IETM > focus
SEE/Balkan Express
Ongoing platform for exchange and cooperation with and within the countries of South East Europe
Introduction
In 2002, taking advantage of the Trieste Plenary Meeting, IETM launched an investigation into the emerging generation of South East European contemporary arts professionals. To benefit from a meeting so close to the Balkan region, a Satellite Meeting was organised in Ljubljana, in an initiative which signaled the start of IETM’s active involvement in the Balkans. Initial problems were immediately identified: mobility, lack of information and communication, but there was also a tremendous creative potential of the operators in the region. A name was given to the enterprise – Balkan Express, reflecting the problems of mobility and our will to overcome them.
Balkan Express is now a network of contemporary performing arts operators from South East Europe and from other regions interested in collaboration in and with the Balkans. It is an open and flexible platform for cooperation and exchange of experience and good practice, and is an active promoter and facilitator of mobility with and within the Balkans. It is currently animated by three partners – Bunker (Ljubliana), Ecumest (Bucharest) and IETM (Brussels) but is also open to any other interested partner.
As an essentially European network since its creation, IETM has naturally been interested in South East Europe– this interest has become more concrete in IETM’s South East Europe Focus Point which looks at how to address the specificities of the Balkans, how to face the challenges and reinforce potential, how to facilitate networking with colleagues from South East Europe and within the region itself.
IETM acts as an information point concerning the Balkan region, providing members with information on current developments in contemporary performing arts in the region. This ensures a stronger Balkan presence in the IETM Plenary or Satellite Meetings, placing the Balkan agenda in its debates, producing publications, organising or co-organising events which promote networking and cooperation between the Balkans and the rest of Europe, and therefore facilitating mobility for contemporary performing arts professionals from the region.
Currently, IETM’s SEE Focus Point addresses these issues mainly but not solely through support provided to the Balkan Express network.
Activities
Past activities
2002
- Balkan Express Meeting, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro joins the IETM
- First Balkan Express Satellite Meeting, Ljubljana, Slovenia joins IETM
- Annual Plenary Meeting Trieste
- Balkan Express development meeting, Medana, Slovenia
2003
- “Every Step Has an Echo” An analysis of case studies on artistic cooperation between Western and South East European cultural operators, commissioned by the European Culture Foundation
- Balkan Express Caravan, Flanders, Belgium
- Balkan Express Meeting, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2004
- Balkan Express Meeting, Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania
2005
- Annual Plenary Meeting, Belgrade
- The Balkan Express Dance group was set up in 2005 with a special focus on contemporary dance
- Balkan Express Caravan, Istanbul, Turkey
- Balkan Express Meeting, Skopje, Macedonia
2006
- Balkan encounter at the Avignon festival
Future activities
IETM accompanies Balkan Express and provides logistical and other support in its development through its regular activities such as SEE satellite meetings and caravan visits. Furthermore, IETM and its partners remain attentive to the needs of operators and respond accordingly through the development of new cooperation tools. In 2006, the Balkan Express has engaged in the following activities:
- Launch of the Balkan Express newsletter
- Caravan visits in the Balkans and in Western Europe
- Work placements, internships – exchanges between different organisations in the Balkans
To register for group mail, send an e-mail to balkanexpress-on@network.ietm.org
Partners include
- Ecumest Association, Romania
- Bunker, Slovenia
- Flemish Theatre Institute, Belgium
- DAH Theatre Research Centre, Serbia
- Lokomotiva Centre for New Initiatives in Arts and Culture, Macedonia
- Relais Culture Europe, France
- Mirovni Institut, Slovenia
- Jazz Fest Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- European Cultural Foundation, Netherlands
- Flemish Community of Belgium
- KulturKontakt, Austria
- Pro Helvetia, Switzerland
- Swiss Cultural Programme Serbia and Montenegro
- The Arts Council of Ireland
Contact
Focus Point South East Europe: Milica Ilic: milica.ilic@ietm.org
news related to SEE/Balkan Express
International Theatre Workshop Spring 2010
Members News - All Parts - posted by INTERNATIONAL THEATRE LAB on 11.04.10
Organised by International Theatre Lab (ITL), Norway in collaboration with Bulgarian Theatre institutions. 
Call for applications for the 5th Balkan Dance Platform
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 03.03.09
The 5th Balkan dance Platform will take place from October 1 to 3, 2009 in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Call for application - training cultural managers from Eastern and Central Europe
IETM News - Africa - posted by IETM on 05.02.09
The Robert Bosch Stiftung invites 14 fellows from Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe to Germany for a thirteen-month course qualifying them in international cultural management.
Nomad Dance Academy begins
IETM News - All Parts - posted by IETM on 04.04.08
Nomad Dance Academy is a common initiative of six regional partner organisations with the aim to promote, educate and collaborate in the area of contemporary dance and related arts.
European Fund for the Balkans created
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 24.03.08
The European Fund for the Balkans is a multi-year joint initiative of several European Foundations aimed at bringing the Western Balkans closer to the European Union through grant-making and operational programmes.
Gulliver Connect programme opens call for applications
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 22.02.08
A mobility programme through work placements for young and up-coming artists, arts managers and cultural operators in Europe. The Central European Foundation (Bratislava), KulturKontakt (Austria) and The Felix Meritis Foundation (the Netherlands) are proud to present a new call for applications for work placements in 2008.
Call for performers: Mirage Inter
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 10.01.08
Mirage Inter, 30 June – 11 July, 2008, Belgrade, Serbia, seeks international and regional performers eager to work on an interdisciplinary and international project in a tight framework. Application deadline extended: 21 March, 2008 (postmarked).
An experience rich in opportunity: MA in Cultural Policy and Management (Interculturalism and Mediation in the Balkans)
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 16.03.07
This study programme in cultural management and cultural policy lasts 1 year.
Establishment of a Regional Cooperative Platform in South East Europe
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 07.02.07
In reaction to the lack of possibility for lasting cultural collaboration in South East Europe, the independent culture sector has taken a pioneering role in creating a solid, sustainable and lasting model for cultural exchange in the region.
A call for international help: Save the Contemporary Arts in Slovenia
IETM News - Europe - posted by IETM on 05.02.07
As 2007 begins, Slovenia’s most vibrant, internationally known contemporary arts scene is being threatened. It finds itself once more under attack from restrained funding to the independent sector and free-lance artists. Furthermore, there is a direct threat that an even worse scenario is about to arise in all disciplines of the Contemporary Arts in the capital.
events related to SEE/Balkan Express
Balkan Express Satellite Meeting in Istanbul
From 16-09-10 till 19-09-10 - Istanbul, Turkey
Satellite meeting - Europe - posted by IETM on 15.06.10
Following the Istanbul Plenary Meeting in 2006, IETM is once more meeting in Istanbul, this time for a Satellite gathering in collaboration with CUMA – Contemporary Utopia Management.
International Theatre Workshop Summer 2010
From 10-08-10 till 24-08-10 - Sofia, Bulgaria
Training - All Parts - posted by INTERNATIONAL THEATRE LAB on 18.05.10
International Theatre Lab, Norway in collaboration with Bulgarian Theatre institutions has the pleasure to announce the International Theatre Workshop Summer 2010 to take place August 10th - 24th in Sofia, Bulgaria, hosted in a spectacular venue with beautiful natural surroundings and exceptional facilities.
MOV-S: Space for International Exchange of Dance and Movement Arts
From 10-06-10 till 13-06-10 - Madrid, Spain
Meeting - Europe - posted by A PORTADA COMUNICACIÓ / CIATRE on 05.02.10
The 3rd edition of mov-s - Space for international exchange of dance and movement arts – will be held in Madrid, from 10th to 13th June 2010.
Differences in Demolition
From 09-06-07 till 12-07-07 - London; Mostar; Sarajevo; Banja Luka; Tuzla; Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Performance - Europe - posted by on 18.04.07
For two years we have been working with our partners in Bosnia and with the composer Nigel Osborne to develop a project inspired by the beautiful Bosnian music of Sevdah and the use of music to resolve conflict and to heal.
