Save the Date
Ingo Normet Conference V
Collective Art in the Age of Individualism
28–29 November 2026, Great Hall, EAMT
The Theatre Department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre will host the fifth instalment of the international Ingo Normet conference series, Collective Art in the Age of Individualism, on 28–29 November 2026 in the Great Hall of EAMT.
A defining feature of collective art is that each participant’s development and performance are intrinsically linked to the contributions of others. In many forms of theatre, the quality and development of an actor’s work depend directly on the extent and depth of their partners’ engagement in the creative process.
In today’s shifting landscape of values and in the context of identity politics, the learning environment has become an increasingly charged and complex space where personal experiences, worldviews and forms of self-identification intersect. Collective practice presupposes a shared language and mutual agreement, yet these can no longer be taken for granted. The boundaries between participation, silence and refusal have become blurred, shaping both collaborative processes and artistic decisions.
A central challenge lies in balancing individual expression, difference and personal needs with the artistic qualities that emerge from collective work, including shared responsibility and common goals. The role of the teacher is no longer limited to guiding artistic processes but increasingly involves mediating ethical, social and political tensions. How can collective work be prevented from fragmenting into opposing individual positions?
The conference invites reflection on pedagogical and artistic strategies that sustain and develop the specific qualities of collective art while empowering the individual, maintaining mutual respect, and supporting the capacity to work together in a context where values are not fixed but continuously evolving.
The conference programme is curated and will bring together invited speakers from different fields, including educators and practitioners in the arts, as well as scholars in education, psychology and mental health from Estonia, the Baltic region and Scandinavia. The programme will feature papers, panel discussions, debates and performative formats.
We warmly welcome teachers, academic coordinators and students in the creative fields, as well as all others with an interest in culture and the arts, to join the discussions.
The conference will take place in both Estonian and English and participation is free of charge.
Further information will be made available on the Theatre Department’s website.
INGO NORMET CONFERENCES 2016–2026
International conference series of the Theatre School of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
I Theatre Pedagogy in a Changing World
10–12 June 2016
Theatre NO99
II Pretext. Space. On Performative Space in the Performing Arts
4–5 May 2018
Theatre NO99
III Theatre Education in Estonia: From Pioneers to Contemporary Directing Studies
28 November 2020
EAMT Black Box
IV Dramaturgy – Mapping Landscapes
7–8 March 2025
Great Hall, EAMT
V Collective Art in the Age of Individualism
28–29 November 2026
Great Hall, EAMT