Critical Acclaim - Performance Reviews of Ten Days

Seven Tasmanian writers will be honing their skills in reviewing theatre, dance and new media performances during Ten Days on the Island, the Minister for Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts, Michelle O'Byrne, said today.

Ms O'Byrne said the joint initiative of arts@work and Ten Days on the Island, Critical Acclaim, is a professional development course aimed at increasing the quality and calibre of critical review and writing in Tasmania.

"Critical analysis, discussion and review are essential to the continued development of our performing arts sector," she said.

"It is an important part of the Critical Acclaim process that the participant's reviews are shared with Tasmanian audiences as this develops dialogue between artists, their work and the broader community."

Participants include animater and creative producer Lucy Wilson Magnus, artist, designer and curator Sara Wright, visual and performing arts agent, manager and producer Kylie Eastley, actor Mark Cutler, book editor and reviewer Stephanie Cahalan, actor and writer Anica Boulanger-Mashberg and project manager, actor and writer Gai Anderson.

"The Critical Acclaim program includes a range of performance experiences, guest speakers and ideas on reviewing and critical writing with participants attending up to 30 performances, events and forums," Ms O'Byrne said.

Critical Acclaim facilitators include National Theatre critics Alison Croggon and James Waites, director of Playwriting Australia Chris Mead; editor of Art Monthly Maurice O'Riordan, art critic and curator Sean Kelly, theatre critic, director and actor Robert Jarman, actor, dramaturg and producer Iain Lang, dance critic and educator Lesley Graham and producer-director Annette Downs.

"The facilitators will work with participants to sub edit their reviews which will be published across 15 on-line and hard copy publications including The Examiner, ArtsHub, Tasmanian Times, Stock, The Dwarf, 40 Degrees South, Australian Stage and the Arts Tasmania Website."

Show reviews will be available on the Arts Tasmania website from 27 March.

To view them visit: www.arts.tas.gov.au/criticalacclaim