Dance Week Festival
From 03-06-07 till 10-06-07 - Zagreb, Croatia
Festival - Europe - posted by HRVATSKI INSTITUT ZA POKRET I PLES / CROATIAN INSTITUTE FOR MOVEMENT & DANCE on 18.05.07
Dance Week Festival is Croatia's primary festival of contemporary dance and the 24th edition is scheduled for June 3-10, 2007 with events in Zagreb and in Rijeka. Feature performances include artists: Vera Mantero, Yasmeen Goddar, Louise Lecavallier, Christophe Garcia ,Julie Dossavi...as well as companies such as Atterballeto, Croatian National Ballet Split and The Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, and Cie Drift...as well as artists from Serbia Dalija Acin. The festival also presents a good insight into Croatian contemporary dance scene featuring works by Jasna Vinovrski, Marjana Krajac, Nensi Lazic, Rajko Pavlic, Selma Banich, Ana Kreitmayer, Zeljka Sancanin, Barbara Matijevic, Zak Valenta...(most of the Croatian works can be seen during the Croatian Choreographic Platform on the last weekend June 8-10).
DUM- Association of Artists - Presentation
From 24-02-07 till 24-02-07 - Ljubljana, Slovenia
Performance - Europe - posted by IETM aisbl on 23.02.07
Dear colleges, during Gibanica festival in Ljubljana, on Saturday, February 24th , at 3 p.m, DUM - association of artists is preparing a short presentation of the new contemporary dance event and performance:
IETM Balkan Express Meeting 9-13 July 2006
From 09-07-06 till 13-07-06 - Avignon, France
Caravan - Europe - posted by IETM on 14.02.07
Balkan Express participated, together with Relais Culture Europe, le Festival d’Avignon and the European Cultural Foundation, in the organisation of the seminar which took place during the 2006 edition of the Avignon festival.
IETM Balkan Express Meeting 3-6 November 2005
From 03-11-05 till 06-11-05 - Skopje, Macedonia (former Yugoslav republic of)
Satellite meeting - Europe - posted by IETM on 15.12.06
The Balkan Express stopped in Skopje, Macedonia in November 2005. The meeting was organised on the occasion of the Balkan Dance Platform and in cooperation with Lokomotiva Centre for New Initiatives in Arts and Culture and focused on the development of contemporary dance in the Balkans, especially in the field of management and education.
IETM Balkan Express Meeting 15-17 March 2005
From 15-03-05 till 17-03-05 - Belgrade, Serbia
Satellite meeting - Europe - posted by IETM on 14.02.07
The Balkan Express Meeting under the motto „BE in Belgrade“, gathered a number of theatre practitioners and managers from the Balkan region and wider, with the aim of enforcing and enlarging the existing network.
IETM Balkan Express Meeting 7-9 November 2003
From 07-11-03 till 09-11-03 - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Satellite meeting - Europe - posted by IETM on 14.02.07
The fourth Balkan Expres Meeting in Sarajevo took place during the international jazz festival "Jazzfest Sarajevo". The Sarajevo encounter of Balkan Express was the first one to be organised in the framework of an international artistic event taking place in the Balkan region, thus providing a wider platform of encounters and exchange for both the foreign participants and the local operators, as well as a greater visibility of Balkan Express.
resources related to SEE/Balkan Express
Feedback on BE Caravan Meeting in Vilnius
Jobs - Europe - posted by IETM on 18.12.07
A group of 9 performing arts professionals from the Balkan region gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania from 20-23 September, in order to gain an overview of the country's performing arts scene, and to network with their contemporaries.
Link: The first Kosovan Romani information site now online
Jobs - Europe - posted by IETM on 26.02.07
The Courrier des Balkans and the Association Rromani Baxt have decided to launch the first Kosovan Romani information site.
Link: Balkan Dance Network
Jobs - Europe - posted by IETM on 07.02.07
The Balkan Dance Network (BDN) was initiated during the Balkan Express meeting in Belgrade in March 2005. The Balkan Express has since supported in terms of logistics, consulting and finance.
Publication: My enriching stay in the Balkan region - A report on a Balkan Express internship
Jobs - Europe - posted by IETM on 31.01.07
Monica Anastase talks us through the stimulating two weeks that she spent with Bunker, and her experience of the Balkan Express Caravan meeting in Zagreb in December 2006.
