Exchange platform - Enlighten hidden passes: the reality of cultural mobility between the Balkans, the Arab
world and Europe – 8th & 9th May – 2014 Pogon, Centre for Independent Culture and Youth in Zagreb, Croatia.
Introduction
The Roberto Cimetta Fund exists since 1999 as a possible funding solution to the ever-increasing
internationalisation of artistic practice. RCF addresses the problems of cultural and artistic mobility in the
geographical areas where this mobility is the most difficult: namely in the Arab world and in the Balkans. All our
travel grants concern travellers coming from or cooperating with the Balkans and the Arab world.
As an international association whose Board of Directors originate from both the wider Europe and Arab
region, RCF designs and runs mobility funding schemes and organises exchange platforms for cultural managers
and artists to address transnational, trans-disciplinary and transversal cultural issues.
The funding solutions we propose are designed with public or private funding partners, particularly local and
regional authorities in the wider Europe and the Arab world. Our expertise is aimed at directly benefiting local
artists and cultural managers working at international level and the opportunities we design are particularly
tailored to neighbouring countries outside of the EU zone.
The Board of Directors of the Roberto Cimetta Fund agrees that throughout the Balkans, because of its recent
turmoil and the enclosure that resulted, it is important to support artists and cultural managers in their existing
or to-be-developed networks and projects at an international level.
Following our meeting in Belgrade in September 2013 this exchange platform will continue to provide a
meeting point and capacity builiding opportunities for cultural actors and develop further the issues for cultural
and arts development in Balkan/Arab/Europe exchanges ; upholding human dignity, safeguarding cultural
diversity and defending cultural rights.
Our meetings aim to build the capacities of the cultural managers we support so that they can structure and
develop, on a longer term, cross-border cooperation, networks and quality art projects. Mobility should be
seen as a return trip bringing back potential to the starting point of the journey; potential in terms of
multilateral partnerships that require specific know-how.
Over the last three years we have build up an informal network of some 400 cultural and arts managers
working with or within the Balkans and Arab regions and organised exchange platforms in Guimarães, Portugal,
Beirut, Lebanon, Belgrade, Serbia.
Balkan-Arab Exchange platform – Zagreb, 8th & 9th May 2014
Thursday, 8th May - POGON
Morning
Arrival of participants
Tour of cultural venues with cultural operators from Zagreb (to be confirmed)
Hotel accommodation at International Hotel
9h30 – 12h30
Roberto Cimetta Fund Extraordinary General Assembly and Ordinary General
meeting
13.00 – 14.30
Free time
15.00 – 15.15
Welcome by representatives of the Croatian Ministry of Culture, Kulturanova
Foundation, City of Zagreb, Pogon
Address by Aqeel Al-Mandilawi, Director General, Ministry of Culture of Irak, Ivana Hrastovic,
Algerian Embassy in Croatia, Tea Karaman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Croatia, Vana Vojinovic,
Ministry of Culture of Montenegro
15.15 – 15.30
Introduction by Ferdinand Richard, Chair of the Roberto Cimetta Fund
16.00 – 17.30
Interactive session 1 moderated by Vahid Evazzadeh (The Counter Institute), RCF expert,
Copenhagen, Denmark
Re-thinking cooperation – Networking, exchange and video presentations
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17.30 – 17.45
17.45 – 19.15
19.15 – 20.15
20.30 – 22.30
Description: Artists and cultural operators from the Arab world and the Balkan regions are
keen to exchange but mobility funding is fragmented and rare. The conflictual and unstable
situation in some countries provokes a forced mobility rather than a desired one. Why and
how should we cooperate between the two regions? How can we improve the situation so
that co-productions and co-building of projects can emerge through networking, art
collectives, art movements, exchange, virtual discussion forums…?
