European House for Culture launched in Brussels

On 27 September 2009, at the Flagey in Brussels, the European House for Culture, an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA) was publically presented. More than 100 invited guests attended the official launch of the House that ambitions to be a meeting place for cultural actors and all who support the arts and confirm their commitment to living culture in Europe.

In her opening speech Commission Director General Odile Quintin applauds “that this House is a space of synergy between the different sectors of European Culture and also between the European institutions and the world of Culture. Bravo for having created this House.” The statement underlines the willingness to seize the opportunities the House will create. Hugo De Greef, founding member of the House and former Secretary General of EFA, stresses: "The cultural lobby sometimes seems abstract or virtual. Our own efforts to develop a recognisable physical place like the House here at the Flagey can change that."

Following the artistic opening with Thespian Play by Falk Hübner, the President of the European House for Culture, Frans de Ruiter, reiterated the mission of the House: to serve as a landing dock and a place of welcome for cultural operators and to build bridges between the sector, policy-makers and civil society.

Members and partners of the House engaged into a lively exchange of thoughts and expectations: Jacques De Decker, Rose Fenton and Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (members), Ilona Kish and Jean-Pierre Deru (partners), Katelijn Verstraete (Acting Director Cultural Exchange Department of the Europe-Asia Foundation) and Helena Drnovsek-Zorko (Head Division for International Cultural Relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia) share the firm belief that the House can be the stage from where the cultural sector can project its voice, a space for communication, dialogue and shared values.

The evening was closed with a reading of a speech of Victor Hugo by Michael Lonsdale underlining once again the spirit of the House: “I do not merely say it is capable of being put into practice, but I add that it is inevitable.”

For more information about the launch, the programme, the contributions, the concept of the House, visit the EFA website at www.efa-aef.eu/en/activities/european-house-for-culture.

Download the press release here.

Contact:

European House for Culture
Place Flagey 18
1050 B-Brussels
T + 32 9 241 80 81
E houseforculture@efa-aef.eu

WRITERS WANTED for the CHANGING ROOM Toolkit

Do you like to write? Do you like to travel? Have you ever worked or studied in another country? If your answers are yes to any of these questions the CHANGING ROOM Toolkit would like to hear from you.

The CHANGING ROOM Toolkit is a web-based resource for European cultural operators* that will go on-line in January 2010. It will include the Matchmaker, an exchange and hosting tool for individuals and organisations, a direct link to a new European cultural jobs service and a Wikipedia style information resource – called the Knowledge Base.

The aim of the Knowledge Base is to provide practical information on the areas and issues related to working, volunteering, exploring, travelling and studying in Europe. Once launched, people will be able to add and edit content, as is the case with Wikipedia.

Now, we are all inviting members, friends and contacts of TEH to contribute content and copy for the Knowledge Base. This could include a very short piece of short practical information from your own country, a narrative on your experiences of working in another country or your views on an issue related to working in your country or across Europe.

If you are interested in being part of the Toolkit or want to find out more, please send an e mail to Paul Bogen, the Changing Room Project manager at: paul.bogen@btinternet.com

If you know anyone else who might be interested, please pass this information on to him or her.

CHANGING ROOM is initiated by Trans Europe Halles - a European Network of Independent Cultural Centres.

CHANGING ROOM is one of four projects that were awarded support by the new European Commission funding line for networks supporting mobility. The project is co-organised by The Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland, the largest music university in Scandinavia and Melkweg, an internationally renown multidisciplinary arts venue in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.