Call for Applications to Conduct Forum Theatre Performances

Call for Applications to Conduct Forum Theatre Performances
Incubator Spaces for Promoting Information Rights and Freedom of
Expression (InSPIRE) Project
Background
The Incubator Spaces for Promoting Information Rights and Freedom of Expression
(InSPIRE) is an action jointly implemented by the Sri Lanka Development Journalist
Forum and Helvetas Intercooperation gGmbH and funded by the European Union.
The Overall Objective of the action is to contribute to the enhancement of
democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka. The creation of youth communities and
accessible spaces for free and diverse speech represents a novel and innovative
opportunity for students of media and mass communication and, through them,
larger youth groups to be informed, to project community voices, to engage and to
participate in civic engagement.The action has integrated on multidisciplinary
learning methods and therein a comprehensive internalization of concepts around
freedom of expression.
The Specific Objective: To promote an increased understanding and respect of
freedom of expression and information, by empowering a community of youth to
creatively express and advocate for the focus areas of (i) gender-sensitive freedom
of expression and (ii) ethical and socially responsible media expressions. Through
empowering a network of 350 young future media professionals, the development of
Incubator Spaces at 3 selected Universities and of modules for capacity building
future professionals will be trained and media products will be generated, in a
gender-sensitive, ethical and socially responsible manner.
For the creation of new media products, students were given the opportunity to first
pitch their ideas in an idea market organized in the incubator spaces and, from
thereon, guided by mentors to develop quality media products that promote and
strengthen freedom of expression in these areas. Further, the new media products
highlight issues faced by women and communities that are otherwise ignored or
receive inadequate attention.
The action also contributed to gender-balanced freedom of expression by
empowering women in media and amplifying the experiences and voices of
otherwise silenced women. Three planned advocacy initiatives, district-level
dialogues with decision-makers and online campaigns will be implemented on the
selected focus areas. The project action’s objective will be achieved through the
delivery of 3 main Outputs: O1: 1 innovative, socially responsible network of 350
future journalists and media professionals is created and activated (communities
of which 3 of approximately 100 Mass Media and Communication students in the
Universities of Colombo, Jaffna and Peradeniya / Kandy and 50 students of the
South-Eastern University / Batticoloa). O2: 3 “Incubator Spaces” (1 in each
University of Colombo, Jaffna and Peradeniya / Kandy) are established as a
replicable model; 150 media products (from diverse media categories including
short-films, photography and digital stories) and 2 research outputs are generated,
focusing on (i) gender-sensitive freedom of expression and (ii) ethical and socially
responsible media expressions. O3: 3 advocacy initiatives (including 10 districtslevel dialogues with decision-makers) are conducted based on district-wise research.
Under the output 3, Helvetas and SDJF is responsible for the implementation of
Activity 3.3 as detailed below.
Activity.3.3: Outreach initiatives (4 per District) to present media products: The new
media products will be shared among a wider audience of women and youth groups,
university students, high school students from intervention districts, active users of
digital space, community networks and members of CBOs, projecting issues to be
voiced through new media products designed. HELVETAS and SDJF will ensure that
16 outreach initiatives (each targeting 250 persons, total of 4,000) such as
exhibitions, street dramas, people’s forums, panel discussions will be organized to
enable wider dissemination of the media products and discussion of issues around
freedom of expression among the wider audience. Officials of local government
institutions and other stakeholders with access to the new media products will benefit
from exposure to the issues faced by these groups.
Considering the time restriction and importance of the activity, the project is seeking
to conduct these outreach activities by using Forum Theatre or Street drama to
reach intended audience and numbers with the guidance of SDJF.
SDJF is looking for an experienced performing arts company or institution to take up
this task and complete it in a time period of two months.
The roles and responsibilities of a performing arts company/institution
1. Proposal submission: Interested companies should submit a proposal to
SDJF outlining the methodology and strategy to reach a wider audience and
initiate dialogues under this program and outlining the tentative timeline and
cost structure to complete the 16-performances including all costs related to
the performance.
2. Selection of artists/Crew: It is solely the responsibility of the company to select
appropriate artists/crew members to deliver the target. The company should
pay attention to gender and language diversity when selecting artists.
3. Training on concept and script writing: Upon selection of all artists, SDJF will
facilitate a two days conceptual training for the selected artists with the
facilitation of the company and finally develop a script for the performances.
4. Prepare the performance calendar and submit it to SDJF for approval.
5. Conduct 4 performances per district for a total 16 performances.
6. The company is responsible for the reporting of each performance with the
number of interventions, type of interventions, and output of the performance
to SDJF.
7. The company should submit the final report to SDJF highlighting the key
features of the performances.
Target Group
1. The company is expected to reach the following target group when
conducting a forum theatre.
? Women organization representatives
? Youth groups and their representatives
? University students
? High school students (A/L or O/L)
? Members of CBO
? Active users of digital media (Journalists) and
? Community members.
2. The company is expected to have at least 250 persons/individuals per
performance and reach at least 4000 persons through 16 performances.
The company should demonstrate the evidence for the participants
(Attendance sheets).
3. The performance should target Jaffna, Kandy, Ampara and Colombo
districts.
Qualification and Experience
? Demonstrate the relevant qualification related to performing arts and special
focus on Forum Theatre.
? Demonstrate at least 3 years’ experience in delivering forum theatre
performances.
? Demonstrate the capacity of the company in term of artists, crew members,
etc
? Demonstrate the financial management capacity of the company to engage
with this assignment.
? Should be registered in Sri Lanka.
? Able to travel across the country and do the performances.
How to apply:
Interested companies/organizations are requested to submit:
? A short proposal including the budget.
? A cover letter that describes why the company/organization is the most
suitable to undertake this assignment. (Should include a list of projects/similar
assignments carried out within the last 03 years.)
? Copy of the registration of the company/organization if applicable.
? The focal point for coordination from the company/organization if applicable.
Please send in your applications to procurement@ldjf.org on or before 26th January
2023
 

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