Laura Crow
OISTAT Costume Working Group

USITT's Costume Design & Technology Commission helps to support the OISTAT, International Organization of Scenographers, Architects, and Technicians website for its Costume Working Group at www.costumes.uconn.edu.

The more than 400 pages on the website show a number of international resources available to USITT members. There is a page that has the "Addresses for working group members" from 45 countries. Most have e-mail addresses now, and they are all committed to be resources to others who wish information. Each one has an interest in cultural exchange and can read English, so everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this offer to foster international exchanges.

The website is in the process of being updated so it will be easier to access the freshly updated pages without having to go through the entire site to find what is new.

The OISTAT Costume Working Group last met in Cuba during the summer of 2004 to host a World Carnival Symposium. There were representatives from 15 countries, and many of them had a reunion in Toronto in March 2005 during the OISTAT World Congress and USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo.

The next potential event will be in Antwerp in March 2006 for a symposium with Belgian fashion designers to discuss "Costume and Fashion." Other invitations have been proffered by Israel to create an event based on "Fabric, Light, and Costume," and from Rumania to discuss "The Uses of Folk Costume in Theatre."

There is considerable interest in working out an event with India, and that is being explored. The group is working on potential projects for the Prague Quadrennial in June 2007. Anyone interested in planning or participating should e-mail Laura.Crow@uconn.edu.

All are urged to keep in touch via the Events pages of the Costume Working Group web site

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