Estonian Academy of Arts doctoral thesis: streaming theatre makes performing arts more accessible

A new doctoral thesis from the Estonian Academy of Arts examines streaming theatre as an entirely new and interactive art form. The research argues that streaming theatre has significant potential to make theatre more accessible to new audiences.

A newly completed doctoral thesis at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) in Tallinn explores streaming theatre — or "voogteater" — as a groundbreaking and interactive art form that fundamentally changes the relationship between performer and audience.

According to the thesis, streaming theatre transforms the traditional viewer into a co-author of the work itself. Rather than passively observing a performance, audiences in a streaming theatre context actively participate in shaping the experience, blurring the lines between creator and spectator.

The author argues that this emerging art form holds considerable promise for broadening the reach of performing arts. By removing physical and geographical barriers, streaming theatre could attract new audiences who might otherwise never attend a live theatrical production.

The research positions streaming theatre not merely as a digital adaptation of conventional theatre, but as a wholly distinct artistic category with its own aesthetic principles and interactive possibilities. EKA, Estonia's leading institution for art and design education, has increasingly supported research into the intersections of technology and contemporary art forms.