The Festival Academy’s second 2014 Atelier for Young Festival Managers, initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA), will take place from 20 to 27 October 2014 in Poznan, Poland, in collaboration with the Malta Festival Poznan. Young festival managers from all over the world are invited to apply until 15 April 2014. Some 10 renowned festival directors will guide participants through the 7-day training programme against the backdrop of a vibrant Polish cultural city.

Mission of the Atelier

The Atelier for Young Festival Managers is an intense and rigorous 7-day training platform addressed at emerging artistic festival directors or those who have ambitions to become involved in programming or in programming-related departments within a festival. It is all about sharing experiences and passing on knowledge to a next generation of festival makers: knowledge about programming a festival, while focusing on the very essence of art festivals: the arts and the artist.

It is guided by the motto “The true role of a festival is to help artists to dare, to engage in new projects,” borrowed from Bernard Faivre d'Arcier, longstanding Director of the Avignon Festival and President of the Lyon Biennial (France).

Format

The Atelier will select 45 young festival managers from all over the world. Around 10 distinguished festival directors, renowned festival pioneers, will each attend for at least two full days and guide participants throughout the week. In lectures, one-on-one talks, group discussions as well as intense workshops on case studies, issues such as artistic vision, political and social responsibility, internationalisation, networking, renewal and sustainability will be explored. First presenters will be announced soon. Have a look at the list of presenters of the previous Ateliers.

Application Procedure and Deadlines

The application form must be submitted by 15 April 2014. All information on the Atelier, selection criteria, application procedure and application form can be found on the Atelier website.

Our Host: Malta Festival Poznan

Poznan is an ideal setting for inspiring exchanges: it is one of the oldest cities in Poland and at the same time a centre of great contemporary cultural activity. Home to many independent theatre groups and annually hosting numerous cultural events, the historical city offers an enriching environment for participants and lecturers to be immersed in.

The Malta Festival Poznan is one of Poland’s key cultural events that brings a broad range of multidisciplinary and international performances into the city every year. “Why ‘Malta’ doesn’t age? Because for 23 years it has been changing constantly. At present, it is the biggest interdisciplinary festival of performing arts in Poland, comprising theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts” (Newsweek, April 2013).

“We are very glad to host this Atelier. Poznan is a perfect place for the next generation of young arts professionals to have creative exchanges of ideas and experiences. We are convinced of the need to support and facilitate such exchanges that will lead to new international collaboration projects and co-productions,” stressed Michal Merczynski, Artistic Director Malta Festival Poznan.

More information

• Press release: The Festival Academy calls for applications for the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Poznan
• Currently on: EDINBURGH 2014
• Upcoming also in 2014: BEIRUT 2014
• Previous Ateliers : LJUBLJANA 2012; IZMIR 2011; SINGAPORE 2011; VARNA 2009; GÖRLITZ 2006

Follow us online

• Atelier on facebook
  
• EFA on twitter – #AtelierPOZNAN
• www.atelierforyoungfestivalmanagers.eu

In case of further questions please contact atelier@efa.aef.eu or call +32 9 241 8080.

The Atelier POZNAN 2014 is supported by the Polish Institute, Cultural Service of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels. EFA receives support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. EFA thanks the Flemish Community and the City of Ghent for their support.