Atelier Guide

21-27 March 2015

Atelier Guide

“The true role of a festival is to help artists to dare, to engage in new projects…” (Bernard Faivre d’Arcier)

Index

Welcome by Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival ...... 2 Welcome by The Festival Academy and the European Festivals Association ...... 3 Programme ...... 5 Mentors and Presenters ...... 10 Guest Speakers ...... 17 Cultural Beirut ...... 22 Participants ...... 30 The Festival Academy and its mission ...... 34 Atelier for Young Festival Managers: Mission, history, success ...... 35 Co-organisers ...... 41 Contacts ...... 42 Venues and maps ...... 43

Welcome by Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival

Dear Atelier Participants, Dear Mentors and Presenters, Dear Honorary Guests, Dear Colleagues,

With great pleasure, I welcome you – on behalf of the Beiteddine Art Festival, to the 8th edition of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers! It is the first time that this unique 7-day training takes place in the Arab world and we are very honoured to have the opportunity to host it in Beirut.

Though one of the smallest countries in the Middle East, Lebanon enjoys an extraordinary rich and diverse human and cultural heritage, it harbours the largest number of international festivals and numerous cultural venues.

The Beiteddine Art Festival was born in the summer of 1985, at a time when civil war was tearing the country apart. It was a cry for normality in the chaos of war and what better approach than the arts to inspire citizens, promote dialogue and encourage social cohesion. Beiteddine became a sanctuary for the arts and with time grew to be one of the leading festivals in the Middle East

Beirut, the capital city is at the crossroads between East and West. It was reborn seven times from its ashes. This resilient capital is an Arab metropolis with all the flavours of a contemporary European city. We invite you to enjoy and discover Beirut, a vibrant city that fascinates with its cultural dynamism; it is an ideal backdrop for the Atelier.

In a fast changing world, the festival sector faces new challenges that the coming generations of festival directors and cultural professionals have to meet, exploring innovative cultural pathways.

In this context, initiatives such as the Atelier for Young Festival Managers are crucial. It is one of a few programmes in the world creating opportunities, allowing next generations of festival makers and programmers to network and be inspired by an amazing group of experienced festival directors. The Beiteddine Art Festival is delighted to support the Festival Academy and the European Festivals Association in its didactic mission.

On behalf of the Beiteddine Art Festival, I would like to invite all participants, presenters and guests to benefit as much as possible from the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Beirut and this incredible network you will now be part of. We are convinced that everyone will leave Beirut with many new ideas, creative intentions and innovative projects, with a twist of oriental flavour!

May this edition be memorable!

Nora Joumblatt President of the Beiteddine Art Festival

Welcome by The Festival Academy and the European Festivals Association

Dear Atelier Participants, Dear Mentors and Presenters, Dear Honorary Guests, Dear Colleagues,

The Festival Academy, an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA), is delighted to welcome you to the 8th Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Beirut, hosted by the Beiteddine Art Festival.

We are very pleased to bring together 36 talented, emerging artistic festival managers from 21 countries and five continents and seven renowned festival leaders. The Atelier is a unique occasion for participants and presenters alike to step out of the daily routine for seven days, and to plunge into in-depth discussions on the artistic role of festivals. “The true role of a festival is to help artists to dare, to engage in new projects,” once said Bernard Faivre d’Arcier. His statement has been guiding the Atelier since its very inception in 2006 – no other quote could capture the spirit of the training programme better.

The artistic aspects of festival management are at heart of all Atelier exchanges. The Atelier is also a unique opportunity for participants and presenters to network, to exchange ideas and to explore future cooperation possibilities.

“The aim of the Atelier is to discuss the artistic aspects of festival management, including inspiring artists, delighting and challenging audiences, political and social responsibility, internationalism and sustainability,” said Lisa Dempster from the Melbourne Writers Festival and participant of the Atelier POZNAN 2014.

