Not lost in translation

Funding programs such as Catalyst encourage cross-cultural collaboration, but there’s more than language barriers to consider when embarking on such projects.
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A scene from The Age of Bones (Jaman Belulang); photo by Sarah Walker.

Embarking on cross-cultural collaborations with international partners inevitably entails complications. As well as such obvious challenges as language barriers and fundraising, cultural differences must also be considered. Even something as simple as allocating rehearsal time for a project can be complicated by the ways artists work overseas.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts