Outstanding programme for the Atelier IZMIR 2011, Opening ceremony with Robyn Archer

The Atelier for Young Festival Managers İZMIR 2011, taking place from 24 to 31 October 2011, will be opened with a keynote speech by the internationally renowned Australian festival director Robyn Archer. In the 7-days Atelier organised by the European Festivals Association (EFA), in cooperation with and hosted by the İzmir Foundation for Culture Arts and Education (İKSEV), the founders and managers of exceptional festivals from all over the world will transfer their experiences to 38 young festival managers from 26 countries. Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper, President of İKSEV Board of Directors, indicated that the İKSEV spent a great effort in order to realise the Atelier in İzmir. She said: “We seized an important opportunity to introduce İzmir to the festival managers who are authorities on the world arts stage through the festivals they organise. We planned the events of the coming Atelier in important art venues of İzmir such as the Natural Gas Factory, Ayavukla Church, AASSM, MÜZİKSEV and İKSEV buildings. Our guests will also experience the İZDOB and İZDSO activities throughout these 7 days. Also, they will find the opportunity to tour the historical environs of İzmir, mainly Ephesus. With this Atelier, we will have introduced İzmir at once in 30 countries which host important festivals.” Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General, underlined that the Atelier will enable young festival managers to develop fresh projects, build up a strong international network and meet an exceptional group of leading artistic directors: “The young directors will find the opportunity to share their experiences by face-to-face interactions and intense workshops as well as lectures, presentations and group discussions.” This edition of the Atelier is to be opened by Robyn Archer, Creative Director of The Centenary of Canberra (2013) and Artistic Director of The Light in Winter, Melbourne (Australia), in the presence of EFA President Darko Brlek. Ms. Archer is a powerful arts identity on the international stage and is highly regarded in her work as policy advocate. She was just the Programme Advisor to the 5th World Summit on Arts & Culture in Melbourne (3-6 October 2011). The Atelier for Young Festival Managers is a unique, intense and rigorous training programme initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA) in 2006, under the coordination of Hugo De Greef, EFA Secretary General at the time. The Atelier follows the motto coined by Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, former Director of the Festival d’Avignon, “The true role of a festival is to encourage and support artists to dare, to engage in new projects”. Latest news and more information on the Opening ceremony, the schedule as well as the presenters and participants can be found at www.atelierforyoungfestivalmanagers.eu. Please contact atelier@efa-aef.eu for further questions. Related links and documents: •Press release (19 October 2011) •Official invitation to the Opening Ceremony and programme •Programme of the week •CVs mentors and presenters