Bratislava Spring Academy, 24-29 April 2006 "Strategic Development for Art organisations in Changing Enviroments
organized by: European Cultural Foundation, Amsterdam Foundation - Center for Contemporary Arts, Bratislava, in collaboration with The Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Bratislava.

What is the course about?
Since the 1990s, the cultural sector in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe has been going through a dramatic period of change and development. The fundamental shifts from authoritarian state socialism towards market economy and European Union membership - whether already achieved or still in close or far perspective - has left the societies of these countries and the art managers within them facing many transitional challenges as well as new opportunities.
While art managers in the established cultural institutions struggle to transform their institutional structures to make them ready for a demanding future, activists in newly founded art initiatives strive to sustain their role as innovators in the local cultural scene by consolidating their production work and assuring organisational survival.
In order to meet these challenges and to take advantage of the many new opportunities that are presented, this course provides art managers from turbulent environments with a set of strategic management skills which will allow them to analyse and successfully develop their organisations, steering them towards structural change as well as operational and financial sustainability.
The course is based on a specifically designed training methodology; it also draws on the unique practical experience gained by the European Cultural Foundation and the course leaders during their numerous organisational development and capacity-building projects for arts initiatives in transitional environments (South East Europe, Russia, Central Asia, etc.).
Participants will be trained to analyse their organisational environment and potential and also to design a strategic plan that will set them on the road to future-oriented improvements.

How will the course proceed?
Before the course starts, each participating team will be asked to complete a questionnaire about their own organisation as well as a short outline of their strategic development plans for the next three years. This will ensure that the course leaders can adapt the course content to the specific needs of the group. All participating teams will briefly present their organisations at the beginning of the course. Full participation in lectures, workshops and site visits is mandatory!
The course will be accompanied by a handbook Arts Management in Turbulent Times, written by Milena Dragicevic Sesic and Sanjin Dragojevic and published by the European Cultural Foundation and the Boekman Foundation (all course participants will receive a copy of this book!).
The course, which starts on Monday 24 April and ends on the evening of Saturday 29 April, 2006, consists of a combination of lectures (four morning sessions), practical workshops involving art managers experienced in developing their own organisations (four afternoon sessions), and site visits to a number of vibrant art organisations in transitional Slovakia (two days).
Who can apply?
Applicants should apply in teams of two individuals representing the management of their respective arts organisation.
The course is specifically designed for art organisations in volatile and transitional environments of Central, Eastern and South East European countries. (Considering that change and strategic development are crucial factors for the success of art organisations all over Europe, interested art managers from Western European EU countries are, however, strongly encouraged to apply!)

How to apply?
Applicants are subject to a selection procedure. If you wish to apply, please send by 6 March 2006:
1 / a completed application form (available below or on request) - as a team
2 / a recent curriculum vitae - of each individual
3 / a letter of motivation - as a team
4 / a letter of recommendation - as a team
.... and other very important details:
The course is limited to a maximum of ten teams (twenty participants). The language of the course is English. All lectures and workshops will take place in downtown Bratislava (The Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts). Two days of site visits to various art organisations will be organised in and around Bratislava and other towns and regions of Slovakia.
The registration fee (for a team) is € 600. This includes: registration, handbook, access to all lectures and workshops as well as participation in site visits, and access to the locally organised cultural programme in Bratislava.
The cost of accommodation and meals for the whole duration of the course (seven days: 23-30 April, 2006) is € 460 per person.
Are there scholarships available?
A number of scholarships (covering the course fee, accommodation and meals) are available for participants from Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Ukraine. These scholarships are supported by the European Cultural Foundation. The scholarships do not cover travel expenses to Bratislava. A limited number of travel grants are available to participants who can prove that they have no other means of covering their travel to Slovakia. The application form provides details of scholarships and travel grants.
Contact: Foundation - Center for Contemporary Arts Kratka 11 811 03 Bratislava SLOVAKIA
Tel.: +421 /2/ 5441 3316 Fax: + 421 /2/ 5441 6662
www.scca.sk
Kristina Paulenova (FCCA), kristina@scca.sk / Susanne Mors (ECF), susanne@eurocult.org