Horizons

a project by
Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards

Horizons embodies three years (2007 to 2009) of intensified relations between
Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards,
The City of Wroclaw, Poland
and
Instytut im. Jerzego Grotowskiego
(formerly: The Center for Studies of Jerzy Grotowski's Work and for the Cultural and Theatrical Research)

Since its beginnings in 1986, the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards has had the continuous support of Fondazione Pontedera Teatro. During the upcoming three years (2007 to 2009), the Workcenter will continue its main research in Pontedera, Italy, developing its long-term practical performing arts inquiry in its home base. However, from 2007 to 2009 the Workcenter will also open its doors eastward with project Horizons.

In 2004, when the Workcenter was present with its performing arts research in Wroclaw, Poland, the Mayor of Wroclaw, Rafal Dutkiewicz, began dialogues with the Workcenter. From these dialogues, which continued in 2005, Thomas Richards has become convinced that the City of Wroclaw is ready to support the Workcenter in a way that is congruous to the needs of the research itself. Due to the continuation of these extremely positive and pro-active meetings, the Workcenter has conceived of project Horizons.

In the project Horizons, each year from 2007 to 2009, the City of Wroclaw will host the Workcenter performing arts research team in residency for three months. The City of Wroclaw will, over the three-year period, support and host the totality of the Workcenter research. The newly founded Instytut im. Jerzego Grotowskiego will act as the fundamental partner and coordinating agent in the frame of this collaboration.

In Wroclaw during project Horizons, the Workcenter will deepen its internal research, hold its performing events, as well as conferences, practical work encounters, exchanges-in-work and potentially conduct film and/or video, photographic and written documentation of the work.