After seven successful editions in Görlitz, Germany (2006), Varna, Bulgaria (2009), Singapore and Izmir, Turkey (2011), Ljubljana, Slovenia (2012), Edinburgh, UK (2014) and Poznan, Poland (2014), the Atelier Alumni Network counts 264 young artistic festival managers and 32 high-level festival leaders from 60 countries worldwide. We are thrilled to welcome you to this network and invite you to become an active member of it.

With its Arab and European influences, Beirut embodies the encounter of different cultures and offers a unique background for an international programme such as the Atelier. We are looking forward to getting to know this vibrant city together with you. The first Atelier in the Arab World is organised at a time when societies are faced with moments of change and questions. There is a great need for debate on the concept and the implementation of democracy, pluralism and citizenship, and a global trend that shows us new tools and concepts are needed to bring contemporary democratic values to life. Since 1998 the European Festivals Association includes member festivals from Lebanon such as the Beirut Chants Festival, Al Bustan Festival, Beiteddine Art Festival and Baalbeck International Festival in order to pursue this objective. You will meet and be introduced to all these festivals and many more cultural players from Lebanon during the Atelier. The Festival Academy and EFA, together with its members and partners such as the European House for Culture or A Soul for Europe, is continuously working on the role arts and culture have to play in this process.

In the 2015 Beirut edition of the Atelier the participants will meet Hortense Archambault, Hugo De Greef, Rania Elias, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, Nele Hertling, Ruth MacKenzie and Alain Weber – all renowned, trailblazing festival managers who will share their rich experiences with the participants and many more guest speakers from Lebanon. To meet such an outstanding group makes the Atelier unique; an Atelier Alumni stated: “I am overwhelmed by an appreciation of being able to work so closely with so many experienced festival directors, to ask my questions and to hear the wide variety of stories they are able to offer about festival-making, their approaches, successes, challenges and failures. It would be impossible to teach ‘festival direction’ in this way in any other kind of fixed institution.” The previous Ateliers have proved how this experience can serve as a stepping stone for young leaders to grow in their careers, to extend their international networks and to start new collaborations.

The Atelier BEIRUT 2015 is the third edition taking place under the newly established organisation The Festival Academy, launched in April 2013. The Festival Academy incorporates extended partnerships with networks, cultural institutes, embassies and festivals, higher geographical outreach and new training formats in festival management addressed at more diverse target groups. Thus, it will bring the Atelier for Young Festival Managers to a next level. We

are already looking forward to the next Atelier - which will take place in September 2015 for the second time in Asia - in Gwangju, South Korea, in collaboration with the Chonnam National University and the Asian Arts Theatre (Asian Culture Complex). In the meantime, we are also preparing a new training format for production managers; a first edition is planned this year in Antwerp in collaboration with DeSingel.

To conclude, on behalf of The Festival Academy and the European Festivals Association, we would like to thank our host, the Beiteddine Art Festival, its President, Nora Joumblatt, its director, Hala Chahine, and their team, amongst others Hollie Ghandour, for their collaboration in making this Atelier possible. Special thanks go also to all local partners who allow us an insight into the diverse cultural scene of Beirut; to all public institutions which contribute to the development of the young festival generation; as well as to our outstanding festival leaders who have shown perpetual enthusiasm for the Atelier for many years. Last but not least, we would like to thank Hugo De Greef who has been guiding the Atelier since its beginning, always developing further the content and formats, leading, motivating and involving the presenters in the discussions with the group of young festival leaders.

We are looking forward to the next seven days here in Beirut, to discover its artistic and cultural life, to broaden our skills, and to get inspired by one another. And, together with Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director of The Festival Academy, we wish all of us an inspiring time in Beirut!

Darko Brlek Kathrin Deventer The Festival Academy President EFA Secretary General EFA President

Programme

Mentors and Speakers:  Hortense Archambault (Director MC93 La Maison de la Culture de la Seine Saint-Denis, Bobigny; Former Director Avignon Festival – France)  Hugo De Greef (Atelier Coordinator, former EFA Secretary General, Director European Capital of Culture Bruges 2002, Co-Founder Kaaitheater Brussels – Belgium)  Rania Elias (Director Yabous Cultural Centre and the Jerusalem Festival – Palestine)  Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (President Lyon Biennial, former Director Avignon Festival – France)  Nele Hertling (Vice-Chair of the Academy of Arts Berlin – Germany)  Ruth MacKenzie (Director Holland Festival, General Manager Olympic Cultural Festival 2012 – Netherlands/UK)  Alain Weber (Artistic Director of Fes Festival – Morocco)

Guest Speakers, amongst others:  Nayla de Freige (President Baalbeck Festival – Lebanon)  Micheline Abi Samra (President Beirut Chants Festival – Lebanon)  Nora Joumblatt (President Beiteddine Art Festival – Lebanon)  Laura Lahoud (Committee Member Al Bustan Festival – Lebanon)  Alissar Caracalla (Caracalla Dance Company – Lebanon)  Randa Asmar (Director Spring Festival – Lebanon)  Monique Bellan (Researcher Orient Institut Beirut – Germany/Lebanon)  Cornelia Krafft (Artist/ Choreographer; Former Assistant Professor Department of Fine Arts and Art History American University of Beirut (AUB) – Germany/Lebanon)  Paul Mattar (Director Monnot Theatre – Lebanon)  Omar Rajeh (Artistic Director Maqamat Dance Theatre/ Founder of Bipod-Beirut International Platform of Dance – Lebanon)  Nagy Souraty (Director Al Madina Theatre – Lebanon)  Hala Chahine (Director Beiteddine Art Festival – Lebanon)

All Atelier sessions take place at the main meeting venue Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), Ain El Mreisseh Beirut, unless stated otherwise

Saturday, 21 March 2015 – DAY 1

Hugo De Greef, Nele Hertling, Ruth MacKenzie are present

15:00 – 16:30 Participant’s registration at the Mayflower Hotel

16:45 Departure from Mayflower Hotel by bus to Sursock Palace

Opening Ceremony at the Villa Linda Sursock (Sursock Palace)

17:45 Guests, participants and mentors and presenters arrive

18:00 Welcome speeches and introductions:  Welcome by Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival  Welcome by H.E. Mr. Michel Pharaon, Minister of Tourism  Welcome by H.E. Mr. Rony Araiji, Minister of Culture  Welcome by Darko Brlek, President of the European Festivals Association  Introduction by Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director The Festival Academy (initiative of EFA)  Keynote speech by Ruth MacKenzie, Director Holland Festival

19:30 Buffet dinner reception

Sunday, 22 March 2015 – DAY 2

Mentors participate in all sessions Hugo De Greef, Nele Hertling, Ruth MacKenzie are present

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome and Introduction by Hugo De Greef, Atelier Coordinator and moderator

9:15 – 11.00 Object & presentation session 1 Each participant briefly presents her- or himself through an object and personal comments

11:30 – 13:00 Presentation by Nele Hertling & working session²

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 17:00 Introduction by Ruth MacKenzie Dialogue with Ruth MacKenzie & Nele Hertling on their keynote speech, on their experiences with festivals and on topics brought up by participants

18:45 Transport from Mayflower hotel to the Zoukak studio (30 minutes)

19:15 – 20:15 Evening session at Zoukak Theatre Company Encounter with the members of Zoukak Theatre Company 20:15 Transport from Zoukak Theatre to Hamra (30 minutes)

1 Participants present themselves. The presentation should take only a few minutes. Please bring an object that you can use as a starting point for a story or reflexion that tells something about you, personally. This might offer an insight into your values and motivations and how they relate to your professional life and what you are trying to achieve. Please prepare yourselves for this. ² All working sessions will be in different formats: in plenary, in small groups with or without mentors, by topics.... The formats will be decided during the ‘Atelier’ and the sessions following the discussions and the preferences of the group of participants. 6

20:45 – 22:00 Dinner and working sessions

Monday, 23 March 2015 – DAY 3

Hortense Archambault, Hugo De Greef, Nele Hertling are present

9:00 – 11:00 Working Sessions on the proposed topics of the participants

11:00 – 13:00 Working Sessions on the proposed topics of the participants

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 16:00 Presentation by and Dialogue with Hortense Archambault

