A Statement from the Steering Committee

A recent social media post naming the SATAs kick -tarted a community conversation around our assessment process and anti-bias policies. The steering committee continuously has these discussions, with input from the community, adjusting policies and practice in an attempt to serve local artists. No system of subjective arts assessment will ever be perfect, but integrity is a central concern of the committee, including ensuring IBPOC representation on both the steering committee and assessment panel. 

 

Given the ongoing conversation, the committee is taking this opportunity to show our full support for the decisions made by the assessment panel this season. We can assure that every show registered and approved according to the criteria previously agreed upon, was given due consideration in attendance and review. The work of engaging in critical analysis is not easy, and we are grateful for the volunteers who take on an unforgiving task with no possible perfect outcome, hoping that somehow they make a positive difference. 

 

The SATAs are arts awards given for outstanding arts excellence. The assessment panel attended over 35 productions last year, tasked with assessing those elements that stood out as artistically excellent and impactful. The panel considers the artistic work presented: the show as it exists from the rise of the curtain to the applause at the end. To ask the panel to fairly consider all additional factors - community impact, creation practices, source material, artist experience, etc. - is currently beyond our scope as an organization, and brings up additional implicit bias concerns. We, as a committee, cannot, and should not, be arbiters of theatre-making practice in the community, nor can we ask the panel to assess production ethos in this way. In its current form, the panel assesses the artistic achievement and outstanding quality of what is presented on stage. 

 

But we also believe the post in question was not intended as an indictment of the SATAs. 

 

Rather, in light of the absence of direct recognition of The Wives. The Concubines. The Ritual. from the SATA panel, a member of the creative team took the opportunity to highlight the incredible work done in pursuit of other objectives - community impact, creation practice, artist relationship, audience outreach - and to ask how these things are recognized and celebrated in the community. 

 

A few seasons ago, observing the need to highlight impact beyond our capacity for arts assessment, the SATA committee decided to begin implementing the Community Builder Award as a special category receiving open nominations from the public - an attempt to recognize the areas not covered by the panel, and ask for help in identifying important community contributions. While much support for the community-building impact of The Wives. The Concubines. The Ritual. has come to light following the recent post, there was notable lack of support in nomination for the Community Builder Award beforehand. The committee is addressing our own practices in how we disseminate calls like this so that the public sees and understands them, but in this instance, support came as a response, not an initiation. 

 

This seems to be more in line with the intent behind what the post is calling out.

 

How does the community show support to IBPOC artists, and does it come as an initiation or a response?

 

What does the community do to elevate the IBPOC artists doing incredible work, in order to help them achieve outstanding artistic excellence? 

 

Why are IBPOC artists still underrepresented in Saskatoon theatre, on and off stage?

 

What resources, mentorship, and grace to grow are given to artists systematically denied opportunities, and is it a necessary practice of the community, or a begrudging response to repeated requests? 

 

In a market where producers are continuously bemoaning how to bring in new audiences, why is no one highlighting productions that have succeeded, or finding pathways to learn from the knowledge they bring? 

 

Most notably of all - how is feedback practiced in the community?

 

The SATAs serve as an excellent way to begin conversations around critical engagement and artistic feedback, and do so through the lens of celebration - uplifting some of those things identified by the community as excellent. 

 

It is a disservice to all emerging and practising theatre artists if the only community feedback they receive comes from an awards ceremony. We hope that artists do not rely on the SATAs as the only way to engage with their work through a critical lens. Conversations around how we talk critically about the work, and how we engage in useful feedback are integral to the health of our community. We believe this is being called to attention at this moment. 

 

How are community leaders engaging in healthy, useful, productive artistic feedback?

 

The SATA gala is a celebration, and is accomplished entirely through the efforts of volunteers. We are not perfect in practice, but we believe we are in alignment with best practices to achieve a celebration like this, at this time. We stand by the nominations for the season. Anyone interested in further engaging in the practice and policies of the SATAs is invited to reach out about joining the steering committee; we are always in need.