By Laura Zee
In March 2020, the San Ysidro border crossing closed to nonessential travel. This could have left some binational community members unable to access Globe programs. However, arts engagement programming moved entirely online at the same time. Building artistic, digital programs reduced the relevance of physical borders during a time in history that highlighted the relevance of globe-wide connections.
Now, for the first time ever, The Old Globe’s arts engagement programs are launching in Tijuana in 2022. The international collaborations that sprang up in the digital programming era will continue, starting with two Detrás del Telón theatre design workshop series and the spring Globe for All Tour of Mala. First-time partnerships include Tijuana Hace Teatro, a company offering arts programs, performances, and devised community-based theatre, and Centro Cultural Tijuana, a huge cultural hub of free and low-cost programs and presentations of performing and fine arts.
The digital versions of arts engagement programs like Spanish-language design workshop Detrás del Telón, community gathering Breaking Bread, and Mad Libs–inspired collaboration Word Up! were specifically shaped to welcome our neighbors 20 minutes south in Tijuana as collaborators and participants, along with our neighbors stretched across North County, East County, South Bay, and more. The engagement and impact of these programs demonstrated a strong readiness and benefit for community members on both sides of the border to engage with each other through the arts. Now, as programming moves back in person, we continue developing binational partnerships to hold physical space for our Tijuana neighbors, reflecting the digital space that proved so significant in our mission to make theatre matter to more people.
At the helm of this new development is Valeria Vega, a Tijuana-based, binational, multifaceted theatre artist. Since Valeria joined the Teaching Artist team in 2018, she has crossed the border daily to provide creative experiences and opportunities to community members across San Diego. She advocated for the value of binational programming and laid the groundwork for it, and now leads the exploration of how engagement across the border can support the values and mission of The Old Globe and build partnerships and procedures.
“Every time I crossed the border, I imagined I was bringing these two great cities together, and every back and forth made that feeling stronger,” said Vega. “Now that the giant leap is done, we must continue running and keep uniting humanity through theatre.”
Stay tuned for more information about developing partnerships and opportunities to support this work.
Photo by Beto Soto.
