Every two years, the ASTC-USITT Venue Renovation Challenge is presented during the USITT Conference. Because USITT has announced the 2021 conference will be held virtually, ASTC worked with USITT to make changes to ensure the Challenge can continue. In an effort to make participation easier by all USITT attendees, the presentations have been moved to Friday, April 9, 2021 at 2pm Eastern Time. The presentation will occur as a YouTube event.

ASTC chair for the Challenge, Van Phillips, ASTC worked out the details with USITT Executive Director, David Grindle. Both feel that by separating the event from the overall conference, more people can see the presentations. This year there are five teams vying for ASTC’s Edgar L. Lustig Honor Award and the Director’s Award, sponsored by USITT.

The ASTC-USITT Venue Renovation Challenge is conducted in two parts, with participants creating and submitting a design project and then presenting their design during a conference session. University students, working alongside an ASTC mentor, develop a theoretical design to modify or renovate an existing performance venue or other found space. More details about the event can be found at www.theatreconsultants.org/astc-usitt-challenge/ and will be available as part of the USITT conference schedule when it is publicized.

By Paul Sanow, ASTC