Apply for the 2017 ENCUENTRO DE LAS AMERICAS FESTIVAL

Two years ago, José Luis Valenzuela and the Latino Theater Company, operators of the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC), produced the 2014 Encuentro: A National Latina/o Theatre Festival ("Encuentro 2014"), in association with the Latina/o Theatre Commons (LTC). Encuentro 2014 ran from October 12-November 10, 2014 and featured fifteen companies from across the US who presented their work in repertory over the course of the Encuentro. Companies worked together to share artistic practice and methodology which culminated in a public performance of the co-created new work at the 2014 LTC Second National Convening, November 6-10, 2014. You can read José Luis Valenzuela's powerful manifesto which was delivered both at the start of the Encuentro and the Convening here, and an interview between Valenzuela and HowlRound Senior Creative Producer Jamie Gahlon here.

Following the success of the 2014 Encuentro, the LATC and LTC are now accepting applications to the 2017 Encuentro de las Americas ("Encuentro 2017"): Celebrating Dynamic Contemporary Latinx and Latin American Theatre, October 29-November 19, 2017. This international festival seeks to bring together Latinx and Latin American artists from across the hemisphere to share work, approaches, and methodologies with other theater makers in the pursuit of a common, multi-faceted understanding of the field at large. This is a one-of-kind experience-ten productions will join the Latino Theater Company and run in repertory in five spaces at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, Thursday to Sunday each week, followed by live music, additional performances, and parties. Participating companies will also work together to create a new work for presentation and will participate in the 2017 LTC International Convening, November 9-12, 2017.

The LATC and the LTC are seeking Latinx and Latin American companies from across the Americas (including Canada, the United States, territories of the USA, Latin America, and the Caribbean) to be in residence in Los Angeles during this three-week Encuentro. This is an open and transparent application process-anyone may apply and all applications will be evaluated by a selection committee consisting of the Latino Theater Company and Latina/o Theatre Commons Steering Committee members from around the country. Applications are due December 1, 2016 at 5pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Download the guidelines and full application HERE.

Direct questions about the application process to Latino Theater Company Program Director, Selene Santiago atselene@thelatc.org.

The values of Encuentro 2017 include Cross-Cultural Collaboration, Exchange of Methodologies, Openness to Risk, and Inclusive Dialogue. All applicants will be evaluated on Relevant Content, Artistic Boldness, Values Alignment with the Goals for Encuentro 2017, Geographic Representation, and Diversity of Aesthetics and Methodology.