On 20 May 2011, the closing ceremony of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers, initiated and organised by the European Festivals Association (EFA), takes place in Singapore. The last session of the one-week intense training course includes a public talk and panel discussion with experienced festival director Robyn Archer and other international high-level festival experts. The closing ceremony of the first Asian edition of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers brings together the directors of well-known festivals to debate on the role and position of arts and arts festivals in society which is increasingly a complex and convoluted one, caught between artistic ideals and political realities in a static or shrinking pool of resources. Kris Peeters, Minister-President of Flanders/Belgium opens the discussion. Robyn Archer (Creative Director The Centenary of Canberra (2013), Artistic Director of The Light in Winter – Australia) delivers the keynote speech before opening the floor for discussion with the panel. Leading festival experts join the panel: Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (former Director of the Avignon Festival - France); Grace Lang (Programme Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival); Nele Hertling (former Director Hebbel-Theatre, Berlin - Germany) and Dr Robert Liew (first Singaporean Artistic Director of the Singapore Arts Festival). Jane Allan, Dean of Foundation Studies at LASALLE College of the Arts, moderates the panel discussion. Closing speeches are given by Venka Purushothaman, Provost LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, Ambassador Dominique Girard, Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Darko Brlek, EFA President, as well as Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General, and, Hugo De Greef, General Coordinator of the Atelier. The closing ceremony is co-organised by the European Festivals Association, initiator of the Atelier, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the LASALLE College of the Arts. It is held at the Singapore Airlines Theatre at LASALLE College of the Arts on 20 May 2011 from 5pm to 6.30pm. Admission is free. More information about the Atelier can be found at the SINGAPORE 2011 website. For impressions from the Atelier in Singapore have a look at the dedicated photo gallery.