Solo Performance: The Independent Creator in the Field of Theater 2013-2023 by Yael Shinkar

In 2023, EVE (the Israeli Association for Independent Creators) initiated a study on independent creators in the field of theater between 2013 and 2023, aiming to create an overview reflecting the scope and dimensions of the independent creators' scene in Israeli theater. It specifically focused on the characteristics of the creators themselves, to assist in advancing pressing issues and policy changes in the field of independent creation in Israel.

The research, conducted between 2023 and 2024, surveyed hundreds of independent creators in Israel. As a preliminary step, several focus groups with independent creators were held to identify the central and essential issues addressed in the survey. Additionally, a list of independent creators to whom the survey was directed was compiled by gathering data from all relevant platforms active between 2013 and 2023, including fringe centers, alternative centers, festivals, EVE's databases, support models for independent creation within relevant Ministry of Culture support criteria, and recipients of grants from the Israel National Lottery Council for Culture and the Arts.

The data collected in the study is presented through seven short stories. These stories highlight the unique needs and behaviors of independent theater creators and attempt to characterize the profile of the independent creator.

The visualizations were presented in an infographic exhibition, displayed in November 2024 at as part of a conference that unveiled the research findings. Under the title "Solo Performance", the exhibition told the story of independent creators as revealed by the research. Selected data from each of the "stories" presented in the study were showcased in the exhibition: the economic story, the gender story, diversity of styles, sources of funding, platforms supporting creation, professional loneliness, resilience and community, and an overall picture of the independent creator's profile based on the collected data.

The visualizations were inspired by plays and familiar imagery from the world of theater and performance art. The design inspirations were carefully chosen to create an intriguing connection between the research content and the world of the stage.