Milestones

2023

2022

8-9 Dec Liu Xiaoyi delivered his speech “Crossing-overs as Strategy” during The 1st International Symposium on Contemporary Asian Theatre (ISCAT), organised by University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

14-21 Nov as part of the team of Zuni Icosahedron, Liu Xiaoyi traveled to Chulalongkorn University of Bangkok, Thailand to participate in a series of cultural exchange programmes, where he co-chair a cultural conference and conducted several exchange workshops.

10-20 Nov Emergency Stairs collaborated with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) to present two productions: Offending the Audience (directed by Ang Gey Pin) and Dream School 理想学校 (directed by Li Xie).

11 Nov Liu Xiaoyi received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Nanyang Technological University

10 Oct-8 Nov Liu Xiaoyi took part in the Online Residency program “Let’s (not) Talk about Political Correctness” by OpenScape. OpenScape is an initiative of Reso – Swiss Dance Network and supported by the Transformation Fund of Canton Zurich and Pro Helvetia.

21 Sep Liu Xiaoyi was invited to be a guest lecturer at the Tokyo Art Festival Farm and gave a lecture on the topic of “Digitalization as a Strategy”.

9-26 Sep as part of the team of Zuni Icosahedron, Liu Xiaoyi traveled to Wrocław and Gdańsk of Poland to participate in the Inlandimensional International Arts Festival, where he co-chair a cultural symposium and conducted several physical workshops and lectures.

4-14 Aug  Liu Xiaoyi was invited to be one of three international curators for Summerworks Festival (Toronto)’s Artists at Work programme. He invited Chinese artist Xiao Ke to co-create an online work: The Other Side of the Story.

1 Jul  Liu Xiaoyi departed for Hong Kong for his second residency at Zuni Icosahedron.

1 Jun  24 new members from 12 cities have joined the second edition (2022-2024) of Emergency Academy.

31 Mar  16 artists from 10 cities has completed their 2-year journey in the first edition (2020-2022) of Emergency Academy.

31 Mar  Writing with AI concluded.

22 Mar The Spirits Play Online concluded

2021

15 Oct  Liu Xiaoyi started Writing with AI, which is part of Emergency Stairs’ No More Theatre, an exploration of new theatre forms. 

15 Sep  Liu Xiaoyi started The Spirits Play Online, which is part of Emergency Stairs’ The Future Aisa Project, a continuation of the Southernmost Project and a long-term intercultural exchange and performance creation. 

12 Jul  The launch of The Decameron 十日谈 – an online programme consisting of a series of dialogues between Danny Yung (Hong Kong) and Liu Xiaoyi. 

18 May  Asian City Crossings is published. This book edited by Rossella Ferrari and Ashley Thorpe, is the first volume to examine the relationship between the city and performance from an Asian perspective. As one of the contributors, Liu Xiaoyi discusses the concept of The Southernmost project in the book. 

17 Apr  Liu Xiaoyi was invited to Hong Kong to be the artists-in-residence 2021 of Zuni Icosahedron.

31 MarNo More Theatre, a research and development project supported under Liu Xiaoyi’s Young’s Young Artist Award Grant concluded.

29- 30 Jan  Emergency Shelter presented OFFSTAGE 3.0 under the M1 Fringe in venue as well as online (in response to COVID-19 social distancing rules)

2020

23 Nov – Emergency Stairs produced The Postdramatic Series- Pushing Boundaries, a video project capturing the three Huayi commissions.

20 Nov  Emergency Stairs produced Southernmost- Crossing Boundaries, a video project capturing the first three instalments of its intercultural festival, the Southernmost Project.

17 Nov  Emergency Stairs updated its logo designed by Feral.

13 Nov  Liu Xiaoyi was invited to the 2020 FACP Kaohsiung Online Conference Weiwuying International Symposium to share his exploration and future plan of working with Artificial Intelligence.

6 Jul The launch of Trialogue – a three artists online dialogue series started during the COVID19 pandemic, initiated by Liu Xiaoyi and brought together River Lin (Paris/Taipei) and Wang Chong (Beijing).

3 May  Emergency Academy batch one (2020-2022) started.

31 Mar  Emergency Stairs left the National Arts Council Seed Grant Scheme.

25 Mar  Emergency Stairs moved out from STAIRCASE to Xiaoyi’s residence after the three year lease ended.

1 Mar Liu Xiaoyi was invited to be part of the international curating board for Re-Connect Online Performance Festival, which uses digital media technologies to reconnect artists and audiences during the social distancing era. The first edition of the festival took place between March 25-April 17, featuring 45 live performances and 20 lecture or panel discussions.

2019

5-10 Nov Emergency Stairs, together with Zuni Icosahedron (Hong Kong) presented the third Southernmost Project (Journey to a Dream) in Centre 42.

12 Jun- 25 Nov  Emergency Stairs consolidated its international exchange programme, One Table Many Chairs Project, supported by the NAC Capability Development Partnership.

8 July  Emergency Shelter assembled- year three.

22 Apr- 8 Jun  Emergency Shelter opened the creative processes behind OFFSTAGE 2.0 to audiences in STAIRCASE.

19- 23 Feb  Esplanade commissioned Emergency Stairs’ production, Four Four Eight in Huayi- Chinese Festival of Arts 2019.

2018

29 Dec  Liu Xiaoyi submitted his proposal for the Young Artist Award Grant for an experimental art project that traverses both the arts and technology, No More Theatre series.

2-11 Nov  Emergency Stairs presented the second Southernmost Project (Journey to Nowhere) in Centre 42.

29 Aug- 29 Oct  Emergency Stairs embarked on its second international exchange programme, One Table Two Chairs International.

16 July  Emergency Shelter assembled- year two.

30 May- 3 June  Emergency Shelter’s first production, OFFSTAGE presented in STAIRCASE.

1 May  Emergency Stairs moved into its first space, STAIRCASE located at Soon Wing Industrial Building, #06-14.

1-4 Mar  Esplanade commissioned Emergency Stairs’ production, Einstein in the Carpark in Huayi- Chinese Festival of Arts 2018.

2017

12-24 Dec  Emergency Stairs presented the inaugural Southernmost Project in the Arts House.

9 Sep-9 Dec  Emergency Stairs embarked on its first international exchange programme, One Table Two Chairs International.

1 July  Emergency Shelter assembled- year one.

20 June  Emergency Stairs Ltd incorporated as a company limited by guarantee.

1 April  Emergency Stairs received the National Arts Council Seed Grant from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020.

10-12 Feb  Esplanade commissioned Emergency Stairs’ first production, Offending the Audience in Huayi- Chinese Festival of Arts 2017.

1 Feb  First logo design finalised; designed by Huang Suhuai.

2016

29 Dec  Emergency Stairs applied to National Arts Council Seed Grant Scheme.

Nov-Dec  After several meetings, the four founding members made the decision to establish Emergency Stairs.

4 Oct  Liu Xiaoyi received the Young Artist Award, Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners.