- Promoting a broad collaboration between the representative bodies of the European Union countries
- Enabling speakers to share a variety of national experiences and show the diversity in modes of cultural management. The ideas nourishing the field of performing arts and the administrative systems structuring it differ greatly from one European Union country to the other.
- Supporting inter-regional co-operation by integrating the participants from the three Baltic countries.
« Managing Performing Arts Across Europe » - Baltic Countries is divided into three phases :
- a one week seminar on all aspects of cultural management, focusing on the notion of partnership at a European level
- a training course of 2 weeks to 2 months in theatres, festivals or with companies.
- a conclusive seminar for two days.
The project leads to a rich two-way exchange, on the one hand allowing the speakers to become more familiar with the different performing arts structures in the Baltic countries, and on the other giving the participants a chance to share the experience and know-how of skilled foreign professionals.
The participants are fifteen young cultural managers from the three Baltic countries, Poland and Kaliningrad, selected by interviews:
- Julia Bardoun, Coordinator of Cultural Projects of Kaliningrad from the regional NGO “Youth for freedom of speech”, Kaliningrad
- Greta Cholina, General Manager, Anzelika Cholina Dance Theatre, Lithuania
- Indre Daunyte, journalist, theatre critic, Lithuania
- Kalvi Kants, Fundraiser, Viljandi Theatre, Estonia
- Viktoras Karpusenkovas, Manager, Lithuanian dance Information Centre, Lithuania
- Gundega Laivina, Manager, World Music festival, Latvia
- Karolina Ochab, Projects Director of the Rozmaitosci Theatre, Warsaw, Poland
- Ieva Priediena, Producer of the theatre director Viesturs Kairiss, Latvia
- Ina Pukelyte, Kaunas Academic Drama Theatre, international relations, Lithuania
- Raimonda Rimkute, Manager-Administrator, Aura Dance Theatre, Lithuania
- Laura Stashane, Manager, Olga Zitluhina Contemporary Dance Group, Latvia
- Liene Treimane, Head of the Culture Department of Jurmala City Council, Latvia
- Annika Uprus, 2.dance promotion, Project Manager, Estonia
- Eva Eensaar, Project Manager of independent theatre Theatrum, Estonia
- Katrin Vingel, Von Krahl Theatre, Baltoscandal – manager, international relations, Estonia
Speakers
Steve Austen, of the Felix Meritis Foundation (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) was in charge of the development of the seminar programme, and was the curator.
Ten European performing arts professionals were invited to give lectures:
- Jan Arenhill, Technical Director of Kultur & Struktur Company (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Jean Baudry, Cultural Advisor to the French Embassy in Latvia, director of the French cultural centre in Riga (Riga, Latvia)
- Nele Hertling, Director of the Hebbel Theater (Berlin, Germany)
- Tsvetalina Iossifova, Director of the « Red House – Centre for debate and culture » (Sofia, Bulgaria)
- Dragan Klaic, Permanent Associate, Felix Meritis Foundation, Amsterdam, President of the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage
- Nevenka Koprivsek, Director of BUNKER productions and the Mladi Levi festival, member of IETM and DBM Danse Bassin Méditerranée (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
- Theodossios Mastrominas, responsible for the Culture 2000 programme at the European Commission (Brussels, Belgium)
- Hilde Teuchies, International Relations managers of the Victoria company (Ghent, Belgium).
- Anne Torreggiani, Marketing Director of LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre). Newly appointed director of the London Audiences Agency (formerly LAMP London Arts Marketing Project).
- Neil Wallace, Director of the Stichting Stadsschouwburg of Haarlem (The Netherlands).
After May 2002, each seminar participant worked for at least 1 month within a foreign structure in order to continue the exchange in a practical way.
The welcoming structures are chosen by THEOREM, to ensure a good correspondance between each participant's seminar and his/her practical placement. The placements can range from international festivals to State theatres and little independent companies. While THEOREM members naturally commit to taking on trainees inside their own organisations, the potential training structures represent all the possible organisations working in the field of the performing arts in the European Union countries.
This training period is the main way of putting new knowledge into practice and to encompass both the theory and the reality of an artistic event. It is also an opportunity to broaden each participant's contacts through meeting foreign professionals.
Julia Bardoun (Kaliningrad) went in June 2002 in the Slovenian independent production firm Bunker Production (Ljubljana), and benefited from a Theorem grant.
Some other participants did their training session in France :
- in the Usine LU of Nantes (Liene Treimane, Latvia),
- in the Centre National de la Danse (Raimonda Rimkute, Lithuania, and Annika Uprus, Estonia – November-December 2002)
- in the Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe (Karolina Ochab, Poland – December 2002 - January 2003)
Ieva Priediena did her training session in the Belgian theatre company Victoria in January - February 2003
2ND CYCLE : MANAGING PERFORMING ARTS ACROSS EUROPE II - BALKANS
Seminar : organised with the Red House in Sofia – Sofia, Bulgaria - 22-25 May 2003
Coproduction Red House - Centre for Culture and Debat, and Theorem.
With the support of the Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes – Sofia.
Theorem continued with the idea of providing regionally & internationally training opportunities for art practitioners from Central & Eastern Europe countries in art management.
This time Theorem went south & co-operates with The Red House Centre for Culture and Debate targeting again independently working emerging professionals in the field of performing arts from Balkan countries (Albania, Bosna & Hertzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey & Yugoslavia).
Objectives
- Development of skills for understanding and improving abilities for team working, formulation of mission and aims, implementation of strategy, development of sustainability, running of projects, human resources and how to manage them, etc.
- Response to the need of artists, artistic groups and managers who work on project basis to apply new models of management
- Introduction to some basic themes connected with contemporary dimensions of the internationalization in the performing arts like communication, partnership, putting into context, networking, fund-rising opportunities for international projects, etc.
- Case and practices studies from the region and all over Europe, exchanges of experiences between participants
Themes
- Presentation of the projects of each participant
- Networking, Networks - Fazette Bordage, Mains d’œuvres, Paris
- Alternative means of artistic creation - Philippe Le Moine, International Projects, National Theatre Studio, London / Mehmet Ergen, Arcola Theatre, London
- Discussions on independent working conditions in the field of performing arts in Bulgaria/ Goethe Institut.
- Human Resources, financial running, contracts, marketing – Marc Van Warmerdam, director of the Orkater company, Amsterdam
- Europe and cultural cooperation - Valérie Martino, Relais Culture Europe, Paris
- Fundraising - Lisa Ball-Lechgar, Arts & Business, London
- Public Relations Policy – Anne Torregiani, Audiences London, London
- Presentations of working groups on case studies
Curator & Speakers
The seminar was moderated by Steve Austen (Felix Meritis Foundation).
The speakers represented different European professionals in the field of performing arts:
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, Arts & Business, London
Fazette Bordage, Mains D’Oeuvres, Paris
Mehmet Ergen, Arcola Theatre, London
Valerie Martino, Relais Culture Europe, Paris
Philippe Le Moine, Royal National Theatre Studio, London
Anne Torreggiani, Audiences London, London
Marc van Warmerdam, Orkater, Amsterdam.
Nathalie Vimeux, Project Manager Theorem
Irina Ginns, Gulliver’s Connect programme, Felix Meritis Foundation, Amsterdam
Dagmar Pfensig, independent producer, Berlin
Participants
20 participants from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro and Turkey.
Gurur Ertem, CATI Studio, Turkey
Evelina Gospodinova, Dune Dance Company, Bulgaria
Vera Gotseva, Bulgaria
Milan Govedarica, NADA Project, Serbia & Montenegro
Romir Jakupi, Children's Theatre Center, Macedonia
Elena Jovanova, Macedonia
Yassen Kazandjiev, Lot Lorien, Bulgaria
Kinga Kelemen, Hungarian State Theatre, Cluj, Romania
Faruk Loncarevic, Blind Man Theatre, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Nicoleta Mocanu, D Media, Romania
Rayna Moneva, Destination Bulgaria Foundation, Bulgaria
Dragos Olea, add-youth association, Romania
Aydin Silier, CATI Studio, Turkey
Andrea Soldo, Puppetry Studio Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Jelena Stanovnik, Montenegro Mobil Art Foundation, Serbia & Montenegro
Jelena Stojanovic, REX, Cultural Center B92 – Resource Center Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro
Rarita Szakats, AltArt Foundation, Romania
Dobrinka Valkova, Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation, Bulgaria
Milan Vracar, kulturanova (ex Association for Alternative Creation), Serbia & Montenegro
MANAGING PERFORMING ARTS ACROSS EUROPE – "LIGHT IN THEATRE"
Seminar for light technicians in performing arts
Organised by the New Theatre Institute of Latvia – Liepaja, Latvia – 16-24 May 2003.
After the experience of seminar for young cultural managers in Riga in May 2002, the New Theatre Institute of Latvia in collaboration with French Cultural Centre in Riga and international association THEOREM initiated the seminar in light design for professionals in the fields of theatre, TV and film from Baltic Sea region.
The goal of the seminar was to stress the importance of light design as an integral part of a production, to enlarge the role of lighting in theatre and film, to stimulate new experiments and initiate new collaboration projects, as well as exchange experience and the examples of “best practices” among participants and speakers fostering co-operation and networking within the region and across Europe.
Ce séminaire de formation doit être suivi de visites et de stages dans des structures du spectacle vivant des pays de l’Union après mai 2003.
Programme
Trainers and experienced professionals from European theatres and festivals shared their knowledge and information about styles and tendencies in light design, offer analysis of different approaches both of acknowledged light designers and work developed by seminar participants themselves. Participants also acquired practical skills while working in groups in the leadership of experienced light designers. Introduction on EU regulations in technical conditions concerning public presentations, as well as technical conditions of international venues in other European countries were introduced as well in order to prepare participants for the international tour or for receiving international company in their local theatre venue.
Methodology: Lectures given by the professionals and speakers from other European countries; video demonstrations and analyses of realised projects both of speakers and participants; and 2 day practical workshop concluded the seminar.
Day 1 -Lighting as integral part of theatre/film production I: Historical developments and basic principles
- Theoretical lecture with video presentations
- Practical demonstrations
Evening: Analysis of participants’ productions on video
Day 2 - Lighting as integral part of theatre/film production II: Styles and contemporary tendencies
- Theoretical lecture with video presentations
- Practical demonstrations
Evening: Analysis of participants’ productions on video
Day 3 - Techniques and tools: possibilities and tendencies
- Practical demonstrations
- Optional: Presentations of lighting companies
- Technical conditions in EU countries. Receiving international production and touring abroad.
Evening: Analysis of participants’ productions on video
Day 4 - techniques and practices using film lights and projections in theatre
- Theoretical lecture on historical developments and contemporary tendencies
- Interaction between theatre and film techniques in lighting
- Practical demonstrations / workshop with film lights and projections
Evening: Analysis of participants’ productions on video
Day 5 - Workshop I
Workshop organised in groups
Day 6 - Workshop II
Workshop organised in groups
Presentation of group work
Closing of the seminar
Participants
Mixed group of 20 professionals from Baltic States (10 participants from Latvia, 5 from Estonia and 5 from Lithuania): light designers and technicians, stage designers, stage directors, cameramen. Seminar was organised mainly for young professionals. On particular days open lectures were organised for a broader range of target audience.
Selection criteria : Preference will be given to young professionals and to those coming from emerging fields like contemporary dance, working internationally and in non-governmental sector..
MANAGING PERFORMING ARTS ACROSS EUROPE – GATHERING IN VILNIUS
Lithuania, 29-31 May 2003
Organised by Arts Printing House-Vilnius, in collaboration with the New Theatre Institute of Latvia and Theorem.
With the support of Vilniaus energija, Centre culturel français de Lituanie, Open Society Fund, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Information Office in Lithuania, European Cultural Programmes Centre, and Hotel Ecotel Vilnius.
