Atelier Budapest 2016

The Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Budapest, Hungary, took place from 2 to 8 June 2016, and was hosted by the Armel Opera Festival. It gathered 43 participants from 25 countries and confirmed the success and necessity of providing training opportunities for early career professionals and to collaborate across continents.

Hugo De Greef, Rose Fenton, Jonathan Mills and Bernard Faivre D'Arcier during one of the sessions

High-level festival managers from across the globe

Under the coordination of Hugo De Greef, leading and experienced festival operators, professionals and artists from all over the world, guided the participants through the seven days. Mentors and presenters, pioneering festival managers, gave lectures, lead workshops and took part in round tables and debates – all of them spendt several days with the participants allowing face-to-face contacts and discussions.

The following festival directors participated in the Atelier Budapest 2016:

  • Hugo De Greef, Atelier Coordinator, former EFA Secretary General, Director European Capital of Culture Bruges 2002, Co-Founder Kaaitheater Brussels - Belgium
  • Rania Elias, Director Yabous Cultural Centre and Jerusalem Festival - Palestine
  • Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, President Lyon Biennial, former long-standing Artistic Director Avignon Festival - France
  • Rose Fenton, Director Free Word, former Director LIFT London - UK
  • Agnes Havas, Director Armel Opera Festival Budapest, Hungary
  • Michal Merczyński, Director of the Malta Festival Poznan and founder and director of Nostalgia Festival Poznan, Poland
  • Jonathan Mills Director of the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, former Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, UK

Find more about the presenters here

More insights

Speeches

Blogs by participants on Festival Bytes

Atelier Budapest 2016 online

Director Free Word, former Director LIFT London

“One thing I was very struck by, was that you are all here in some way at a kind of cross roads, some of you are thinking about leaving what you are doing now or opening up a new chapter, some of you are looking for a new way. You are all beginning to find some of the answers within each other but you are all also demonstrating a huge amount of personal courage”