16:30 – 18:00 Working sessions

18:30 – 19:45 Evening session Al Madina Theatre Encounter and exchange with Nagy Souraty, Director Al Madina Round table with cultural actors from Lebanon Nagy Souraty, Omar Rajeh, Cornelia Krafft and Monique Bellan

20:00 – 22:00 Café de Prague for dinner and drinks

Tuesday, 24 March 2015 - DAY 4

Hortense Archambault, Hugo De Greef, Rania Elias, Nele Hertling are present

Working day at Mir Amine Palace (1 hour drive from Beirut) - a sister palace of The Beiteddine Palace in the Chouf

Departure at 8:45 at the hotel

10:00- 11:30 Exchange with Nora Joumblatt and Hala Chahine on the Beiteddine Art Festival and on the cultural life in Lebanon and the region.

11:30 – 13:00 Open discussions and reflections on the outcomes of the Atelier until now with conclusions to elaborate in the coming days

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch at Mir Amine Palace next to the Beiteddine Palace

14:00 – 15:00 Visit of Beiteddine Palace

15:00 Departure to the National Library in Baakline (5 minutes drive)

15:15 – 17:00 Visit Maqamat Beit El Raqs / residency place Bipod at the National Library in Baakline Presentation Rania Elias (16:00 – 17:00)

17.00 Return to Mir Amine Palace

17:30 – 21:00 Dialogue with Rania Elias and the other mentors Working sessions Dinner at Mir Amine Palace

Wednesday, 25 March 2015 - DAY 5

Hortense Archambault, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, Hugo De Greef, Rania Elias, Nele Hertling, Alain Weber are present

9:30 – 13:30 Visit and introduction to different cultural venues in Beirut in small groups including amongst others Askhal Alwan, Beirut Art Centre, Al Bustan Festival, Zicco House, Monnot Theatre, Caracalla Dance Company, Shams, Metro Al Madina etc.

14:00 – 15:00 Lunch

15:00 – 16:30 Round table presided by Nayla de Freige, President Baalbeck Festival Exchange about the visits. Meetings and exchange with locals and artistic directors related to the morning visits with amongst others Paul Mattar, Director Monnot Theatre; Randa Asmar, Director Spring Festival; Micheline Abi Samra, President Beirut Chants Festival; Alissar Caracalla, Caracalla Dance Company; Laura Lahoud, Committee Member Al Bustan Festival

17:00 – 18:00 Presentation by Alain Weber Artistic director Fes Festival Reflections of the participants together with all the mentors present

18:00 Departure to Downtown Beirut by bus

18:30 Light dinner at ‘Suz' restaurant downtown by the church.

20:00 Private Concert at a historical Church hosted by Beirut Chants Festival

21:30 Departure to hotel

Thursday, 26 March 2015 – DAY 6

Hugo De Greef, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, Nele Hertling, Alain Weber are present

9:00 – 13:00 The essentials of the previous days

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 15:30 Dialogue with Alain Weber and Introduction by Bernard Faivre d’Arcier

15:30 – 18:00 Atelier conclusions and gained insights are elaborated in small groups.

21:30 Transport to Music Hall from Mayflower Hotel

22:00 Musical show and drinks at Music Hall

Friday, 27 March 2015 – DAY 7

Hugo De Greef, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, and Nele Hertling are present; Morning off

Optional: Guided city walk in Beirut

14:00 – 17:00 Open exchange with Mentors present & all participants on the main Atelier topics, and drawing conclusions

18:00 – 20:00 Closing Session at ESA  Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival  Nada Sardouk, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism  Stephane Attali, Director General of ESA  Hugo De Greef, Atelier Coordinator  Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director The Festival Academy (initiative of EFA)

20:00 - 22:00 Reception with drinks and food

Mentors and Presenters

Hortense Archambault Director MC93 Maison de la culture de la Seine Saint-Denis, Bobigny - France

