2019 Got Your Back Acting Educators Conference

Conference Co-Organizer

From the conference website:

On Monday, May 27 & Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, peer-led artist collective Got Your Back is advocating for teachers and students alike by opening conversation and hosting an Acting Educators Conference. This conference offers an opportunity for participants to gain practical skills while actively engaging with and sharing expert, informed, critical insights pertaining to the areas of mental health; diversity and inclusion, anti-oppression; and the creation and maintenance of safe spaces.

Acting education in Canada has evolved; there are now over 45 performance training programs and many independent coaches who teach. Without a national dialogue or association for acting educators, there are few professional development opportunities to update/upgrade teaching skills related to the specific needs of training performers. The majority of performance teachers in Canada are either private coaches or part-time/sessional/guest artists within large institutions and many feel left out of the conversation about acting training in Canada. In the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp, it's time to come together and speak about our challenges. Got Your Back has recognized a void in this communication and is trying to bridge the gap through a curated selection of panels, workshops, long table discussions, and networking events.

The three areas of focus for the conference are:

Harassment, Intimacy, and Consent

Student and Teacher Mental Health

Anti-Oppression, Diversity, and Inclusion

Together, we can continue to evolve acting training so that it's more diverse, inclusive and safer for the next generation of artists.