Participatory Theatre Hybrid Working: Call for Case Studies 

Centre for Excellence in Participatory Theatre Publications

Collective Encounters is looking to commission a series of case studies exploring participatory theatre practitioners’ and participants’ experiences of delivering and taking part in hybrid participatory theatre. 

These case studies will build on resources Collective Encounters has published during the pandemic, which support the participatory theatre sector to transition to socially distanced working practices, through the Centre for Excellence in Participatory Theatre. 

For the purposes of these case studies we define hybrid working as delivering workshops or rehearsals: 

  • synchronously online and in the room. 
  • asynchronously online and in the room. 

Case studies might respond to some of the following questions, and may also raise different questions: 

  • Proximity bias – as facilitators do we naturally give greater voice or attention to participants who are in the same space as us and what can we do to challenge this?
  • Spatial parameters – how is the playing space defined?
  • What effect does hybrid working have on serendipity and spontaneity?
  • What happens to reach and engagement when working in a hybrid way?
  • Who benefits from hybrid working and why?
  • When hybrid activities didn’t work and why?
  • What effect does hybrid working have on the personal, social or wellbeing benefits of participatory theatre? 
  • Do participatory theatre practitioners have the support of commissioners and funders to experiment and play with these new working practices?

In addition to the above the cases study should address: 

  • The context of the project activity.
  • Who and how people took part.
  • A description of activity.
  • Any challenges or difficulties that were or weren’t overcome. 
  • Artistic, personal, social or political outcomes achieved or not achieved and whether these were expected. 

This collection of case studies will document both the successes and failures of hybrid working. Case studies are open to practitioners working in a UK and non UK context. 

If you are interested in submitting a case study please first submit an expression of interest (EOI) no longer than 300 words, including:

  • Author’s name and pronouns
  • Title of proposed case study
  • Email address
  • Any affiliated organisations
  • An overview of the activity and context
  • 1-3 key questions/ issues that will be addressed by the case study

Please send your EOI by email to Marianne@collective-encounters.org.uk or complete this Application Form by 6th Feb 2022. A stipend of £100 is available on final submission of the case study. Final case studies will be no longer than 1000 words. We expect to commission 10 case studies.