Next Mobility is a research project on new international mobility and circulation in the post-pandemic era, jointly developed by KAMS Connection, Performing Arts Market in Seoul (PAMS) and Seoul International Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) under the Korea Arts Management Service. The project is designed to be carried out for three years from 2021 while working in collaboration with various international performing arts festivals, theaters and institutions. It aims to explore what’s beyond the existing realms of international mobility/circulation by sharing information and dialogues, conducting research, and developing and presenting artworks. The result of the research conducted in the first year, 2021 will be shared in two articles. This article is sharing research questions, the development process and findings of Next Mobility as the first of the two, and the second article will share the outcome.

From classic formats to circulate performing arts internationally, to new mobility
If we define circulation as a process in which an artist creates an artwork and that artwork is presented to the audience as consumers, traditional ways of international distribution would include touring, international co-production, and local production and distribution through licensing. However, there have been changes in the format, characteristics and structure of the international performing arts market since 2000. There are two developments behind these changes. Firstly, the increase in the numbers of artworks coming from each country for international circulation has been accelerating, so has the competition as a consequence. Secondly, the emphasis on the development of local audiences has led to diversifying the way artworks are circulated. It manifested itself in the form of localization such as international collaboration or international co-production. In addition, with people paying attention to the value of diversity in culture and art, there was a strengthening of exchange and mobility in the form of residency, research, and creative lab. In other words, the mobility of the people and artists behind the artworks have been brought to center stage rather than the movement of the artworks themselves.

Therefore, international mobility in today’s performing arts sector goes beyond being a simple concept of movement for artwork circulation, and becomes a concept closely related to the sustainability of art. It is a process in which a relationship is established with the local community by the movement of an individual artist, and localization, which moves ideas, thoughts and values, as the transfer takes place in order to continue cultural diversification. And what’s at the heart of sustainability is the movement of artistic values that takes place in the process of experiencing and sharing as well as economic sustainability through income generation.

Mobility in the Post Pandemic Era - Next Mobility
Rapid changes in technology, society and environment in the 21st century have had a great impact on the creation, production, circulation and consumption of the performing arts. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years has had a devastating impact on the performing arts ecosystem, international circulation, and mobility. As direct contact with the audience - a fundamental requirement for performing arts - became impossible, the consumption of artworks became restricted. As international travel became more difficult, international exchanges and circulation were hit hard. The pandemic is presenting safety as a new standard in the creation, production and circulation of the performing arts while calling for an exploration of new or different ways of creation, production, circulation and consumption.

Against this backdrop, Next Mobility in 2021 was carried out in the forms of international forums during PAMS, individual research through KAMS Connection, and internal workshops for sharing experience. First, during the ’PAMS Salon & Next Mobility’ programs of PAMS 2021, new ways were explored in which performing arts can be created, produced, circulated, and consumed. Based on the results of that exploration, the topic of what new international mobility and circulation is for art, artists and artworks in the post pandemic era was discussed at the PAMS. The key questions are as follows. First, how should international mobility, touring, and circulation change in the post-pandemic era and what are the new formats? Second, what is environmentally aware international mobility that can respond to climate change and climate crisis? Third, what is digital mobility that is making transitions along with the development of digital technology?

Participants in 2021 Next Mobility development & research project (ⓒKAMS)

Research structure and format
Next Mobility in 2021 was carried out in the forms of international forums during PAMS, internal workshops for sharing and individual research through KAMS Connection - an initiative for supporting Korean performing arts to be presented on international stages. Last year, KAMS Connection had an open call for research, ‘A Grant for Next Mobility Research and Development (R&D) Project.’ Based on a key phrase, “10 artists and producers bringing changes in creation and production,” research was carried out on cases of contact-free creative activities, gamification theaters, virtual reality, digital performance and physical & virtual creative theater experiments. Another key phrase was "new audience, consumption, international collaboration and circulation." Based on that, there was an analysis of digital audience development of the dance genre, the possibility of collective immersion in a festival held in a non-physical space in the post-pandemic era, and of cases of international co-production. In addition, changes in the trend of international exchange and circulation were investigated from the perspective of green mobility driven by environmental and climate change

Challenges before starting research
In the process of preparing for the series of research above, participants were faced with three challenges as follows. By tackling these challenges, they were able to refine the topics and questions surrounding Next Mobility.

First, the biggest challenge was to remove the confusion caused by the difference in perception among researchers on the concept, or definition of ‘Next Mobility’. While there is a generally agreed concept of distribution/circulation formats such as touring and international co-production, the concept of mobility in performing arts was not clarified amongst researchers, let alone that of ’Next Mobility." That was the first challenge.

The second challenge was that artists didn’t feel as if Next Mobility was an issue at hand. In 2020, the groups that were participating in PAMS choice - one of the PAMS programs - were asked a question: "What is digital connection in international circulation in the pandemic era? And will technological development and the climate crisis change your creation, production, and circulation?" In response to this question, 50% of artists/organizations said they recognized that they should prepare for change. However, they were confused as to which way they should start this process, and had questions. And 30% of the artists were negative about Next Mobility. They had a clear view of the difference between what contact-free art such as art and technology collaboration, or art moved to a digital space, provides, when compared with the sense of liveness that the audience will experience from a performance on a physical stage. On the other hand, about 20% of the artists showed interest in new digital mobility, in which various experiments are taking place using technology and art. These challenges have raised the questions of who is the main target of this research, and who is the outcome for? And that readjusted the individual goals and common goals of the research. Lastly, the biggest challenge emphasized the most important point of this research. It is not the ’mobility/circulation’ itself where the new changes and transitions of international mobility have to take place. But transitions have to take place in the entire value chain of creation, production, circulation, audience and consumption all at the same time. Therefore, it was decided that research should be focused on the changing value chain of performing arts in the format of thematic individual research and workshops in the first year of 2021 rather than ’international mobility/circulation’ itself.

Lastly, the biggest challenge emphasized the most important point of this research. It is not the ’mobility/circulation’ itself where the new changes and transitions of international mobility have to take place. But transitions have to take place in the entire value chain of creation, production, circulation, audience and consumption all at the same time. Therefore, it was decided that research should be focused on the changing value chain of performing arts in the format of thematic individual research and workshops in the first year of 2021 rather than 'international mobility/circulation' itself.

Research questions for the sustainability of art in response to the impact of the pandemic and changes in technology, society, and environment
The key common questions and individual questions in the research process are as follows.

The next article will share findings and analyses from individual research and workshops, and discuss the remaining challenges for Next Mobility in the post-pandemic era.

2021 KAMS Connection - Next Mobility research book