So, WSD2013 is upon us. A celebration of international performance design that will be in and around the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, for the next ten days. But it's not just designers who should be getting excited, anyone who has anything to do with performance will find something new and exciting on the bill, with performances, demonstrations, workshops and lectures from all over the world. Here's my itinerary...

There will be three Key Notes Speeches on ‘Changing Places’. The most intriguing for me being Ghosts, where we'll hear from four of the most famous and formative British theatre designers, John Bury, Alan Tagg, Sean Kenny and Richard Negri. Think iconic premier productions, Tony awards and prolific careers spanning decades, the twist of course being that these groundbreaking designers have been sadly deceased for over sixty years between them. They’ll be speaking to us “through methods of communication never attempted before at World Stage Design”!

I’ll also be hoping to catch the second of these speeches, where Tel Aviv artist Yaron Abulafia talks about his Light as Art approach to scenography.

Projection and Image Mapping presentations will explore and demonstrate the possibilities of projection. So a great session for any theatre makers curious as to how this technology could work for you!

In the One Line workshop you can work with Andreas Skourtis (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama) to devise a short performance responding to the architecture of Room 3.18 (wherever that is). There’s some slightly bemusing talk of visible and invisible geometries but the chance to create “moving scenography” in response to existing architecture has to be worth a look for anyone interested in making site-specific work.

As is Strange Spaces, this “walk for the contemplative and curious” devised by RWCMD senior lecturer and MA Theatre designers sounds as though it has the potential to be inspiring. 

If you’re any good with a sewing machine (basic proficiency is a requirement) Costume Upcycling with Lise Klitten sounds great! Working with unused clothing and unusual materials to create, experiment and explore the aesthetic communication of costume and different facets of femininity/masculinity (depending on your workshop choice). How does costume tell the stories we want it to. 

Live sound effects can serve a production in a way that recorded sound just can’t. Dora Stoutzker’s workshop, La Folie explores the interaction of the drama of the play and the drama of the technological process. If you’re still not excited see the trailer for Katie Mitchell’s Waves for a masterclass in the possibilities  of the art of foley.

Bread and Goose perform their interactive ‘tour’ of the human brain, The Incurable Imagination of Anthony Jones.
This young company has done a lot in a short time with an exciting list of collaborators. They create playful, immersive work and this piece about memories was developed in Cardiff at WMC’s Incubator.

Milla Virtanen and Company present It’s All Over Now Baby Blue. This solo investigation into the subconscious promises the surreal and thrilling, in a collision of dance, physical theatre and animation. I’m intrigued as to how the disciplines come together. 

The Trans-Plantable Living Room is the culmination of work by an international collective of artists with local gardener’s in Cardiff’s Riverside Community Gardens this summer. Building on Australian scenographer Tanja Beer’s ‘Living Stage’ work, the collective have designed, built and planted an entirely edible set that will host a new performance about our relationship to our changing environment.
This project brings sustainability to a local level. Not a polar bear in sight. 

From Russian University of Theatre Arts, Girls is a story of love, life and death and a departure from a classical puppet show using objects and figures. I haven’t seen much puppetry and I’m keen to see that it’s not just for kid’s shows. 

This is just my ‘to-do’ list and there’s so much more on offer that could re-shape your relationship with well loved tools and practices, open up a wealth of new possibilities, entertain or inspire. Whatever your thing is, you shouldn’t overlook this amazing collection on our doorstep. Check out the website here to pick your highlights and book your tickets (some are selling out already..).

Mxx