The Arts Printing House project is based in the buildings of the Vilnius printing house. This is where Pravda, the communist daily newspaper of reference during the soviet period, used to be printed.
The opening of this new venue is initiated by the Theatre Information Centre and Dance Information Centre in Vilnius. The project is multiform and multidisciplinary, it plans to host companies in residency, to present national and international works, to enable the creation of projects in situ, to organise workshops…
This gathering combined the conclusion of seminar « Managing Performing Arts Across Europe » – phase I in May 2002 in Riga, and a seminar on the theme of creating an independent structure with the particular study on « Conversion of previous industrial sites into performing arts centres » in Europe.
- FOLLOW UP OF « MANAGING PERFORMING ARTS ACROSS EUROPE - STEP 1 RIGA » - 29 May 2003
Only open to the participants of the Riga-seminar.
Moderation: Steve Austen, The Felix Meritis Foundation (The Netherlands)
Programme
- Introduction by Steve Austen
- Brief presentations of the participants on their placements
- Comments, questions
- Discussion on how the Riga seminar and the placement affected each of the participants' work or plans. What new management experiences since last spring have been gained? What was the most useful and what was missing?
- Is it possible (and is there a ground and need for) to establish a "Riga-Vilnius seminar network"?
Participants (11 persons out of 15 participants of the Riga-seminar could attend this Vilnius gathering) :
Ieva Priediena (Producer oof the director Viesturs Kairiss, Latvia)
Gundega Laivina (Manager, world musics festival, Latvia)
Laura Stashane (Manager, contemporary dance company Olga Zitluhina, Latvia)
Viktoras Karpusenkovas (Manager, Dance Information Centre, Lithuania)
Indre Daunyte (journalist, theatre critique, Lithuania)
Raimonda Rimkute (Manager-Administrator, dance company Aura, Lithuania)
Greta Cholina (General Manager, dance company Anzelika Cholina, Lithuania)
Ina Pukelyte (Kaunas Academic Theatre, international relations, Lithuania)
Julia Bardoun (Coordinator of the cultural Projects of the Kaliningrad NGO “Youth for Fredeom of Speech", Kaliningrad)
Eva Eensaar (Project Manager of the independant theatre THEATRUM, Estonia)
Annika Uprus (2.dance promotion, Project Manager, Estonia)
- CONVERSION OF FORMER INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS INTO PERFORMING ARTS PREMISES – 30 and 31 May 2003
Programme
30 May 2003: International framework of performing arts centres in alternative spaces: models, challenges and perspectives
Moderation: Elona Bajoriniene, European Cultural Programmes Centre, Arts Printing House, Chair of the Council
- Gintaras Sodeika, Vice-Minister of Culture : Lithuanian Cultural Policy Towards Innovative Initiatives
- Representative of the Vilnius City Council
- Fazette Bordage, Director of the Mains d’Oeuvres (France): Western European performing arts centres in alternative spaces: Contexts, Developments, Organisational Structures, Programming, Audience Building
- Questions, debates
- Pekka Timonen, Managing Director of the Cable Factory (Finland): Case study of Cable Factory in Helsinki
- Questions, debates
- Look-over current premises of Arts Printing House .
31 May 2003 : Is there a ground and a need for a network in Eastern/Central Europe?
Moderation: Elona Bajoriniene, European Cultural Programmes Centre, Arts Printing House, Chair of the Council
- Case studies of Lithuania (Arts Printing House in Vilnius, Factory of Kaunas State Drama Theatre, Storage of Kaunas Dance Theatre “Aura”, Tobacco Factory in Klaipeda, Centre for Cultural Innovations and Knowledge of Vilnius Arts Academy). Background Situation, Development, Programming, Audience Building
- Case studies of Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Poland. Background Situation, Development, Programming, Audience Building
- Fazette Bordage, Pekka Timonen and Christian Moustgaard: Feedback and comments on Eastern European experience and specifics
- Summing-up discussion
Participants
11 participants of Managing Performing Arts across Europe – Step 1 Riga.
Around 10 others guests from Poland, Russia, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania invited by the Arts Printing House.
