Atelier IZMIR 2011: Connecting international festival leaders, paving the way for future Ateliers

The fourth edition of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers took place in Izmir (Turkey) from 24 to 31 October 2011. 38 participants from 27 countries and eight renowned festival managers met, exchanged and established sustainable ties for the future. “The Atelier has an ever-growing network of ’alumni’: after four editions, 141 young festival managers and 28 presenters from all over the world have participated in this training programme on artistic festival management initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA),” underlined EFA President Mr. Darko Brlek at the Opening Ceremony. IZMIR 2011 confirmed the standard of excellence set in the previous editions, paving the way for the next Atelier, to take place in October 2012. 38 young festival managers were selected out of more than 100 applications. They travelled to Izmir to share their knowledge and exchange their ideas on issues such as international co-production, the need to work closely with local artists and the task of artistic directors: “As an artistic director, you have to be politically, socially and environmentally aware, as much as you are artistically aware, because you are here to be the continuum of memory for your community,” said Mr. Jonathan Mills, Festival Director/Chief Executive Edinburgh International Festival (UK). Eight established festival leaders guided the participants through working groups and lectures, interactive exchanges and insightful face-to-face talks: Mr. Hugo De Greef (former EFA Secretary General, General Manager Brugge European Capital of Culture 2002, founder and former Director Kaaitheater, Brussels, Belgium), Ms. Nele Hertling (member Strategy Group ‘A Soul for Europe’, former Director Hebbel-Theatre, General Manager Berlin European Capital of Culture 1988, Germany), Ms. Rose Fenton (Director Free Word, London, UK), Ms. Robyn Archer (Creative Director The Centenary of Canberra (2013), Artistic Director The Light In Winter, Melbourne, Australia), Ms. Ching-Lee Goh (Executive and Artistic Director CultureLink Singapore, former Director Singapore Arts Festival, Singapore), Ms. Fruzsina Szép (Programme Director Sziget Festival, Budapest, Hungary), Mr. Michał Merczyński (Director the National Audiovisual Institute, Warsaw, Poland) and Mr. Jonathan Mills. The Atelier was officially opened in MÜZİKSEV, the first Music Museum of Turkey. Speeches by Ms. Rose Fenton and Ms. Robyn Archer delivered food for thought for everyone present: the Atelier participants, mentors and presenters as well as Izmir officials. Throughout the week, the group discovered the cultural life of Izmir and its region, including the ancient city of Ephesus, and had the opportunity to exchange with the contemporary Turkish composer Mr. Hasan Uçarsu. The friendly encounter with the city of Izmir and especially the warm welcome from the Atelier host, the Izmir Foundation for Culture, Arts and Education (İKSEV), contributed greatly to this edition of the Atelier. “Transfer of knowledge, giving opportunities to young generations, to new ideas, to creative formations lead the festivals not just to be a stage that brings audience and artists together but a platform that enables education, cultural awareness, tolerance and better comprehension of the common denominators of humanity,” said Ms. Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper, Executive Board President of İKSEV. Latest news, pictures and more information can be found at www.atelierforyoungfestivalmanagers.eu. Please contact atelier@efa-aef.eu for further questions. Download the press release here.