nationalistic sentiments? How does street performance take up the issue of globalisation? What tactics and practices are common to street performances? How have tactics been updated and altered through continued street performance interventions? How does street performance engage both public and private spaces? How does public and/or corporate funding (or lack thereof) influence street performance? We invite proposals that take up any aspect of performance and/in the street. Proposals may consider (but are not limited to) the following topics:

- site-specific/site-generic performance
- corporately-sponsored public art events
- food and street festivals
- street performance's relation to questions of gender, race and class
- historical examples of street performance
- public protest
- street art
- environmental theatre
- flash mobs, lip dubs etc.
- parkour
- public memorials

Submissions
We invite papers, curated panels, workshops and performances (including durational pieces and installations) that address street performance in both a Canadian and international context. For
performance proposals, please include a description of the piece and any technical/space requirements. Please also include what type of environment you envision your performance in as we may program some presentations off-campus.

Please send proposals of 250-words or less by December 15, 2012 to:
street.performance.york@gmail.com. Please include your full name, email address, affiliation and any A/V requests along with a short (100 word) bio.

For more information, visit streetperformanceyork.wordpress.com