The Artist’s Archive: The Traces of Independent and Community Theatre

Abstract

The final ‘in conversation’ keynote at the 2023 ADSA conference brought together representatives from two South Australian theatre companies: Fleur Kilpatrick from Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) and Nescha Jelk from ActNow Theatre, to reflect on archives and archiving in relation to their work both as independent artists and through their roles in these companies. Chaired by Tiffany Knight, the discussion covered the role of documenting practice, embodied archives and the sustainable sharing of practices and processes in the small to medium sector. Given it was not recorded at the time (an ironic oversight given the theme of the conference!), it also proved ephemeral. Six months later the band was brought back together, along with Sarah Peters and Kirste Vandergiessen, to recreate the conversation and to deepen and expand the reflection on the role of archives and archiving. 

Kirste and Fleur describe the growing complexity of the work at Riverland Youth Theatre which has grown well beyond purely a ‘theatre’ company. Everything from visual art classes for adults, music and movement for pre-schoolers, Dungeons and Dragons sessions, weekly drama workshops and major performance projects is now part of their activities. For Fleur, archiving connects intrinsically to how they tell the story of RYT, how they advocate for what they do for and with their local community to funding bodies and government agencies, and how they document and share the impact of their work. This relational frame around archiving practice is also resonant in Nescha’s reflection on the community engagement that ActNow Theatre undertakes. Their emphasis on community consultation, on valuing the community’s needs and interests and ensuring this informs their programming, becomes part of the archive they are building about what matters to people, now. A common thread throughout the conversation for all participants is the role of artistry and relationship in their archiving practice, and the importance of celebrating and remembering the work of those who have gone before.