This is the tenth year of the Performance Conference held by The School of Visual Theater, a conference established in response to a need which existed at that time. A time where dialogue, and room for experimental actions, were scarce. The school stood at the edge of the city during that time, and performance as a medium and as a subject matter to be explored – stood at the edge of the art world. Converging in these edges in order to observe, reflect, and examine the field of performance was of fundamental importance. Since then, the field has evolved, and so did the school. Suddenly, it seemed as if a significant question stood before us: why are we holding a conference here? What for? And, moreover – what is a conference?

For us to converge, we must call out to you: “come!”

What are we asking you to come for? We will elaborate and explain: “come to The School of Visual Theater Performance Conference, where this and that will transpire!”

The calling is the point of departure, the nucleus, of any conference or performance. At times the calling is internal, I am called to something. Calling holds within several meanings, such as purpose, an objective, a destiny. And at times it faces outward: “Come, come and see, this fascinating, interesting thing!”

It seems that a calling, gathering around something, is the invitation and the subject at the same time, the promise, and the essence. The calling proposes suggestions (and not answers) to questions – Why should we converge? When will we converge, and where? And what will we confront once we converge?

A calling is reciprocal, involving two participants: the caller and the called. They both take part in the calling, for if excluding them both, it cannot exist.

The calling needs a voice to call it, and it is not called in vain. The calling acknowledges the called, their needs and abilities. It acknowledges their identity, their language, their distance from one another.

The calling considers the past and present and creates a future space.

The calling defines the convergence point, it creates a milestone, a horizon.

On these grounds, we are holding a conference here. To observe the horizons, future spaces, ideas, and suggestions, called for in the performance field, here and now.

The tenth Performance Conference will be dedicated to callings. We have invited artists and thinkers to devise their calling, and call it to you, the conference audience, and welcome you to oblige them: as an audience, as workshop participants, as conversation partners.

Come!