gatherings at the 50th anniversary of the canadian association for theatre research
University of VICTORIA, VICTORIA (BRITISH COLUMBIA)
May 25 - 29, 2026
The Gatherings Partnership had a large and lively presence at CATR 2026, appearing across panels, anniversary events, project activations, and informal spaces of memory-sharing throughout the conference. As CATR marked its 50th anniversary, Gatherings invited attendees to reflect on the relationships, conversations, archives, and performance histories that have shaped the association and the wider field. This presence included an anniversary interview project, a memory booth, a project booth with participatory activations, and a capstone panel that marked the first live iteration of the Gatherings Roadshow. Together, these offerings created opportunities for attendees to pause, share stories, encounter archives in new ways, and think collectively about how the histories of Canadian theatre and performance are gathered, held, and passed on.
Gatherings also extends warm congratulations to Co-Director Sasha Kovacs and Project Manager Sarah Robbins, who co-organized this year’s conference and helped make CATR 2026 such a generous space for celebration, reflection, and exchange.
CATR @ 50:
An Interview Project
A still-growing series of interviews with CATR founders and members from across the organization’s 50 years
Sharing the Project through Activations
The Gatherings table invited conference attendees to explore the project through audio interviews, our Chapbook series, and an interactive archive map.
A Curated Panel & Live ‘Roadshow’
featuring Gatherings co-investigators and contributors: Jill Carter, Stephen Johnson, Heather Fitzsimmons Frey, Jimena Ortuzar, Jacob Pittini, and Robert Motum.