Contributions by Shehab Hassan (El Madina), Nisrine Boukhari (AllArtNow), Amine Hattou
(Independent), Jovana Nikolic (Kulturmobil/Prababa Prod.), Neja Tomsic (MoTA), Christiane
Azzer (Anna Lindh Foundation), Walid Soliman (Walidoff International), Ahed Izhiman (ArtLab
Jerusalem)
Coffee and snack/cake
Interactive session 2 moderated by Raul Abeledo, (Econcult), RCF expert, Valencia, Spain
Sustainability and economic models of cooperation: spaces, opportunities
Description: The framework for mobility and cooperation between the Arab and Balkan
regions is almost non-existent with very few cultural players. How can economic and
sustainable models of cooperation be set up? What does this require? How can we improve
the situation for art to express itself in the public space? What training opportunities should
be developed to allow this?
Contributions by Alexandra Uzelac (IRMO), Katarina Pejovic (Shadowcasters), Giuseppina
Checola (Archiviazioni), Lucia Falco (Teatro in Rivolta), Lukman Derky (Independent), Srdjan
Tunic (Transcultural Dialogues), Ihor Savchak (Centre for Cultural Management Lviv)
Speed-dating sessions
Cocktail offered by the Croatian Ministry of Culture
Friday, 9th May - POGON
09.00 – 09.30
09.30 – 09.45
09.45 – 11.15
11.15 – 11.30
11.30 – 12.45
12.45 – 13.45
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Registration of participants and welcome coffee
Keynote introduction by Hanan Kassab Hassan, Professor, St. Joseph’s University, Beirut,
Lebanon
Debate 1 moderated by Ines Vanjak, Kultura Nova Foundation
Pathways of Regional Cooperation: Role, Experiences, Models, Perspectives and Challenges
Description: Cooperation between cultural civil society organizations in post-Yugoslav
countries has been developing for many years, but still there are no financial instruments that
would ensure continuous and sustainable cross-border cooperation in the region. How can
we create an institutional framework that will provide long-term support/funding models for
regional cooperation? What are the experiences of the Arab world?
Introduction: Katarina Pavic (Clubture Network / Kooperativa), Milica Pekic (Independent
Cultural Scene of Serbia / Kooperativa) and Davor Mišković (Drugo more)
Coffee break
Debate 2 moderated by Serene Huleileh, Arab Education Forum, Safar Fund, Amman, Jordan
What should our advocacy for regional cooperation be?
Description: Cooperation requires a certain number of ingredients: conditions for dialogue
(such as mobility and translation) but also a legal and institutional framework. When this is
lacking we need to advocate for it. This debate will look at the coalitions that exist already
and on ideas to improve our advocacy and develop synergies for it.
Contributions by Khadija El Bennaoui (Independent) Vesna Danilovic (Cultural Centre of
Belgrade), Darka Radosavljevic (Remont), Alma Salem (British Council Lebanon), Elli
Papakonstantinou (Vyrsodepseio), Herman Bashiron Mendolicchio (Interartive Magazine)
Lunch offered by the City of Zagreb at Pogon
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13.45 – 15.00
15.00 – 16.15
16.15 – 17.15
Slow dating/coffee break
Workshop 1 moderated by Mladen Spehar, Manager, CCP Croatia (to be confirmed)
How do we address collaboration between Arab and Balkan operators in the EU
institutional framework?
Description: This workshop aims to give participants the opportunity to learn about the
current framework in the EU with regard to culture and external relations (funding
opportunities, programmes and policies). It should provide the opportunity to voice opinions
about what EU policy should be and formulate recommendations.
Contributions by Lola Joksimovic (Team Europe), Gyorgi Szabo (Trafo), Lisa Baldacchio (Malta
Arts Council), Aneta Petrovska (Macedonian Design Council), Kamel Salih (Pop in Djerba),
Cristina Farinha (Addict)
Final Session and Conclusions chaired by Ferdinand Richard
Addresses and directions:
Hotel Internacional, Miramarska cesta 24, 10000,
Zagreb, Croatie tel : +385 1 6108 800
POGON JEDINSTVO
Meeting room for RCF General Assembly:
Pogon Centre, Kneza Mislava 11 (1st floor), Zagreb
Main conference venue:
POGON JEDINSTVO, Trnjanski nasip bb, Zagreb (see
map)
tip for taxis: If they don't know this address tell
them: next to club Mochvara
Directions from the hotel to Pogon Jedinstvo:
https://goo.gl/maps/n0LDf
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