European Culture Congress, September 8 – 11, 2011, Wrocław
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European Culture Congress, September 8 – 11, 2011, Wrocław Four days − 100 interdisciplinary events and projects, 300 masters and alternative artists, over 90 thousand square meters One of the foremost events in the Polish Presidency of 2011 will be the European Culture Congress, which will take place September 8 – 11, 2011 in an exceptional city and location. The Congress will be hosted by Wrocław, a European Capital of Culture 2016 candidate city that has for years been one of the most culturally thriving spots on the map of Europe. Culture will take center stage at this extraordinary event. The interdisciplinary program of the Congress will feature 300 artists, academics, philosophers, and activists, including Zygmunt Bauman, Brian Eno, Jan Fabre, Oliviero Toscani, Azra Akšamija, Zbigniew Libera, Mirosław Bałka, Zbigniew Rybczyński, Krzysztof Penderecki, Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead), Aphex Twin, Krystian Lupa and Dorota Masłowska, Stefan Kaegi, Amos Oz, Wilhelm Sasnal, Grupa Kompott, Miasto w Komie, Lawrence Mark “Larry” Sanger , and Fatos Lubonja . Over the course of just four days, these guests will take part in exceptional panels/discussions and participate in 100 original projects. All of this will take place in a setting specially designed for the Congress by the creators of the Polish Pavilion at the Shanghai EXPO: Boris Kudlička , stage designer at the Grand Theatre National Opera in Warsaw, famous for his collaborations with Mariusz Treliński, along with artists from WWAA studio. The Congress will be the first event of its kind in Europe. It differs from other initiatives in its problem- oriented approach to culture, but most importantly, it combines the theory and practice of culture , giving all participants an opportunity to encounter the many manifestation of culture found in Wrocław, Poland, and Europe. Interdisciplinary artistic projects will be held alongside discussions on select phenomena and problems in contemporary culture. The key elements of the European Culture Congress will be: A meeting of EU Ministers of Culture Panels and discussions Debates held as a part of the A Soul for Europe initiative Artistic events CONCEPTS The European Culture Congress (ECC) will be an opportunity to reflect on the prospects and possible scenarios for the development of European culture . The Congress will provide a space in which to debate the issue of community in diversity, to think about what the driving force behind European culture is, and whether it is necessary to search for a common denominator in variety. The program of the Congress is based on a book by Professor Zygmunt Bauman which discusses the condition of contemporary European culture and its prospects for future development. The book, initiated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and written specially for the Congress, will be published in Poland (Agora) and the United Kingdom (Polity Press). The main theme of the Congress will be – “Art for Social Change.” Art for Social Change is a concept that describes artistic ventures aimed at increasing the social and artistic awareness of its participants. It is a field of contemporary art that has an influence on society and can be a force for change while inspiring innovation and critical thinking. “At its inception and in the fundamental concepts of its program, the Congress has already surpassed its name and format. The idea and main theme are a call to action and a declaration that change is possible. Art for Social Change is an attitude that can be assumed by anyone who creates or participates in culture, allowing them to recognize the potential for change that it holds. Through creative action, and perceiving oneself and one’s own actions in a broader context, culture and art can be treated as causative values, ones that are deeply rooted in the real world and which enter into a dialog with it,” explains Michał Merczyński, director of the National Audiovisual Institute. Grassroots culture produced by nongovernmental organizations will have a strong presence at the Culture, in keeping with the EU’s 2011 theme of volunteering, and in response to the idea of social innovation through culture, which plays an important role in the development of social capital, as outlined in the “Poland 2030” strategy. Another crucial element of the Congress will be a debate on the role of culture and its financing at the European level. The goal of the debate will be to develop practical solutions that will foster changes in how culture is treated in the discussion and the budget at the EU level. Participants of the events will include theoreticians, artists, cultural organizers, and journalists from the European Union as well as countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Russia. The format of the Congress will be more like a social and cultural festival, rather than a purely academic debate. The Honorary Committee of the ECC, established by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, will comprise: choreographer Jan Fabre , composer Arvo Pärt , composer Krzysztof Penderecki , poet Tadeusz Różewicz , philosopher Umberto Eco , philosopher Peter Sloterdijk , film director Andrzej Wajda , writer Amos Oz , writer and politician Vaclav Havel , and film director Alan Parker . The ECC Council, established by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, comprises: director of the Edinburgh International Festival Jonathan Mills , director of the International Festival d’Avignon Vincent Baudriller , Berlinale IFF director Dieter Kosslick , director of the International Golden Mask Theatre Festival in Moscow Maria Revaykina , curator Anda Rottenberg , director of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna Krzysztof Michalski , writer Dubravka Ugrešić , director of the International Theatre Festival in Athens Yorgos Loukos , director of the Bonierskonsthall in Stockholm Sara Arrhenius , writer Wiktor Jerofiejew , writer Paul Scheffer , director of The Prague Spring International Music Festival Roman Bělor , director of the Grec Festival in Barcelona Ricardo Szwarcer , sculptor and performer Grzegorz Kowalski , cultural anthropologist Wojciech Burszta , and IRCAM director Frank Madlener . CONGRESS PROGRAM Inaugural lecture by Professor Zygmunt Bauman The eminent Polish philosopher, sociologist, and astute observer of culture will deliver a lecture on new strategies for European culture, at an exceptional venue – Wrocław’s Centennial Hall. Panels and discussion featuring theoreticians and practicians will be devoted to the foremost issues in contemporary culture, grouped around the following themes: MASSES OF CULTURE (open culture) – contemporary culture is created by several billion participants. In the online “mass of culture,” the borders between what does and does not constitute art have long been blurred. Anyone can be a creator in today’s world, resulting in an inexhaustible supply in the field of culture. This issue involves problems of control and censorship, and poses questions on where the center and margins of contemporary culture lie. What is open culture – is it a blessing of choice or a curse of abundance? CULTURE INC . (culture and economy) – from the economic perspective, there is no difference between culture and industry. This approach at once benefits and threatens the development of culture. As a stimulating factor in the economy and a real source of income, culture deserves the support of business and the state. There exists, however, a threat of intellectual and artistic impoverishment of the concept of culture: economic indicators need not correspond to the intellectual and aesthetic products of culture, and should not be used in their assessment. How should culture make use of free market mechanisms without itself becoming their victim? What alternative economic models would foster its development? LOBBYING FOR CULTURE (advocacy) – advocacy in culture entails lobbying for a modern, effective cultural policy treated on par with social and economic policy. It is also strives to increase social awareness by informing the public opinion on the workings of culture and their influence on society. What makes cultural lobbying effective? What competencies should a cultural support group display? LOST IN CULTURE (interdisciplinarity) – art has long questioned and abandoned the traditional boundaries between various forms of expression. We live in a culture of radical interdisciplinarity. Experimental art employs the language of science and subverts the concepts of aesthetics and artistry, encompassing hitherto excluded fields into its realm of artistic consideration and expanding its own definition at an increasing rate. What new cultural competencies are required in order to understand the contemporary interdisciplinary work of art? DANGEROUS LIAISONS (power and culture) – the concept of soft power is a relatively recent addition to the vocabulary of cultural discourse, but the practice of exploiting culture as a tool of colonizing the world – and our immediate surroundings – is timeless. Culture is used by governments as an alternative, non-violent medium for instilling and reinforcing ideology. However, cultural policy presents only a selection of phenomena as representative, attractive, and worthwhile, while others are overlooked or rejected. Are the benefits of the marriage between power and culture greater than the possible threats? ALIEN EUROPE (what does it mean to be European) – the term “European” encompasses a number of communities: national,