Reflecting on the Mobility of Artists in Europe (2012)
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ON-AIR REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE ON-AIR: REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE 3 ON-AIR REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE THE JOURNEY AND ITS DESTINATIONS Maria Tuerlings, director Trans Artists & Yasmine Ostendorf, project co-ordinator ON-AiR With this publication the partners of the urge to be mobile should have access to the ON-AiR project aim to take you on a ‘jour- resources, tools and expertise to achieve it ney’, reflecting on the current state of mobil- successfully. ity in which the artists in Europe operate and their art flourishes. It also includes a sum- The word mobility derives from the Latin mary of the results and outcomes of the m¯obilis, which roughly translates as ON-AiR project. ‘moveable’ – being able to move from one place to another. As simple as this might There’s a popular saying: ‘Travel broadens seem, the reality is more complicated. the mind’. When you least expect it, you Ranging from limited financial resources encounter the crazy ones, the geniuses, to problems getting a visa and other regula- the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, tory barriers, there are many challenges the square pegs in the round holes and the to solve before arriving at your desired ones who see things differently from your destination. perspective. In close collaboration with dedicated To be able to learn from other cultures, partners, Trans Artists initiated a meeting to trigger your imagination, to develop in 2009 – ‘the Prologue’. Partners play- special skills, to be able to understand ing key roles in EU mobility schemes were why things happen differently in another invited to take stock of what was needed to country from your own, to realise a project improve the mobility of artists in the different that could never have been achieved in European regions. This meeting marked the your own environment, to be inspired, birth of the partner project ON-AiR. to fail, to find your passion or to have an enlightening unexpected encounter The initiators of ON-AiR identified two are some of the things that are likely urgent issues: to happen when stepping out of your — An imbalance between knowledge and comfort zone. skills among potential users of AiR pro- grammes (knowing that AiR opportunities are ‘out there’ is different from having the WHEN YOU UN-SETTLE. skills to access and make use of them). Mobility isn’t obvious for everyone. It is also — The need for exchange of expertise between not necessary for everybody. At the same providers of AiR programmes and other time, we feel that those who do act on the cultural partner organisations, to sustain 4 MARIA TUERLINGS & YASMINE OSTENDORF THE JOURNEY AND ITS DESTINATIONS and further develop their role as catalysts approach. Ten essays by authors from across for mobility. Europe are the result. The content and for- mat of the essays differ enormously: varying The initiators decided to address these issues from a letter written to a Resident Artist, through two types of activity: to the examination of the much-discussed — Tailor-made workshops for artists ‘brain drain’ phenomenon in Eastern (all disciplines and age groups) using Europe. specially created tools. — Seminars where partner organisations The second part of this book introduces the would meet, exchange experiences and direct sources for the topics the essays are develop a strategy to ensure the continuity based on: the workshops and seminars of of this knowledge exchange. ON-AiR. Workshops on residency opportu- nities and mobility for young artists (Poland 18 partner organisations across 15 EU and Austria), mid-career artists (Sweden), countries committed themselves to organis- curators (Slovenia), designers and architects ing tailor-made workshops for their local and (Macedonia), students (Turkey and regional artists in order to fulfil their need for Scotland), dancers (Hungary), actors information on AiR opportunities and mobil- (Romania), encounters with residency ity. This informal platform became the basis organisers (Belgium and Slovakia) and many for other collaborations, future and joint more. The introduction to the topics and out- projects building on experiences gained in comes of these workshops is accompanied the ON-AiR collaboration project. A grant by material specially compiled by the local from the DG EAC of the European Com- partner to accompany their workshops. mission and the support of many artists and Some choose the form of an interview, others partner organisations made this exceptional a cultural mapping of the region or insight and successful ON-AiR journey possible. into possibilities for financial support. They were all used as an extension of the The destinations on this journey are not ran- ON-AiR workshop manual given to partici- dom – they are all linked to the outcomes of pants (downloadable