Discussions from the BSIDE forum for independent theatre makers have been posted on The Big Idea forum so you can have your say.

Some of the topics covered and waiting for your input include 'Do we understand who we are making theatre for, is the purpose of NZ theatre being realised, what can be done to foster and empower creative producers and how can we share the love'.Discussions from the BSIDE forum for independent theatre makers have been posted on The Big Idea forum so you can have your say.

Some of the topics covered and waiting for your input include 'Do we understand who we are making theatre for, is the purpose of NZ theatre being realised, what can be done to foster and empower creative producers and how can we share the love'.More than 60 theatre artists participated in the BSIDE forum to talk about issues facing theatre makers at BATS in Wellington on the last weekend of March.

"We really need these kind of events to draw our sector together, and to find ways we can collectively work towards improving working conditions which will lead to more exciting theatre in our region," says committee member Jo Randerson.

The three main points from the BSIDE discussions were:

1. The need for physical space - community meeting space, performance space, resource centre space.
2. The need for an identity - such as a theatre guild - to enable the sector to advocate for itself in the same way as the New Zealand Music Industry has done.
3. Producers - what are we going to do? What would a producing house for New Zealand theatre look like?

The "B" in B-side stands for BATS as the acknowledged home of the independent theatre sector in Wellington. B-side is deliberately not for recurrently funded organisations supported by Creative New Zealand or for other funding organisations.

It is a positive model for the independent theatre sector to get behind itself, build a community and make change. It is about revolution and changing thinking, attitudes and behaviour.

If you would like to know more about BSIDE you can contact them on bsidegt@gmail.com.

If you would like to know more about the Open Space Technology used at the Wellington BSIDE, you can contact Briar Monro on briarmonro@clear.net.nz or go to www.openspaceworld.org

Please continue these discussions and add new discussions to this forum.