NEW YORK CITY: Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has announced that Miami will be the location for its 29th annual national conference, on the dates June 5-7, 2019. The TCG National Conference comprises the largest forum for the national theatre community to assemble for artistic and intellectual exchange. The multi-day event draws hundreds of theatre professionals from around the world for meetings, speeches, performances, and opportunities to explore the local theatre community.
“Miami is home to a vibrant range of artists and institutions who are inventing new pathways for making theatre and engaging communities in the work,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to deepen our national theatre field’s relationship to the internationally engaged and locally impactful Miami theatre community.”
The growing list of Miami-area host committee organizations contributing to the planning for the National Conference currently includes Miami New Drama at the Colony Theatre, Miami Theater Center, City Theatre, Young Arts, Teatro Avante, Miami Light Project, Juggerknot Theatre Company, and GableStage.
“I am very excited to welcome Theatre Communications Group to Miami in June 2019,” said Stephanie Ansin, founder of Miami Theater Center, in a statement. “While we enjoy a vibrant and diverse performing arts scene, as a relatively young city, we also have a lot of potential for growth. The presence of hundreds of theatre professionals will bring our community a beneficial injection of attention, energy, education, and inspiration. In my experience, the conversations that take place in between sessions are at least as valuable as the official conference programming. So let’s all look forward to gazing at Biscayne Bay and sipping cafecitos while getting to know our colleagues.”
“We are honored that TCG has chosen Miami for its 29th Annual National Conference,” said Michael Spring, senior advisor, Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor and director, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, in a statement. “This gathering will allow our talented and diverse community to come together with our national and international colleagues to discover what the next generation of theatre is evolving into and how we will collectively address the areas of audience engagement, inclusion, international cultural exchanges and arts journalism.”
Through its convenings, TCG continues to serve as a connector for theatres to share best practices and new business and artistic models with one another. TCG presents plenary speakers, breakout sessions, workshops, and performances throughout the National Conference. Past keynote speakers have included leading artists and thinkers, such as Mona Eltahawy, John Maeda, Jane McGonigal, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Baratunde Thurston. Programming for the Miami conference will include knowledge sharing around audience engagement, community development, cultural exchange, arts journalism, and the evolving culture of the theatre field in a time of great transition.
“We are so pleased that TCG has selected Greater Miami to host their 2019 National Conference,” said Jose Sotolongo, vice president of sports and entertainment, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, in a statement. “Our theatre scene continues to grow with a plethora of offerings, rivaling many American cities and offering Spanish language productions that highlight our community’s exciting diversity. Take all this energy, coupled with unparalleled natural beauty and topography, as well as our incredible cuisine options, and that’s exactly what makes us such a popular destination for groups and leisure.”
“We are thrilled that the TCG conference is coming to Miami—a recognition of our dynamic, diverse, and growing theatrical scene,” said Michel Hausmann, artistic director, Miami New Drama, in a statement. “We are honored to host this transformative opportunity for artists and cultural leaders which will galvanize and unite our multilingual community.”
