Programme
The program was addressed at emerging festival managers and those who had ambitions to get involved in programming in festivals. Participants broadened their programming skills, widen their horizons, and developed new project ideas under the professional guidance of renowned festival managers from all over the world who shared their experience and guided participants throughout the 7 days. The Atelier focused on the very essence of festival management – the arts, the artist and the audience.
The Atelier is about the participants!
The programme focused on topics and issues raised by the selected participants which are further developed during the Atelier: with panel discussions guided by renowned festival leaders and cross-sector experts from across the globe, in small working groups, thematic lunches, cross-discipline round tables and plenary sessions. There was plenty of time and space for official and informal one-to-one talks during the programme and during meals and cultural visits as the sharing of experiences and networking were key to the Atelier.
Topics explored amongst others:
- Different models of curating, focusing on building audiences/communities
- Innovation and new technologies
- The social, environmental and artistic impact of festivals: how festivals are/can be agents for social change and social cohesion
- Fundraising (beyond subventions)
- How and if festivals can contribute to strengthening global identities and values and tackle rising nationalism
- Fair international collaboration (and trade) including the UNESCO 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
- Festivals and migrant/refugees communities
- Sustainable festival-making on all levels
- Freedom of expression and the relevance of artistic boycott
You can find the full programme of Atelier Montreal here (dated as of 06/06/2022).