FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation No 6 / 2009: Festivals world-wide engage in innovative collaborations

Again, the featured projects in the sixth edition of the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation prove that festivals are excellent platforms to foster intercultural dialogue. But what’s more, they are excellent vehicles to exploit the exchange between cultures and stimulate the establishment of innovative collaboration activities.

Before looking into creative practices and news of festivals from Occident to Orient, from Asia to South-America, some news at a glance:

What is the role of cultural diversity as a basis for creativity and innovation? The 6th Brussels Debate came to the conclusion: “Cultural diversity broadens our vision and makes us appreciate the different ways of seeing and doing things in other cultures. This openness allows us to select and absorb elements of other cultures, helping to produce new ways of thinking, seeing, imagining and creating.”

Food for thought for a new innovation policy in the policy-making process is also given through e.g. a manifesto by the Ambassadors of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation; a position paper by the working group “Creativity/Creation” of the Access to Culture Platform; a joint statement by the European sectoral social partners ‘live performance’; as well as the EFA statement guiding the mission of the FestLab for Creativity and Innovation.

In the most recent Brussels Debate (19 November 2009) Ruta Prusiviciene, Director Vilnius Festival, stressed that “too often arts and culture are not priority in policies.” In this regard a real dialogue between the different sectors – arts, culture, business, science, research – is more than needed!

Innovative and creative projects are initiated by festivals all over the world. The two major Mexican festivals - Festival Internacional Cervantino and Festival de México – are two excellent examples of development of new and challenging programmes. They are aware that collaborating with festivals from different countries and continents can only be enriching – both for artist and audience!

Find out which festivals all over the world collaborate with whom!

The FestLab for Creativity and Innovation is an initiative of the European Festivals Association launched at the occasion of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. It is established to spotlight the excellence of festivals in the creative and societal process and to give incentives to successfully fulfill the festivals’ core mission which still is the artistic one.

Download the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation No 6/2009 here. Keep an eye on the FestFlash that is distributed widely – it is also featured on the EFA FestLab website!

To receive the FestFlash by e-mail, write to Juliane@efa-aef.eu .

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

FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation

Innovative alliances and strong commitments are the key aspects in order to further develop a cultural Europe based on creativity and participation. The fifth edition of the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation highlights:

• the International Festival Wratislavia Cantans, one of the first partners of the FestLab for Creativity and Innovation is looking for innovative alliances;
• the latest meeting in the framework of the FestLab for Creativity and Innovation in Linz provided the grounds for new alliances by bringing together the directors of Europe’s major festivals;
• the European House for Culture, officially presented to the public on 27 September 2009, offers a platform for cultural networks to develop innovative partnerships.
  

All this in the strong belief that Europe is first and foremost a cultural project and that culture must play a vital role in shaping the overall development of Europe: The European Festivals Association remains committed!

Further highlights of creative and innovative projects of festivals in this FestFlash edition: Gaudeamus Prize 2009, Brucknerfest Linz, international literature festival Berlin, Emilia Romagna Festival, and the European Week of Festivals of Italiafestival. Find out more!

The FestLab for Creativity and Innovation is an initiative of the European Festivals Association launched at the occasion of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. It is established to spotlight the excellence of festivals in the creative and societal process and to give incentives to successfully fulfill the festivals’ core mission which still is the artistic one.

EFA invites all arts festivals to sign up to the initiative “FestLab for Creativity and Innovation” and commit to its objective. Read the Open Call here.

Download the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation No 5/2009 here. Keep an eye on the FestFlash that is distributed widely – it is also featured on the EFA FestLab website!

To receive the FestFlash by e-mail, write to Juliane@efa-aef.eu .