at www.on-air-mobility. the project. With workshops given across org). The basic manual provides information 15 European countries, many aspects of about the process of becoming an artist-in- mobility were addressed, discussed and residence, how to select a residency, how to researched. New focal points that required apply and existing mobility networks. more attention rose to the surface. This publication does not intend to solve Not only did we zoom in on the artist’s per- problems, nor does it offer a complete over- spective, but also on the point of view of view of them. It is meant to share issues we the anthropologist, the philosopher, the experienced during the project with others researcher, the policy maker, the teacher, the so that they can use the basic information, insider and the outsider. build on the learning and not have to continually ‘re-invent the wheel’. An Editorial Team consisting of 18 mobility experts from the different regions of Europe, The publication offers different perspectives all working as partners in ON-AiR, proposed on the current situation and also suggests 10 topics or thoughts for a more in-depth future ‘destinations’. As you will read 5 ON-AIR REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE in the State of Affairs, several ideas are being developed to continue the collaborations that started through ON-AiR. Continuity of collaboration and sharing are the cherished wish and need expressed by all the partners and participants in the project. Major changes and challenges are ahead of us, in our countries and further afield. This makes effective and sustainable collabo- ration more important than ever. It is our desire this publication provides inspiration for the times ahead of us, for critical thinking, to trigger ideas and creativity, to motivate and stimulate artists as well as other cultural operators and to act as a stepping stone for further reflection. This publication would not have been pos- sible without the generous support of many: the DG EAC of the European Commission, the Mondriaan Foundation, the ON-AiR partners and all their partners, through whom their participation in the project was possible, the essay writers, translators, the editorial team, the Trans Artists staff and its complete dedication to the project, as well as the publication and everyone that made the project a great success. A sincere thank you to you all! 6 ON-AIR REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE CONTENT THE JOURNEY AND HOW TO PROCEED CREATING A ITS DESTINATIONS FROM HERE? BIGGER CONTEXT: Maria Tuerlings Marijke Hoogenboom 45 GEOAIR, GEORGIA & Yasmine Ostendorf 4 Heidi Vogels 112 THE LATE NIGHT RECEPTIVE INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST’S REQUEST RECIPROCITY HEDWIG HEINSMAN Jenny Brownrigg 10 Erik Hagoort 51 FROM DUS ARCHITECTS Bojana Panevska 126 MOBILITY TO A SONG ADRIFT INNOVATE: FROM LOCAL Yeb Wiersma 58 THE U-TURN TO GLOCAL Lotte Geeven 132 Bertan Pocesta Selim 12 STATE OF AFFAIRS ON-AIR 74 REGIONAL INFO BEYOND THE EAST Contributions by Ludwig Henne 18 ON-AiR partners 138 ON-AIR WORKSHOPS 78 Bibliography 162 EMERGING ARTIST — Munich, Germany 79 Colofon 163 RESIDENCIES IN TURKEY — Graz, Austria 80 Biographies 164 Ilgim Veryeri Alaca 21 — Göteborg, Sweden 81 — Bucharest, Romania 83 — Lisbon, Portugal 84 LETTER TO — Glasgow, Scotland 86 A RESIDENT ARTIST — Enschede, Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt 28 the Netherlands 88 — Kasterlee, Belgium 89 — Skopje, Macedonia 90 THE HYPERMOBILE — Bratislava, Slovakia 92 ICARUS — Warsaw, Poland 96 Pau Cata Marles 36 — Istanbul, Turkey 98 — Budapest, Hungary 102 — Turin, Italy 106 THE ARTIST OUT — Ljubljana, Slovenia 115 OF PLACE Anna Detheridge 43 7 ON-AIR REFLECTING ON THE MOBILITY OF ARTISTS IN EUROPE THE LATE NIGHT ARTIST’S REQUEST Jenny Brownrigg In the past, I have been the warden of an the ground as part of a performance; and artist residency centre located in the middle I have filmed from the barriers of a demoli- of nowhere. I have also been an artist-in- tion derby with cars routinely spinning out residence three times, finding myself in very of control. My skills and my presence made different situations, including the suburbs of me the additional person that could help a busy city, a forest, and an island. From these out when the artist needed to improvise with experiences, I can recall vividly how my brain what- or whoever was within arms’ length. would start to work late at night. No matter Others have helped me. When the rain where I was, it always would. came down and washed the ink off a mono- chrome billboard picture, we mounted Anxieties, insecurities, niggling technicali- ladders and painted in the waterlogged ties, pertinent questions, all of them propel areas with black acrylic to redefine the lines of thought into requests for action. absentee image. Some die in the first light of the day, as they are judged to be non-sense, whilst others I have also heard tales from others.