Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012 to close with high-level ceremony on 20 October

On Saturday, 20 October 2012 in Ljubljana, at 18:00 at the City Hall, the Closing Ceremony of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers LJUBLJANA 2012 will take place in the presence of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Danilo Türk, who will give a welcome address. Gerard Mortier (General Director Teatro Real de Madrid, former Director Salzburger Festpiele, former Director Ruhr Triennale; Belgium) will give an exclusive lecture and enter into a discussion with, amongst others, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, and the young festival managers, who will draw conclusions of the 2012 edition. Furthermore, participants will receive their certificates. Thus, the Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012 will be closed with an equally high-level programme as it was opened seven days ago, when internationally renowned Australian festival director Robyn Archer delivered an inspiring keynote speech, and when Zoran Janković, Mayor City of Ljubljana; Darko Brlek, EFA President, Artistic and General Director Ljubljana Festival; Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General; James Hampson, Director British Council Slovenia; and Graham Sheffield, former Artistic Director Barbican London, Director Arts British Council London, addressed Atelier participants, the public and the press. The Atelier participants – 32 emerging artistic festival directors from 21 countries – followed an exclusive training schedule, met and exchanged in-depth with each other and with eight experienced festival managers from all over the world. Participants and presenters alike have described the week as very inspiring with a lot of food for thought that they will bring back home. Hosted and co-organised by the Ljubljana Festival, the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Ljubljana is made possible thanks to the support of the City of Ljubljana (Founder of the Ljubljana Festival); the Ljubljana Castle; the Institut Français Ljubljana; the British Council; the Goethe-Institut; EUNIC Slovenia; and the Embassy of France in Slovenia. The Belgian Embassy in Ljubljana kindly supports the Closing Ceremony of the Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012. The European Festivals Association (EFA), initiator of the Atelier, and the Ljubljana Festival are delighted to close the fifth Atelier with such an exclusive ceremony, continuing the success of the previous Ateliers in Görlitz/Germany (2006), in Varna/Bulgaria (2009), in Singapore (May 2011), the first Atelier in Asia, and in Izmir/Turkey (2011). Latest news can be found at www.atelierforyoungfestivalmanagers.eu. Please contact atelier@efa-aef.eu for further questions.