SKAMpede 2024 Call for Applications

DEADLINE: Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 at 12:00 PM PST.

Please contact Logan Swain (He/Him) (logan@skam.ca) if you require an extension.

For accessibility/accommodations or any other assistance, please contact Hannah Mariko Bell (She/Her) at hannahb@skam.ca or 250-386-7526

Theatre SKAM is seeking applications from Canadian artists for SKAMpede 2024. In its sixteenth year, this live performance event features original short performances by artists stationed outside along paved commuter and recreational trails, including the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, and the Songhees Walkway. Performances are repeated over the course of the day as audiences roll, walk, or stroll their way in groups of 12 from show to show. SKAMpede is a multi-disciplinary performance festival. We  encourage applications from all performance disciplines; in the past the event has featured comedy, drama, storytelling, spoken word, improv, music, opera, puppetry and dance. 8+ short works will be programmed for this all ages festival.

New for this year, we’ve shifted the application process to occur four months earlier.

We strive to present both local and national artists at SKAMpede. We are committed to programming 75% Provincial (with 50% being Vancouver Island based) and up to 25% National.

Accessibility

Theatre SKAM is committed to creating a more accessible environment for artists and for our audiences. SKAMpede includes ASL interpreted performances and we encourage artists to integrate accessibility while they create their shows. If you have access needs, please let us know so we can provide proper accommodations.

Use of Setting

Performers are encouraged to be creative and consider the physical landscape of downtown Victoria, the green spaces along trails, and the harbourfront when crafting submissions. Previous festivals have included venues such as harbour or waterfront areas, areas around natural sites or features like trees and bushes, sidewalk spaces out front of Heritage Buildings and local businesses. Traditionally we receive applications for many environmental and nature-based shows. As we expand along the City’s downtown waterfront, we have increased opportunities for urban-based show locations. SKAMpede has no theme but performing outdoors! We are looking for Site Specific and Site Responsive performance creation that demonstrates innovative thinking.

Artist Fees, Travel & Additional Support

Successful applicants are paid a professional fee to be part of the festival. Successful applicants from outside Victoria may also be provided accommodation and travel, contingent upon funding. If you/your group already have accommodation, please inform us in your application. Our goal is to assist artists in applying for grant funding to provide for travel and accommodation. We encourage any out-of-town artists to apply for funding through applicable arts councils and other funding bodies.

We set fees according to the number of participants in each show. We pay each company $650 per company member, so a company of 3 artists (regardless of how many roles each artist has in production) would be paid a total of $1950. (We cannot hire a full production team to make a ten-minute show, please consider the scope of the festival when deciding on production team numbers. It is usual in the festival for team members to wear multiple hats.)

Festival Dates

All companies must be available for all five days of the festival:
● Evening Dress Rehearsal: Thursday Night
● Evening Preview Event: Friday Night
● Daytime Performances: Saturday and Sunday

Out of town companies should be prepared to spend up to four nights in Victoria
(Arrive the Thursday morning, depart the following Monday.

We haven’t yet set which weekend in July the festival will be, but we are currently
looking at July 4-7 or July 11-14. We will keep the programmed artists updated and
aim to have the dates finalized by February 2024 at the latest.

Future Prospects

In the last several years, 15+ shows created for this festival have found further work or
paid development elsewhere, and one author has been commissioned to create a
full-length version of her 10-minute piece.

How to Apply

To make the process of applying to the festival more accessible, there are multiple ways that you can submit your application for SKAMpede 2024.

• Google Form – the answers to the questions can be done in point form if that is more accessible for the applicant
• Audio File (the audio will be transcribed to keep anonymity for the jury) – the file can be the applicant reading aloud their answers to the questions provided in the Google Form link
• Video File (the video will be transcribed to keep anonymity for the jury) – the video can be of the applicant reading aloud their answers to the questions provided in the Google form link [This is not meant to be a creative video submission but rather another format to send in the submission]
• Interview with a Theatre SKAM staff member (In person/phone/video) – the Theatre SKAM staff member will read the questions aloud and record the answers of the applicant in an anonymous fashion to keep in line for the jury. Please contact Logan Swain (logan@skam.ca).

Do you have artistic questions related to your project that you’d like to discuss?
Contact Artistic Associates Hannah Mariko Bell (She/Her), hannahb@skam.ca, or Logan Swain (He/Him), logan@skam.ca. Or call us at our office, 250-386-7526.

For applicants on a mobile device: please click the sandwich menu at the bottom righthand corner to access links to all formats of the Application Info Package, SKAMpede Call for Applications, and more. Alternatively you can access the Google Site by clicking here.