Merete Elnan, Associate Professor in Theatre, has broad experience in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA). As a theater-practitioner, teacher and researcher Elnan has been interested in how children, teenagers and childhood are presented on stage, and what kind of thematic content and formal expression is applied in TYA. Elnan has followed the work of Suzanne Osten and the ensemble Unga Klara for decades and has several publications which analyse Osten’s work.
Elnan was board member of the Norwegian Assitej between 2011-17, she is now part of the board for ITYARN (the International Theatre for Young Audiences Research Network). Elnan carried out an R&D & Innovation Project in collaboration with the SAND Festival where they were examining whether it is possible to establish a relationship and build an audience through art mediation techniques.