The Atelier for Young Festival Managers was launched by the European Festivals Association (EFA) in 2006, when Hugo De Greef was the Association’s Secretary General (from 2004 to 2008). Today, he is the General Coordinator of the Atelier. “The Atelier is about formulating experiences and how to hand over these experiences to the next generation of festival makers, focusing thematically on the very essence of festivals: the artistic production,” stated Hugo De Greef in the first edition GÖRLITZ 2006. To mention just a few highlights in what has been a distinguished career in the cultural sector, Hugo De Greef was the Founder in 1977 of the Kaaitheater in Brussels, and his general manager for 20 years. He was also the General Manager of BRUGGE 2002, European Capital of Culture. He was also a Co-Founder of IETM (Informal European Theatre Meeting), of the Felix Meritis Foundation in Amsterdam, of the Flemish Theatre monthly ‘ETCETERA’, of the international publication ‘THEATRESCHRIT’, of the ‘Festival of the Philosophy’ and of the ‘European House for Culture’. Some international activities: co-productions with Flemish/Belgian, European and American artists organisation of the ‘Flemish Arts’ presentation during the Expo in Lisbon in 1998, member of the advisory board for ‘Theaterformen’ festival in Hannover for the Expo in 2000, initiator for the ‘New Europe’ festival in New York in October 1999. Furthermore, Hugo De Greef was General Manager of the Flagey Arts Centre in centre in Brussels from 2007 until June 2010, the Artistic Advisor of the Festival of Flanders in 1998/1999, the Art Director for BRUSSELS 2000 (January-May 1998). Since January 2003, he was the President of PARTS, a dance school in Brussels founded by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Currently, Hugo De Greef is the Advisor for International Cultural Policy towards the minister of Culture from Flanders and the General Coordinator of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers. The European Festivals Association is proud to have eight renowned festival managers from all over the world on board for IZMIR 2011. Under the coordination of Hugo De Greef (Belgium) they will guide the participants throughout the seven days of the Atelier. In the run-up of the Atelier we have already presented you Robyn Archer (Australia) and Hugo De Greef (Belgium) and will tell you more about: Rose Fenton (United Kingdom), Ching-Lee Goh (Singapore), Nele Hertling (Germany), Michal Merzcyński (Poland), Jonathan Mills (United Kingdom), and Fruzsina Szép (Hungary). Keep an eye! More info on the Atelier IZMIR 2011 at: http://efa-aef.eu/en/activities/atelier/izmir/