Maison de la culture Hortense Archambault obtained a degree in history at the Sorbonne University and a Master De la Seine Saint-Denis of Advanced Study in cultural management. After different experiences in production, she worked at the Festival d’Avignon from 1999 until 2013 as an administrator under the Avignon Festival direction of Bernard Faivre d'Arcier. In 2003 she was appointed Co-Director of the festival together with Vincent Baudriller. They directed the Avignon Festival for 10 years, until 2013. Artistic and Cultural In that period, she focused on audience development and managed to diversify the Consultant Festival’s audience. Together with Vincent Baudriller, Hortense Archambault developed the Political advisor of the French programme of the Festival with associate artists, who changed every year (Thomas Ministry of Culture Ostermeier in 2004, Jan Fabre in 2005, Josef Nadj in 2006, Frédéric Fisbach in 2007, Valérie Dréville and Romeo Castellucci in 2008, Wajdi Mouawad in 2009, Olivier Cadiot and Christoph Marthaler in 2010, Boris Charmatz in 2011, Simon Mc Burney in 2012, Dieudonné Niangouna and Stanislas Nordey in 2013). She then became an artistic and cultural consultant, and also works as a trainer. In March 2015, Hortense Archambault has been nominated as Director of MC93 Maison de la culture de la Seine Saint-Denis in Bobigny as of the 1st of August 2015.

Nous avons tout de suite voulu placer les projets et les enjeux du Festival sous le signe du dialogue. D’abord dialogue à deux, entre Vincent (l’autre co-directeur) et moi, et ensuite dialogue à trois ou quatre, avec l’appel à un ou deux artistes associés pour irriguer, bousculer chaque année cette institution qu’est le Festival d’Avignon, puis l’élargir progressivement à l’équipe. Il nous paraissait nécessaire d’aborder chaque nouvelle édition avec de nouveaux angles pour regarder le théâtre, de nouveaux points de vue. Hortense Archambault

Co-founder and board member of The Festival Academy Hugo De Greef Atelier Coordinator Former EFA Secretary General

European Festivals Association 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

Brussels and Brugge European (2004-2008). Today, he is the Atelier Coordinator and co-founder of The Festival Capitals of Culture Academy - the organisation set-up by EFA to run the Atelier - amongst other functions in de the cultural sector, both in Belgium and internationally. Hugo De Greef is continuously IETM engaged for better conditions of art and artists around the world. To mention just a few highlights in what has been a distinguished career in the cultural sector: Hugo De Greef Felix Meritis Foundation co-founded the Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM), the Flemish Theatre monthly ETCETERA, the international publication THEATERSCHRIFT, the Philosophy Kaaitheater Festival, the European House for Culture in Brussels, and in 2013 the School of Gaasbeek, a new workplace and residency for artists near Brussels. Hugo De Greef has Flagey Arts Center been the General Manager of the Kaaitheater in Brussels for 20 years. He was the General Manager of the European Capital of Culture in Brugge 2002 and Artistic Director for Brussels 2000. From 2007 to 2010 he was the General Manager of the Flagey Arts Centre in Brussels and in 1998/1999 he was the Artistic Advisor of the Flanders Festival.

His international activities include, amongst others: 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 the Theater for men festival for the Expo in Hannover in 2000, initiator for the New Europe festival in New York in October 1999.

Until recently Hugo De Greef was advisor for International Cultural Policy to the Minister of Culture in Flanders. He is a Board member of ”A Soul for Europe” and the European House for Culture, President of PARTS, a dance school in Brussels founded by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and President of Passa Porta, the house of literature in Brussels. Currently, he is the Co-director of the platform EFFE – Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe.

