Who wants to contribute to IETM Brussels?
The programme of our plenary meeting in Brussels has just been released and we are now looking for speakers and moderators who can bring the sessions to life.
Do you know someone who has an expertise in one of the topics we will tackle? We would love to hear your suggestions for contributors, in particular for the two sessions listed below.
You can also share any articles, videos, publications, links, etc. that you think may be useful for shaping the content of the sessions.
Don’t be shy and feel free to share your ideas below or drop me an email.
Relocalising Artistic Practises
Today, populist politicians propagate protectionism, anti-globalist policies and identity politics worldwide. In the arts, disconnected internationalism is increasingly replaced by relocalisation policies. Is it enough to counter populist identity claims? Or is a deeper and more fundamental rewriting of our international arts practice necessary?
Governing with Populists
As the presence of nationalistic and populist leaders surge, it’s probable, with our so-called democratic systems and subsidy schemes, that these figures will feature on the boards of our organisations and institutions. The future of our “democratic” systems is, therefore, unpredictable and fragile. It’s time to reconsider our position as so-called critical, engaged and independent arts professionals.
I think this lecture by Marco Bavaralle might be interesting to get into the topic. For those who cant be in New York for the lecture in person (like me), it will be livestreamed on October 11, 2017, 7pm.
I've been developing a project in the UK under the title '64 Million Artists'. We argue there are already 64 million artists in the UK, but that many of us have lost touch with our creative selves (work and school are structured to eliminate artistry from all but the few). Our project is an attempt to put the idea of cultural democracy into practice. Cultural democracy is rooted in the notion that everyone should have a stake in culture (as audience, participants, makers, decision-makers). And that if everyone experiences the sense of agency that comes through being an activated cultural citizen, society as a whole benefits. I'm attending IETM and would be happy to contribute to a discussion about art and cultural democracy.
I would like to suggest Steve Mayhew from Australia, who I know is coming to Brussels.
Steve is a freelance, has recently co-curated the Australian theatre forum, where I know some very interesting conversations went on
I think he could give an interesting overview of what the artistic community in Australia has on its mind. It is important to include our Australian members in IETM conversations.
Brussels as the city of diversity, but how diverse is the internal structure? Where do we find this in the theaters or art centers as well as in the artistic offerings? What is your own approach in dealing with gender, disabled or people who are arriving at another, new place (refugees)? How are there participatory possibilities and how are they communicated (different languages, light language, etc.)?
Thank you for the suggestions and the ressources. I hope to hear you bringing it live during the working sessions.
As for Steve Mayhew, we have been discussing and he will join a panel.
I always try to bring the diversity of the membership in the programme. There will always be room for Australians, and Nordics, and anybody the members can help me to identify.
SAMP would like to present and share one of the programs that makes the team proud, ÓPERA NA PRISÃO (Opera in Prison).
- Which Project?
PAVILHÃO MOZART:
Opera in Prison
-Problem?
Reintegration of ex-prisoners
(with a high percentage of criminal
recidivism)
-Activities?
Rehearsals of a Mozart opera and its public presentation, involving prisoners, family members, technical and security teams, professional artists, and the entire community.
-Results?
Creation of a Permanent Center for Performative Arts within a prison, with shows open to the public. Direct work with 40 prisoners, 60 family and friends, 120 professional artists, and 32 partner institutions.
I have a couple of thoughts about some of the sessions.
Relocalising Artistic Practises
I always think Chris Torch began this with his SEAS project, an antidote against disconnected internationalization.
City of arrival
Someone from AFK could be interesting: the Amsterdam Arts Fund works with neighbourhood advisors to be able to distinguish needs on site, to stimulate coorperation between different domains etc.
A Class Act
It could be intersting to pair a sociologist to this. I thinks this take is underdiscovered, especially what Bourdieu has to say, maybe held against Baricco: the value of knowledge is no longer in the depth of it but in the extent to which it can serve to see relationships between doamins, the horizontal vs the vertical knowledge. I am writing an article about this.
Arts and Civic Movements
There has been an interesting debate about just that between Lara Staal & Bregje Maatman this summer, to which also Jair Stranders and Marijn Lems contributed. In my opinion I would not force anyone to choose. As long as the field as a total covers different options for different needs.
Best, Maritska
I attended a UK/France SITUATIONISM conference in Glasgow in July. Emilio Lopez-Menchero performed and also presented his work which speaks to many of the discourses of the talk programme. He is Brussels-based. His Checkpoint Charlie in particular is nice. https://www.emiliolopez-menchero.be/spip.php?article74
Considering the general thematic, I would like to suggest Tiago Guedes, director of Teatro Municipal do Porto - Rivoli and Campo Alegre, and a member of several programming and counselling networks.
Before this he was also the founder of Materiais Diversos and a very interesting choreographer.
He is an amazing young programmer that has accomplished real cultural and artistic change through his work in a short period of time. And I strongly see him as a real unique example in such a daring cultural reality like the portuguese one.
Besides this, he is one of the leaders of the next IETM meeting in Porto.