Dear colleagues in the field, please find herewith an announcement by our colleagues from the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts (IETM): Over 400 professionals in the contemporary performing arts world will be meeting during the Autumn Plenary Meeting of IETM- the international network for contemporary performing arts - in Utrecht, The Netherlands from 24th to 27th of November 2005. The theme of the meeting will be ‘Bonding and Bridging’, discussing issues on how performing arts operators can play a role in connecting different domains in society in a time where ‘expertocracy’ rules. Everybody lives within his own specialisation, with its own codes, language…This is important of course for the accumulation of knowledge but also at the cost of discipline-exceeding subjects. The central question is: How do we build bridges? Geert Mak, the famous Dutch journalist and writer of the blockbuster In Europa, will lead us in the opening debate via different European cities to Utrecht and the current political situation in the Netherlands. The issues brought up during the opening debate will be closely linked to what the role of the arts is in society. The central theme will be further explored will be further explored in most of the 20 working-and meeting groups. The discussion about the relation between arts and the community will be discussed also by artists who ‘built bridges’ on airports, in prisons, in busses, on wastelands. A discussion with and about engaged artists. In June 2005 the former directors of the Holland Festival were complaining in Dutch newspapers about a crisis in the arts and of hardly seeing engaged artists. The IETM Utrecht team together with the programmers of Utrecht theatres managed to compose a program of performances bursting with energy, full of young talents, visually very strong, characterized by an open attitude towards the audience, fresh repertoire, clever mime, site specific etc. It’s called Absolute Theatre. More then twenty different artists and companies in forty four performances will be presented. The Utrecht IETM meeting provides this full programme and thus plenty of informal opportunities to discuss and exchange ideas and connect with colleagues in the field. We hope that you can transfer this information to interested people in your country or post it on your respective websites! Thanks a lot! IETM teams in Utrecht & IETM Brussels For practical information, please visit www.ietm.org For registration, please go directly to http://register.ietm.org (Early bird discount till October 7th ) If you have any questions, please email ietm@ietm.org