“We could feel at every moment the experience he gained in his various functions as a theatre director but also as an advisor for the cultural politics of his country. He was a good organiser, leader and at the same time showed subtle diplomacy and great listening. [...] Hugo De Greef knows how to listen, guide, highlight a word, which makes him an outstanding mediator.” Participant Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012

Rania Elias Director of Yabous Cultural Centre and the Jerusalem Festival, Palestine

Director of the Yabous Cultural Centre in Jerusalem, Palestine since 1998, Rania Elias has Yabous Cultural Centre been dealing with local and international public relations, business management, events management, project coordination and funding. Jerusalem Festival She has been the director of the Jerusalem Festival since 1998. The main annual activity of the Yabous Cultural Centre is the Jerusalem Festival, which Bethlehem International was launched in 1996. 18 festivals have been successfully organised over the years. Each Festival festival encompasses a unique theme and vision, which consequently defines the character, the atmosphere and the programme of the festival. The festivals have featured Riwaq - Center for renowned Palestinian, Arab, and international artists. Architectural Conservation Rania Elias is on the board of trustees of several organisations and networks, both Palestinian and international. She is a major speaker in international and local conferences Al Quds – Capital of Arab Culture 2009 and meetings dealing with cultural issues in Palestine. She contributed to several studies during her work as a Fieldwork Researcher and has been active in voluntary social work involved in dealing with cases of abuse in various human rights issues. Rania Elias was the acting Director of the Bethlehem International Festival 1995 – Palestinian Ministry of Culture, and the Administrative Director of Riwaq - Center for Architectural Conservation – Ramallah (1995-1998). In 2007, she was appointed as a member of the national and executive committee for Al Quds – Capital of Arab Culture 2009 and head of the events committee.

The Yabous Cultural Centre is a unique cultural non-governmental organisation based in East Jerusalem. Our 18 years of experience have given our young and dynamic staff a profound understanding of promoting culture in East Jerusalem and how important it is for civic engagement and nation building. We encourage cultural values that enhance innovation, quality, diversity and tolerance to varying cultures and their values, provided this does not compromise our principles. Rania Elias

President Lyon Biennial, Bernard Faivre d’Arcier former long-standing Director Festival d’Avignon – France

Biennale de la Danse de Lyon Bernard Faivre d'Arcier studied Economy, Business Management and Political Science. He decided to work for the Ministry of Culture rather than for the Ministry of Finance. Cultural policy, in his opinion, is just as important as economic policy. He Theatre de la ville de Paris was leading and advising boards of directors in numerous art organizations in France

and across Europe. Centre National du Théâtre He was Deputy Director of the National Audiovisual Institute, Deputy to the

President of the National Centre of Cinematography, Director of the Centre International Fund for the National du Théâtre, and Culture Advisor to the French Prime Minister Laurent Promotion of Culture Fabius. He also worked with the biggest festivals all over the world. He was the Director of the Avignon Festival (1979-1984 and 1993-2003) and Consultant of festivals in Houston, Tokyo and Rome. With consulting and designing clear artistic La Sept visions he influences political strategies of arts. Furthermore, Bernard Faivre d'Arcier

was Head of the Cultural Development Department at the Ministry of Culture in

French Ministry of Culture France (1984-1986), Chairman of the International Fund for the Promotion of Culture (UNESCO), and Commissioner for the Hungarian and the Polish Cultural Season in France. Avignon Festival He launched the television channel La Sept, now Arte, and is a founder of the European Theatre Network Theorem. National Audiovisual Institute

Currently, he is the President of the Lyon Biennial in France, Vice President of the Theatre de la Ville de Paris, Cultural Consultant at BFA-Conseil, and the initiator of the Cultural Cooperation Institution “Metz en scene”.

“Bernard Faivre d'Arcier gave us a strong sense of the story of European festivals, in particular the Avignon Festival which was started by gallerists in post-war France. Bernard, as with the other mentors, went into what it has to be a festival. The question in this is: when is something a festival and when is it a season of programmed events? What makes a festival a festival?” Summa Durie, participant Atelier EDINBURGH 2014.

