International Collaboration
One Table Many Chairs (2017-2019)
Without dialogue, there wouldn’t be development;
Without exchange, there wouldn’t be progress.
One Table Many Chairs is an international exchange programme that aims to establish an in-depth and reciprocal regional network invested in the cultivation of Singapore-based cultural leaders with a keen interest to work regionally.
Since 2011, Liu Xiaoyi has spent years engaging and collaborating with artists and arts groups from different cities and institutions across Asia. The establishment of Emergency Stairs in 2017 finally allowed us to consolidate the exchanges networks and platforms into the One Table Many Chairs programme.
Together with the Southernmost Project that brings artists from the region to Singapore for exchange and dialogue, the Emergency Stairs created an invaluable, two-way network where cross-border exchanges and creations can happen both inside and outside of Singapore. The experiment focuses on the long-term, and emphasizes not on one-off experiences but sustained collaborations over time and space.
Through the programme, we aim to develop an exchange model that promotes deeper cross-disciplinary and cross-regional exchanges.
*This project is supported by NAC’s Capability Development Grant in 2017-2018 and by NAC’s Capacity Development Partnership in 2019
2019
21-25 Nov / Jakarta
Programme: International Collaboration 2019
Organiser: LKP Tari Natya Lakshita Didik Nini Thowok
Venue: Salihara Arts Centre
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Sabrina Sng, Amin Farid
15-21 Nov / Bali
Programme: International Collaboration 2019
Organiser: LKP Tari Natya Lakshita Didik Nini Thowok
Venue: ISI Denpasar
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Sabrina Sng, Amin Farid
13-15 Nov / Yogyakarta
Programme: International Collaboration 2019
Organiser: LKP Tari Natya Lakshita Didik Nini Thowok
Venue: ISI Yogyakarta
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Sabrina Sng, Amin Farid
13-19 Nov / Kortrijk
Programme: the Atelier for Young Festival Managers NEXT
Organiser: The Festival Academy
Venue: Budafabriek
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
22-27 Oct / Shanghai
Programme: Urban Cultural Exchange Conference 2019 Annual Meeting
Organiser: Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
Venue: Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Grace Lee
1-16 Sep / Hong Kong
Programme: One Belt One Road Cross Cultural Exchange Research and Experimental Theatre Touring Program 2019
Organiser: Zuni Icosahedron
Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Jo Lim, Sabrina Sng, Amin Farid
21-23 Aug / Yogyakarta
Programme: Strategic Research Study (Southeast Asia)
Organiser: Emergency Stairs
Venue: ISI (Indonesian Institute of Arts) Yogyakarta, Bagong Kussudiardja Foundation, LKP Tari Natya Lakshita Didik Nini Thowok
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
15-16 Aug / Kuala Lumpur
Programme: Strategic Research Study (Southeast Asia)
Organiser: Emergency Stairs
Venue: Five Arts Centre, INXO Arts and Culture Foundation
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
14-15 Aug / Phnom Penh
Programme: Strategic Research Study (Southeast Asia)
Organiser: Emergency Stairs
Venue: Prumsodun Ok & NATYARASA, Amrita Performing Arts
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
13-14 Aug / Bangkok
Programme: Strategic Research Study (Southeast Asia)
Organiser: Emergency Stairs
Venue: Unfolding Kafka Festival, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Singapore Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
2018
8-20 Oct / Hong Kong
Programme: Creative Playground 2018
Organiser: Eurasia Belt Road Cross-Cultural Exchange Program, Zuni Icosahedron
Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Chanel Chan, Zachary Ho
23 Sep-7 Oct / Taipei
Programme: Euro-Asia Young Performing Artists cross-cultural exchange and education program
Organiser: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts
Venue: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
2017
6-11 Dec / Hong Kong
Programme: Belt Road Cities Exchange Conference
Organiser: Zuni Icosahedron
Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi, Chong Woon Yong
11-25 Nov / Taipei
Programme: Euro-Asia Young Performing Artists cross-cultural exchange and education program
Organiser: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts
Venue: National Taiwan College of Performing Arts
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
11 Sep-6 Oct / Zurich
Programme: Euro-Asia Young Performing Artists Cross-Cultural Exchange and Education Program
Organiser: Zurich University of the Arts
Venue: Zurich University of the Arts
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
9-10 Sep / London
Programme: Asian City-to-City Collaboration and Performing Arts Exchange
Organiser: SOAS University of London
Venue: SOAS University of London
Participants: Liu Xiaoyi
The Wharf Workshop (2018-2019)
The Wharf Workshop is an international theatre camp for young people organized by Wakabacho Wharf (Yokohama). It is co-curated by Makoto Sato (Tokyo) and Xiaoyi Liu (Singapore) in 2018 and 2019. Prior to the pandemic, The Wharf Workshop have been organizing gatherings for young artists active in neighboring Asian cities to learn from each other and build a network of young artists in Japan and internationally.
