Atelier News #6: in-depth discussions of the essentials of the previous days

Friday, 19 October 2012, Ljubljana. The sixth day of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers was a day of in-depth discussions: together with presenters Hugo De Greef, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier and Nele Hertling, participants reviewed insights brought up in the previous day. Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (former long-standing Artistic Director Avignon Festival, President Lyon Biennial; France) raised further questions with his presentation. In the evening, the Atelier was invited to a reception at the French Embassy with Mr Pierre-François Mourier, Ambassador of France to Slovenia, Mr Žiga Turk, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Slovenia, and Mr Paul Jansen, Ambassador of Belgium to Slovenia. Some reflections by participant Gemma Connell. “Digital technologies are fast taking over many industries. In today's sessions at the Atelier Young Festival Managers, we discussed how the potential of these new ways of communicating and engaging audiences can be harnessed. Digital commissions can challenge a person's personal boundaries, as well as holding a balance between participation and voyeurism. We shared experiences of digital commissions, and their effects on their audiences. (...) There is so much more room for creativity where new technologies are concerned. We talked through the logistics of one on one performances via Bluetooth or in phone booths, where a controlled environment would allow for an immersive experience. It was a conversation that could have gone on all day, and is certainly continuing in our minds. However, there wasn't time to spend the whole day chatting about the possibilities here. Bernard Faivre d'Arcier, Chairman of Les Biennales de Lyon and former Director of the Festival d'Avignon, gave us our final lecture, and raised some interesting questions. He asked us to think about the intellectual context for our festivals, and commented on how festivals used to be curated by artists, but now it's much more common for their directors to be producers instead. Does this make a difference in what is programmed? After our discussions for the day had ended, we were kindly invited to a drinks reception at the French Embassy in Slovenia, where the Ambassador Mr. Pierre-Francois Mourier and Mr. Ziga Turk, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport gave some lovely speeches on how the Atelier is important for the future of the arts industry. It was an honour to be invited to such a prestigious meeting, and I am looking forward to meeting the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Danilo Türk, tomorrow at our closing ceremony.” (Photo (c) Andraz Anzeljc) Related news and links: • Atelier News #7: "Once an Atelier, always an Atelier" • Atelier News #6: in-depth discussions of the essentials of the previous days • Atelier News #5: Cultural visits, press conference, book launch, boat trip and more • Atelier News #4: "Mutual inspiration in an ideas arena" • Atelier News #3: “Bouncing ideas and streams of creations” • Atelier News #2: Festivals in unusual contexts – a lot of food for thought • Atelier News #1: “Welcome, fools, to our world” • Daily blog by participant Gemma Connell (UK) • Robyn Archer opens Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012: “We are all participants“ • Atelier for Young Festival Managers LJUBLJANA 2011 starts today: Follow online! • Public invited to opening of Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012 with Robyn Archer • Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012: intense exclusive training and high-level public events