“Art can bring a dissent, upset minds; change the perception of the world, the way of thinking. Art can be dangerous and divide people. And this implies a very specific responsibility for festival directors to build a direct relation with the public.” Bernard Faivre d’Arcier

Mentor at the Atelier in GÖRLITZ 2006, VARNA 2009, SINGAPORE 2011, LJUBLJANA 2012 and EDINBURG 2014

Vice President of the Academy of Arts Berlin, Member Strategy NeleNele Hertling Hertling Group “A Soul for Europe” – Germany

European House for Culture Throughout her career Nele Hertling has built many collaborations, created festivals and established organisations in Europe representing turning points of changes in society at their respective times. She was the General Manager of Berlin - European A Soul for Europe Capital of Culture in 1988. One year later, she reactivated the Hebbel-Theatre in

Berlin, and acted as its Artistic Director until 2003. From 2003 to 2007, she was the Berliner Künstlerprogramm Head of the Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD. des DAAD Nele Hertling organised contemporary dance festivals in Berlin: Dance in August (1988), International Dance festival (1999), and, together with Thomas Langhoff, Internationales Tanzfest she created the programme of Theater der Welt (1999). Today, she is the Vice

President of the Academy of Arts in Berlin. She is a founder and member of many

Hebbel Theatre international associations devoted to the support and promotion of art such as the European House for Culture and “A Soul for Europe”.

Tanz im August Nele Hertling is convinced that changes have to happen in the hearts of the citizens, artists, city representatives or state commissioners in order to be successful on the long run. Projects and programmes initiated by the EU can be good examples and 1988 Berlin European Capital serve as support, but local integration of art practitioners and political lobbying has of Culture to be a bottom-up process in a specific city or state.

Berlin Academy of Arts “Nele Hertling and her infinite wisdom humanised the experience of working with artists and working as part of a team to create remarkable things.” Summa Durie, participant Atelier EDINBURGH 2014.

“A festival gives you the chance to do extraordinary things. It creates an atmosphere, and supports productions that most theatres wouldn’t be able to produce. And you can really use this atmosphere to take risks and to take an audience with you because they are in a group, sharing a moment together. But as a festival director, you have to keep in mind that you must support the artist and that the artist isn’t there to support you. You are the one to enable the artist to create something.” Nele Hertling

Mentor at the Atelier in GÖRLITZ 2006, VARNA 2009, SINGAPORE, IZMIR 2011, LJUBLJANA 2012 and EDINBURG 2014

Alain Weber Artistic Director of the Fez Sacred Music Festival - Morocco

Sacred Spirit Festival Jodhpur Alain Weber is dedicated to present a traditional and World Music heritage through many Festival forms - expert of Eastern music and gypsy music among others, he is presenting some of Les Orientales Festival of St-Florent-le-Veil the most rare traditions of this world through real artistic concepts. Founder of the famous Musicians of the Nile, he went on to become producer at Radio France: France Musicas Segradas of Evora Festival Culture, France Musique, France Inter, for whom he created “Pygmies” in 1992. He created the labels Long Distance and Cities in 1994 with Armand Amar (with more than

Zaman & Arts Production 70 cds dedicated to the traditional music). Alain Weber was also musical advisor to the Paris Théâtre de la Ville and for this theatre, Philarmonie Cité de la Musique produced numerous concerts and artists from the Arab world and Egypt, such as sufi

singers like Sheikh Yasîn al-Tuhami, Sheikh Barrayn, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tunî, etc. Since Long Distance Label 1987, he has been concentrating on large musical events that for the first time introduce true themes and, as such, he has anticipated a new approach in world music, by presenting musical week ends such as les Tsiganes du Monde (1992) Opéra Africa (1993), Les Nuits du Maghreb (1994), and so on. He was also creator of the major project

Children of today - Musicians of tomorrow for the year 2000 celebrations for the Cité des Enfants in Blois (France) and for the 2000 Expo in Hanover. In parallel, Alain Weber produced the programme of: Gypsy nights for Pina Bausch in Wuppertal in October 1998, Gypsy music festival in Sao Paulo (Brazil) in October 1999. He was responsible for the world music programme for Expo 2000 in Hanover and also produced the gypsy artistic programme for the Universal Exposition in Lisbon (1998).

Alain Weber is also directing different music productions as a stage director for, “The Songs of the Nile”( 1997), or Women of the plains and the mountains (1999), “In the steps of Marco Polo” in Lebanon (2013), “Au Coeur du Nil soufi” (2014).

