5th Atelier for Young Festival Managers : European Festivals Association brings together 35 participants and 9 presenters from all over the world. The Atelier for Young Festival Managers – initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA) – will take place in Ljubljana/Slovenia from 14 to 21 October 2012. Hosted by the Ljubljana Festival, the fifth Atelier will bring together two generations of festival managers: 35 talented young festival managers from 14 countries and 9 renowned festival directors from all over the world will exchange their experiences and visions during the Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012. Participants will join the Atelier alumni network of 140 festival leaders from 38 countries. Inspired by the motto coined by Bernard Faivre d’Arcier “The true role of a festival is to help artists to dare, to engage in new projects…”, the Atelier for Young Festival Managers focuses on the artistic aspects of festival management. “The Atelier is about formulating experiences and passing on knowledge to a next generation of festival makers: knowledge about programming a festival, thematically focusing on the very essence of arts festivals - the art and the artist,” explains Atelier Coordinator Hugo De Greef, former EFA Secretary General, General Manager Bruges European Capital of Culture 2002, Founder and former Director Kaaitheater. Nine renowned festival directors have confirmed their participation in the 2012 Atelier: Robyn Archer (Creative Director The Centenary of Canberra (2013), Artistic Director The Light in Winter, Melbourne – Australia), Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (President Biennale de la Danse de Lyon, former Director Festival d’Avignon – France), Rose Fenton (Director Free Word, Co Founder LIFT Festival London – UK), Nele Hertling (Member Strategy Group “A Soul for Europe”, former Director Hebbel-Theater, Berlin, General Manager Berlin European Capital of Culture 1988 – Germany), Michal Merzcynski (Director MaltaFestival in Poznan – Poland), Jonathan Mills (Festival Director and Chief Executive Edinburgh International Festival – UK), Gerard Mortier (General Director Teatro Real de Madrid, former Director Salzburger Festpiele, former Director Ruhr Triennale – Belgium) and Fruzsina Szép (Programme Director Sziget Festival in Budapest – Hungary). Under the coordination of Hugo De Greef, they will guide the participants through the seven intense days of the EFA training programme. “The opportunity offered to participants to engage with festival managers and artists of such international reputation makes the Atelier a unique stage to explore creative ideas and develop new perspectives. I am glad to invite this group of people to Ljubljana at the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Ljubljana Festival and of EFA,” underlines Darko Brlek, EFA President and General and Artistic Director of the Ljubljana Festival. The public Opening Ceremony takes place on 14 October 2012 at 5.30pm at the Ljubljana Castle. Atelier presenter Robyn Archer will give the keynote speech to set the tone for one week of intense discussions, inspiring presentations and decisive encounters which will shape the careers of the Atelier participants as art professionals. The Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012 will be concluded with a public session on 20 October 2012 with a keynote speech by Gerard Mortier, and the launch of the 5th volume of the EFA BOOKS series entitled “Inside/Insight Festivals. 9 Festival Directors – 9 Stories”. The fifth Atelier for Young Festival Managers is set to continue the success of four previous editions held in Görlitz, Germany (2006), Varna, Bulgaria (2009), Singapore (2011) and Izmir, Turkey (2011). Latest news and more information on presenters and participants can be found 2012 on the www.atelierforyoungfestivalmanagers.eu. Download the pdf version of the press release here.