On June 17 and 18 2020, we ran our annual Incubator retreat for selected participants to reflect and consult with experts and peers.
This should have been a physical meeting to get away from daily work and focus on the emerging projects. This year, of course, it had to be a videoconference. Representatives from each of the 6 projects were joined online by experts Maïa Sert (France), Anta Tsaira (Greece) and Ivo Peeters (Belgium), as well as by a few ENCC staff members.
Read more about how our annual Incubator programme works.
How did it go? As one participant wrote later, 'the lack of physical presence worked paradoxically as a motivational component to keep the discussion alive'. Another noted that one of the drawbacks of the online meeting (not knowing when and who will speak next) created a more careful rhythm in the way participants listened and responded. In the end, though most present regretted not being able to continue the conversations in person, they were able to discuss issues such as distributing funds between partners and upscaling a local project to an international one with value for all involved, as well as broader ones related to intersectionality, interculturality, participative strategies, collective authorship and even how to decolonise cultural projects and imagine a postracial society.
The discussions were a good illustration of why the ENCC supports and mentors European cooperation projects by its members but also by outside organisations and collectives who relate to our values and mission. Our network firmly believes in investing in EU projects with the potential to bring positive societal change in terms of equality, interculturality and sustainability. Stay tuned for further development on these 6 emergent and promising projects.
FEM*FRIDAY BACKSTAGE (working title), developed by kulturen in bewegung (Vienna Institute for Development and Cooperation, Austria - member of ENCC member IG Kultur Österreich) and represented by Maria Herold (and Marissa Lobo for the retreat session), aims to give LGBTQI+, queer and non-binary people between the age of 15 and 30 self-confidence and expertise to be present and active on stage as well as backstage in performing arts, working against clichéd role models, sexism, racism and identity formation in the fields of art, culture and music.
YOUTH ENGAGING IN SOLIDARITY ACTIONS IN PUBLIC SPACE, developed by ENCC member Non Riservato (Italy), and represented by Irina Suteu, sets out to engage young Europeans in solidarity actions in their own neighbourhood and to promote access to quality public spaces and green areas. It relies on designing public spaces via participative processes in which the citizens are involved from the conception stage. The project’s main target is the young generation of European citizens, adolescents and young adults who will soon take part in decision-making processes and have to face the uncertainties of the upcoming economic, social and political crisis.
RIGA PLAYS THEATRE (working title), developed by ENCC member VEF Culture Palace (Latvia) and represented by Kristine Sulzanoka, wants to broaden and develop the relationships between performing arts and access to culture for all. They propose to commission plays on specific social topics, and to offer amateur theatre groups from different countries the chance to be trained by professionals in producing them.
LANGUE DES OISEAUX , developed by Associazione Culturale MALTE (Italy) and represented by Sonia Antinori, proposes to create a network between European cultural professionals, artists from a non-European background operating in Europe, and young migrants and second-generation immigrants with an interest in arts. The aims are to offer live arts training to migrants, second-generation immigrants and refugees, manifesting their value as artistic, creative and co-operative community members, and to approach European identity in a post-colonial perspective, promoting the EU's broad linguistic diversity and intercultural awareness.
PERIPHERAL ENCOUNTERS FOR SUSTAINABLE CREATIVITY, developed by Europimpulse (Spain) and represented by Jéssica Martínez, sets out to fight youth depopulation and break isolation in rural areas by generating places and moments to for cultural, social and/or educational agents to meet. They're working on dynamizing those territories through art and culture, encouraging collaboration and networking between local changemakers, and introducing new narratives about life in rural areas.
YES:EYE:s:CAN, developed by APORON 21 - Association of the Arts, Cultures and Sciences (Austria - member of ENCC member IG Kultur Österreich) and represented by Igor F. Petkovic, proposes an international, artistic network campaign in European cities and territories with multimedia immersive installations in public spaces. It aims to contribute to peace-building and awareness of diversity by creating a bottom-up artistic platform for societal change.
