Equitable Theatre Criticism

Abstract

The Equitable theatre criticism digital training project addresses concerns about exclusions and limitations in the fields of professional theatre criticism, and by association in theatre criticism training. Theatre criticism as practiced in the West has historically been a white and male profession, tied to legacies of colonialism and patriarchy: newspaper criticism jobs have tended not to be advertised but passed along through networks of privilege. A number of recent initiatives and projects, in Canada and elsewhere, are working to address this concern by lowering barriers to participation in criticism by historically under-represented voices in the field. The Equitable theatre criticism digital training project is nested as part of a larger SSHRC funded initiative, Staging Better Futures/Mettre en scène de meilleurs avenirs (SBF/MSMA) that encompasses all aspects of post-secondary theatre training. This Exchange funding will address the knowledge mobilization component addressing a necessary shift in equity and diversity required for the future of Theatre Criticism.