European Atelier for Young Festival Managers - Platform for learning, inspiration and networking

From 26 April to 3 May 2009, the second edition of the European Atelier for Young Festival Managers is taking place in Varna/Bulgaria. The Atelier is an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA), the umbrella organisation of arts festivals in Europe, to “offer to emerging festival directors a stage to explore creative ideas and open up new perspectives”, as Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General, underlines. The Atelier brings together 45 talented and pioneering young festival managers from 25 countries with an outstanding variety of cultural backgrounds. “The opportunity that presents itself through the Atelier provides a valuable group of people with fresh views and perceptions, meshed with the guidance, knowledge and support of those who have worked and managed across different festivals,“ explains a 2009 participant from Australia. Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (former Artistic Director of the Avignon Festival - France), Rose Fenton (co-founder of London International Festival of Theatre - UK), Hugo De Greef (General Director of the Flagey and former EFA Secretary General - Belgium) and Nele Hertling (Member of the strategy group of A Soul for Europe - Germany) guide participants throughout the week. They are joined by a remarkable group of festival directors including Robyn Archer (Light in Winter Festival - Australia), Agnes Havas (Mezzo Opera Festival - Hungary), Tzvetelina Iossifova (The Red House Centre & Festival Balkan Dance Platform 2009 - Bulgaria), Gundega Laivina (New Theatre Institute of Latvia & Homo Novus Festival), Jonathan Mills (Edinburgh International Festival - UK), Kristina Rady (Sziget Festival - France), Mark Russell (Under the Radar Festival - USA), Marie-Agnès Sevestre (Festival des Francophonies en Limousin - France), Galin Stoev (Company Fingerprint - Bulgaria), Tom Stromberg (Impulse Festival - Germany)... The Atelier is unique as it focuses on the artistic aspects of festival management following the motto borrowed from Bernard Faivre d’Arcier: “The true role of a festival is to help artists to dare, to engage in new projects...”. The closing session on Saturday 2 May 2009 as from 2 pm at the Varna Art Gallery is open to the public. A lecture, a concluding round table with an outstanding group of festival directors and the certificate ceremony give an end to the intense working week. The European Atelier is hosted by the Varna Summer International Music Festival and co-organized with the Municipality of Varna in partnership with the Festival and Congress Centre. The working sessions take place in various venues of the city including the Archeological Museum, the Opera Theatre, the Puppet Theatre and the Art Gallery. Consult the Atelier webpage for further information! Contact: Claire Van Zande, European Atelier Project Assistant Kleine Gentstraat 46 - 9051 Gent / Belgium T +32 9 241 8080 - F +32 498 57 20 15 atelier@efa-aef.eu - www.efa-aef.eu Download the press release in English, French and German.