NEW YORK CITY: Theatre Communications Group (TCG) and the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politcs (the Lab), have launched the Global Theater Initiative (GTI). TCG’s commitment to international programming and the Lab’s mission to use performance to humanize global politics will combine to create a program that will strengthen, nurture, and support global citizenship and international collaborations in the U.S.

“Global exchange thrives through relationships built on shared goals, values, and trust, and that’s exactly why I’m so optimistic about the future of the Lab,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG, in a statement. “GTI will empower both organizations to expand our reach and deepen our impact at a time when alternative models of cross-border exchange are urgently needed.”

The two GTI partners will be facilitators of global exchange by connecting practitioners with resources, knowledge, and partnerships to strengthen their work. GTI will take on the collaborative leadership of the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute (ITI/U.S.), a role TCG previously held alone, and both organizations will share administration of and representation on the ITI Worldwide executive board. The GTI programs will consist of the current international programming conducted by TCG and the Lab, in addition to new activities that will be collaboratively created.

A gathering will be held on June 22 at Georgetown University before the 2016 TCG National Conference in Washington, D.C. Curated by GTI, the global pre-conference will focus on global citizenship and exchange.

“As the world we live in becomes more and more polarized and fraught with misunderstanding and distrust, the humanizing work that theatre does becomes more and more essential,” said Derek Goldman, co-founding director of the Lab, in a statement. “The promise of GTI is to strengthen and amplify this important work by making it more visible and to foster new opportunities for collaborative exchange.”

The Global Theater Initiative was originally conceived and will be coordinated by Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG; Derek Goldman, co-founding director, the Lab; Kevin Bitterman, associate director of artistic and international programs, TCG; Emilya Cachapero, director of artistic and international programs, TCG; Kevin E. Moore, managing director, TCG; and Jojo Ruf, managing director, the Lab.