Wakabacho Wharf, which opened in 2017, is an arts center with a small theater, studio and dormitory-style accommodations. It is a space established by playwright and director Makoto Sato as a base for his theater activities.
2019
17 Jul- 5 Aug / Yokohama
Programme: The Wharf Workshop
Organiser: Wakabacho Wharf
Curators: Makoto Satoh, Liu Xiaoyi
2018
29 Aug-17 Sep / Yokohama
Programme: The Wharf Workshop
Organiser: Wakabacho Wharf
Curators: Makoto Satoh, Liu Xiaoyi
One Table Two Chairs Meeting (2016-2018)
One Table Two Chairs Meeting was a 3-year series of Asian experimental theatre exchange at the Za-Koenji Theatre. Emergency Stairs’ Liu Xiaoyi has been invited to participate in the festival for three consecutive years as a director, and has presented three works in Tokyo.
ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre is a theatre for contemporary performing arts. The theatre is funded by the city of Suginami in Tokyo and managed by Creative Theatre Network (CTN), a non-profit organization. The theatre produces, presents and supports a wide range of cultural activities for the community of Suginami, enabling people of all ages to see and take part in many art forms from drama and dance to music and storytelling.
2018
20 – 28 Oct / Tokyo
Programme: One Table Two Chairs Meeting
Journey to Nowhere
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Didik Nini Thowok (Yogyakarta) & Kanji Shimizu (Tokyo)
2017
20 – 29 Oct / Tokyo
Programme: One Table Two Chairs Meeting
Journey to the South
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Didik Nini Thowok (Yogyakarta) & Wang Bing (Nanjing)
2016
17 – 23 Oct / Tokyo
Programme: One Table Two Chairs Meeting
Descendants 400
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Okorn-Kuo Jing Hong (Graz) & Liu Xiaoyun (Nanjing)
Toki Arts Festival (2012-2016)
Co-Presented & Produced by: Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera House (Nanjing), Zuni Icosahedron (Hong Kong) and Japan Foundation (Tokyo), Toki International Arts Festival / Toki Experimental Project encompasses a rich programme of workshops, lectures, creative camps as well as an arts festival. The project is an endeavor to enhance interaction between Asian performing arts masters and young Kunqu opera artists, to facilitate young traditonal performing artists who are well grounded in traditional knowledge and techniques, and to attempt to stimulate innovation and experimentation in the context that traditional performing arts sees immense challenges for its development and preservation.
Liu Xiaoyi has participated in the festival as a guest artist for five consecutive years and has created four intercultural works in Nanjing and Shanghai between 2013 and 2015.
2015
25 – 31 Oct / Nanjing
Programme: Toki Arts Festival
Descendants – Is
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Hung Chit Wah, Felix (Hong Kong/Singapore) & Zhu Hong (Nanjing)
Descendants – Was
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Zhu Hong (Nanjing) & Zhao Yutao (Nanjing)
2014
3 – 9 Nov / Nanjing
Programme: Toki Arts Festival
Unsound 2
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Zhao Yutao (Nanjing) & Sun Yijun (Nanjing)
2013
25 Dec – 5 Jan 2014 / Nanjing & Shanghai
Programme: Toki Arts Festival
15
Directed by Liu Xiaoyi; Performed by Sun Yijun (Nanjing), Qian Wei (Nanjing) & Cao Zhiwei (Nanjing)
other festivals
2022
9 Aug / Online, Toronto
Programme: Summerworks Festival (Toronto, Canada)
Curated and Produced by Liu Xiaoyi; Created by Liu Xiaoyi & Xiao Ke (Shanghai)