The project “Development of Training Tools for Autonomous Creative Spaces in Europe†is a process designed by Artfactories with different European partner organisations : the Amsterdam Maastricht Summer University (the Netherlands), the NGO Truc Spherique (Slovakia)and the NGO Culture and Information center K@2 (Latvia), in order to develop a training course and create methodological tools accessible over the long term.

These tools are meant to be adapted to the needs of cultural practitioners who are seeking to improve their skills in the management of creative autonomous cultural spaces and/or in the refurbishment of abandoned sites into art spaces. Special attention has been given to centers with social agenda and how these organisations can have a role in the cultural life and development in their particular location.

The first step of this process has been a professional training course "Development and management of autonomous creative spaces" organized in Amsterdam, from 24th to 29th august 2004.

Independent Creative Art Spaces Leadership Training - Blog

Aim of the training

Artfactories, as well as our two partners: Trans Europe Halles and Asia-Europe Foundation, and consequently this common project, have a concrete role in promoting a cultural policy that matches the needs of creation in its contemporary forms, and the way it addresses crucial society issues such as education, neighbourhood or cross-cultural dialogue.

The cultural centres represented in this project have a very close relation to contemporary creation. They are indeed cross-disciplinary spaces for young artists to experiment and express themselves (rehearsal rooms, studios, residency programmes...); they are also places open to the creativity of the civil society (workshops for amateurs, inclusion of the audience in the process of creation of a piece of art, community projects, convivial spaces such as restaurants, bars...).

"(...)Back in Germany, I worked on establishing a cultural center on a former train repair facility. Within this project I learned to connect to and build governance structures.
Ever since I have been very interested in analyzing different strategies of fostering art and creativity as part of a social setting. Depending on the political culture there are very different institutional settings to invest into the arts and encourage creative practice. With my work I am trying to broaden the way arts and creativity are being drawn upon as a resource for social development."
Corinna Vosse, Germany, participant

By encouraging these peculiar cross-boundary-places to meet through a training, we intend to grow their acknowledgment by public institutions, and accordingly grow support as these spaces are often working on a very precarious basis although their expertise is unique and they maintain a high employment rate.

Secondly, the project aims at promoting a sustainable intercultural exchange, between participants coming from very divers backgrounds and local contexts, by confronting local experiences on an international set up. The participants, meeting for the first time, are expected to use this intercultural exchange as an outstanding opportunity to build cultural cooperation through an informal Euro-Asia network of independent cultural managers, encouraging dialogue and share of expertise.

Specificity

Although Cultural Management is provided at University, it most often does not take into account the specificity of independent centres (rehabilitation of former industrial buildings, relation artists/territory...). The training especially aims at giving strength to the initiatives of artists/cultural managers, which develop new stances towards arts and society.

This 5 day intensive course will tackle different topics such as: economy, staff and volunteers management, networking, community and territory art projects. The participants will also, for half a day, take part to a European colloquium held by the French Ministry of Culture about industrial heritage and its sustainable rehabilitation, and will also spend a whole day on case studies based on real situations faced by the participants in their centres.

"I manage people daily. I haven’t had management training; it’s an area I constantly look to improve. I am interested in hearing how other organisations provide training and manage staff to get the best results when salaries are usually low and organisations are understaffed and overworked."
Fiona O’Mahony, UK, participant

Artfactories and Trans Europe Halles intend to renew this kind of action in the future, with the prime objective to make divers cultural makers intellectually and physically meet and exchange.

For more information about the trainers and the 22 participants, please visit the blog that has been created in order to make participants "virtually" meet before coming to Paris.

This event is kindly supported by: