SPACE  - Supporting Performing Arts Circulation in Europe

A project supported by the European Commission - Culture
as Pilot Project for Artist Mobility

Background:

We are providing a professional and mobile European training programme to improve  knowledge and understanding of the distribution of performing arts throughout Europe.
We are looking for 30 individuals who will be divided into 2 separate groups. Each group will undergo a training programme of 16 months' duration, made up of 5 sessions (each lasting 3 days) and taking place in 5 European countries. The participants will learn about the specific performing arts context in each of the host countries and about the challenges and opportunities of moving performing arts work around Europe. They will be offered the chance to learn from and engage with national and Europe-wide networks and with organisations and individuals working within the performing arts in Europe. The trainers themselves are performing arts professionals with training expertise and with extensive experience in arts management.

Aims of the training: 

• To acquire solid information on the context of each country's performing arts sector.
• To learn the practical conditions and restrictions around the movement of work in those countries in order to improve one's professional opportunities.
• To undergo a thorough and substantial European experience.
• To compare and confront one’s own working tools and touring experiences with those of other arts professionals.
• To create a network of arts professionals with shared experience and understanding in common.
• To develop a better understanding of Europe and its cultural diversity, both on a practical and on a political level.
• To understand and respond to the central challenge of sustainability as it impacts on the mobility of performing arts and artists.
• To develop an understanding of the importance and practice of international collaboration.

Who can apply:

We are looking for young professionals working in the administration, production or touring of performing arts and who are interested in improving their knowledge and understanding of the mobility of this work throughout Europe.

Candidates should be:

• Aged 35 years or under on the closing date of the application (June 14^th 2009).
• With at least 3 years of professional experience, and current employment, in the performing arts.
• Living and/or working in one of the European Countries.
• Fluent in spoken and written English. Applicants should submit their application and supporting documents in English and should expect a telephone conversation in English as part of the final selection process.
• With experience of working in an international context.

We expect that successful candidates will be able to show:

• Evidence of having been personally responsible for initiating and developing at least one significant project.
• Evidence of a professional network, preferably transnational.

Content and methodology:

The pedagogical approach of the training is both theoretical and practical, and combines meeting local professionals with opportunities to share experiences. Each session will have a common structure that will allow the participants to get to know the local context/cultural landscape of each country; meet a professional working in the host organisation; explore the experience of a local arts manager and meet local artists. Participants will be able to discuss with specialists some of the main issues concerning culture in Europe and will have the opportunity to confront and share their own case studies/experiences in order to further  develop their working methods, acquire professional tools and be more efficient in their job. The training will pay special attention to integrating best practices regarding sustainable ways of working.

When and where

Group 1
Session 1 – Zürich, October 22-24, 2009
Session 2 – Paris, February 4-6, 2010
Session 3 – Amsterdam, June 17-19, 2010
Session 4 – Modena, October 14-16, 2010
Session 5 – Riga, February 10-12, 2011

Group 2
Session 1 – Hamburg, November 5-7, 2009
Session 2 – Sofia, March 4-6, 2010
Session 3 – Santarcangelo (I), July 7-9, 2010
Session 4 – Prague, October 8-10, 2010
Session 5 – UK, February 24-26, 2011

Application procedure:
In order to apply, candidates must electronically send the following documents in English to pam@spaceproject.eu before June 14^th 2009:

• A completed application form. This should include information on their relevant work experience and on one project that they have initiated and developed, including details of their role in that project.
• Professional CV
• An accompanying letter explaining their motivation for joining the training programme and their expectation of the benefit that the training may bring to their career over the long term.
• Confirmation of their availability for, and commitment to, the dates and duration of the training programme

In making the selection of candidates, we will be looking for a group of arts managers that is representative of the geographic and cultural diversity of Europe.´
Candidates will be informed within one month of the deadline whether they have been selected or not.

Financial conditions:

• Enrolment fees for the all training programme (five sessions): 750,00 €
• The fee is due at the beginning of the project (750,00 €), but it can be paid according to this schedule of payments: 300,00 € before September 15^th 2009, 150,00 € before May 15^th 2010, 300,00 € before September 15^th 2010.
• Travel to/from each of the five sessions will be arranged and paid by the organisers.
• Accommodation and meals will be provided and paid for by the organisers.
• Scholarships are available to successful applicants who can provide proof of hardship and who are unable to raise funding elsewhere.

SPACE - Supporting Performing Arts Circulation in Europe

Nine national cultural institutions with an international policy and practice created a platform to analyse persistent imbalances (between countries, regions, artists, disciplines and performance venues) in terms of the circulation of performing arts works in Europe, and to experiment with new tools and mechanisms to reduce them. SPACE has created a 3 year-long project, supported by the European Union and based on three strands of activity. These are:

• The creation of an online tool, Travelogue, to collect and compare data and produce an analysis of any imbalances that exist.
• Mobile training programmes for performing arts managers, programmers and  journalists/critics.
• The reinforcement of the institutional capacity within national support organisations throughout Europe.

The partners in the SPACE project are: ONDA in Paris (National office for the circulation of performing Arts), VTI in Brussels (Vlaams Theater Instituut), TIN in Amsterdam (Theater Instituut Nederlands), NTIL in Riga (New Theatre Institute of Latvia), British Council in London, ETI in Roma (Ente Teatrale Italiano), Pro Helvetia in Zürich, The Red House in Sofia, the Institut umení - Divadelní ústav (Arts and Theatre Institute) in Prague. The Zentrum BRD des Internationalen Theaterinstituts in Berlin joined later the project as tenth partner . IETM cooperates also in the project.

La Belle Ouvrage is designing and delivering the pedagogical content of the performing arts managers' training programme. Based in Paris, La Belle Ouvrage is a training organisation specialising in the cultural sector. It is an organisation dedicated to the relationship with work, a good-natured, but efficient environment where professionals can analyse, question and improve their relationship to their own job. A place facilitating exchanges and circulation of knowledge, experience and professional skills (www.labelleouvrage.fr).

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