April 24th Steering Committee Minutes

PTO Toronto Steering Committee Meeting April 24th 2009

Present: chris, Sarah, Adam, Brendan, Emily, Simon, Fiona, Corvin
Regrets: Robyn, Stephen, jes, Matt, Bonnie, Hartley, Jenny, Margo

1.Travel to PTO 2009

-Duncan looked into travel and driving only makes sense if 5 of more are going.
-Duncan and Simon will be flying from Buffalo on the 19th at a cost of ~$150
-People can contact Duncan for flight info if they want to fly
-Right now only Duncan, Simon and Corvin are going for sure.
-Corvin will coordinate a “What's Happening”-type workshop for people at this years conference
-chris suggests that as many of us as possible become members of PTO regardless of whether we are going this year.

2.Space

-Adam has confirmed with Daniel that we can book space for the weekend of June 17th 2010.
-We should book 2,3,4,5th floors, the auditorium and the Peace Lounge.
-Simon suggests that if we find other spaces we can always scale back our OISE space
-some space ideas include Transac, Taragon, Inest, 519, St. Chris.
-space committee will examine other space options
-brendan suggests that the space committee focus on an auditorium space for performances 'cause anything is better than the OISE auditorium

3.Budget

-chris will prepare a draft budget for the next steering committee meeting based on the TCDI budget.
-Mixed Company has been looking into funding grants for Jokers' Symposium
-chris suggests that a coordinator position would be useful and suggested an Artist in Residence -grant from the Toronto Arts Council might be able to be used for this.
-possibly a GA position could be used for coordinator; budget committee will research GAships with contacts at FES York, OISE and UofT.
-Margo has offered assistance in applying for grants
-chris asks that people email him all funding deadlines and he will coordinate grant writing schedule

4.Theme

-Still have not received a list of past themes from PTO board
-Fiona suggests the theme “Resisting Precarious Times”
-Email with theme brainstorm has been circulated
-there was discussion of having a theme before PTO 2009
-theme debate will continue

5.Program

-the Programming committee is strongly encouraged to meet

6.Pre Conference Event

-Mixed Company has sent out a call for proposals to around 1000 people worldwide for a Jokers' Symposium
-Simon will be talking to Julian in Minneapolis about participating
-other Jokers could include: Sanjay from Sanskriti; David Diamond from Headlines; Michel from Stage Left; Format Amsterdam; Robert Macinni from Italy
-The Symposium would run June 14, 15, 16th
-Mixed Company has been looking in to space; Transac wants $5000 for 5 days
-Symposium could include shows and facilitated discussions
-Some theme ideas include “best practices”, Western Jokers in developing regions
-event would bring together Canadian Pop Theatre groups for the first time in many years
-highlight the diversity of practice in Pop Theatre (not just TO)

7.Post Conference Event

-Emily suggests having a post-conference Open Space event
-Build a schedule during the conference and provide space after
-Brendan mentioned that Stephen has hoped to incorporate Open Space and that feedback from past conferences had called for its use
-some concern about whether this would draw enough interest for post-conference event
-suggested that a Pop Ed post event might balance out Jokers' Symosium

8.Anti-Colonial Organizing

-Hussan wanted to know if group was committed to incorporating anti-colonial analysis into every meeting.
-people were in strong support of doing this but some wondered if we needed a “training”
-group acknowledged our whiteness and our so far unsuccessful attempts to do outreach to other communities in the city doing PTO stuff
-chris pointed out that we are “still on the ground floor” and that the problem will only become more acute as planning continues
-Brendan will talk to Hussan

9.Date of Next Meeting

- The next meeting was set as Friday, May 8th 3:30-5:30pm at OISE Peace Lounge