EFA BOOKS 2 & 3 ON THEIR WAY TO THE PUBLISHER In March 2008 EFA publishes the second and third issue of the EFA BOOKS series.‘Give, Get or Get Off! Challenges of cultural networking today’ and ‘Cahier d’Atelier’ on the artistic vision and missions of festivals. In line with the first edition, ‘Still so much to be done: Challenges for Culture in Europe’, both publications aim to stimulate the debate on cultural issues related to arts festivals on the one hand, and to gather and pass-on this knowledge in a sustainable way on the other. European Commissioner for Culture Mr Ján Figel’ supports this initiative with a contribution to EFA BOOKS 3. Both volumes are based on prominent activities and initiatives taken by EFA in the last two years. ‘Give, Get or Get Off’ is a follow up of the conference ‘Cultural Networks at Work’, a gathering that was organized by the European Festivals Association (EFA) and the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) in Brussels in June 2007. The book brings together results of the conference which was attended by 350 delegates from 50 countries altogether presenting excerpts of the discussion sessions as well as a series of contributions of experienced networkers on the challenges and opportunities of cultural networking today. EFA BOOKS 3 has a more artistic input, giving the floor to experienced festival leaders who share their personal understanding, know-how and ideas on festival management. The book features contributions of, among the others, Gerard Mortier (Director Opera Paris), Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (former longstanding Director of the Festival d’Avignon), Rose Fenton (co-Founder and Director of LIFT – London International Theatre Festival and “Festivals in Transition (FIT)” initiator), Sir Brian McMaster (former Director Edinburgh Festival), Darko Brlek (EFA President and Director Ljubljana Festival), Frans de Ruiter and Gavin Henderson (former EFA Presidents) and Tom Stromberg (theatre and festival director). European Commissioner for Culture contributes to the publication with a personal reflection on the importance of cultural festivals in Europe. Hugo De Greef, EFA Secretary General who is featured with an introductory essay, considers the EFA BOOKS series as “one of the best ways to engage in issues that are to the concern of festivals while at the same reaching out to civil society and contributing to the cultural debate in Europe to a maximum extent.” The EFA BOOKS series is distributed to a large public including EFA members, the festival sector, national and European politicians, cultural and civil society networks, universities and the press. All issues are offered at the EFA e-shop on www.efa-aef.eu. A fourth publication on festival sponsoring is in preparation. Contact person for more information: Kathrin Deventer, Press & Communication Kleine Gentstraat 46 9051 Gent / Belgium T +32 9 241 8080 - F +32 498 57 20 15 Kathrin@efa-aef.eu www.efa-aef.eu