Apart of the festivals and venues mentioned above, Alain Weber was nominated in 2005 as the Artistic Director of the Theatre Claude Levi Strauss for the Quay Branly Museum in Paris. He was also nominated as the Artistic Director of the Tozeur Festival de musiques du monde in Tunisia. He organised different events for Hermes international

in Egypt and France (2009 and 2014). He is also the music director of the future Lebanese documentary serie with Abir Nehmé “Ethnopholia” presenting traditional music through the world.

The festival « Les Orientales » presents traditions that live. There are two kinds of traditional expressions: those that are still evolving in their original context, connected to the tenor of the sacred and stamped by everyday life: the village, the wedding, and the pilgrimage. And then there are these musical traditions that make their way through the modern environment and are timeless.

Alain Weber

Ruth MacKenzie Artistic Director Holland Festival – The Netherlands

Holland Festival Ruth MacKenzie is the Artistic Director of the Holland Festival, Amsterdam’s prestigious international arts festival, with her first curated festival to take place in

The Space June 2015. She is also Interim CEO and Creative Director of The Space, a new digital commissioning body set up by the Arts Council England and the BBC. London 2012 Cultural Olympiad

Manchester International Festival She was most recently the Director of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, and Curator of its finale, the London 2012 Festival. This official cultural programme for the Olympic & Paralympic Games was the largest UK Festival in the country’s Chichester Festival Theatre history, involving over 25,000 artists from every country participating in the Games, and over 20 million attendances, 80% of which were free. She was previously Nottingham Playhouse General Director of the Manchester International Festival and Scottish Opera; South Bank Centre Artistic Director of the Chichester Festival Theatre; Executive Director of Nottingham Playhouse; Head of Strategic Planning for the South Bank Centre. She

Vienna Festival has also been Consultant Dramaturgy to the Vienna Festival, Consultant to the BBC, Tate, London Symphony Orchestra, Barbican Centre, British Council and

Department of Culture, Media and Sport British Film Institute, amongst others.

Between 1999 and 2010, she served as an Expert and Special Adviser on culture and media to five Secretaries of State for the Department of Culture, Media & Sport in the UK Government.

Art belongs to people. During the Prehistoric time we discovered fire, found food, and a home in caves. We directly started drawing, tell each other stories, and make music. Art helps us to understand the world. The first European art festivals appeared shortly after the Second World War. Europa was devastated, and we created.

Ruth MacKenzie

Guest Speakers

Nayla de Freige (President Baalbeck Festival – Lebanon)

Nayla is the Author of “Histoire Illustrée du Liban” published by Larousse in 1987. It was translated to Arabic, English and Portugese. She is the general manager of the economic magazine “Le Commerce du Levant” since 1996. She then also became the executive director of the daily newspaper “L’Orient Le Jour” in 2000. Since 2011, She is the President of “The Baalbeck International Festival”.

Micheline Abi Samra (President Beirut Chants Festival – Lebanon)

Micheline Abi Samra is the founder of the prominent Lebanese festival “Beirut Chants” since 2008. “Beirut Chants”, is one of the largest music festivals in Lebanon, has been held every year, since 2008, in the historic churches of Beirut to celebrate the advent of Christmas. As a tangible work towards religious tolerance and conviviality, “Beirut Chants” feature every year more than 25 local and international performances for 22 consecutive night, the open doors festival attracts yearly over 30,000 people.

Abi Samra is also a committee member at the Children’s Cancer Center in Lebanon (Saint Jude) since 2004. She is in charge of organizing and planning the annual fundraising activities of Saint Jude center that has become the largest medical treatment center in the Middle East.

Abi Samra is a Member of the Lebanese Religious Tourism (NGO) since 2010, an initiative to endorse tolerance and acceptance between all religious.

Nora Joumblatt (President Beiteddine Art Festival – Lebanon)

Founder & President of the Beiteddine Art Festival. President of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the American University of Beirut Museum (2003 – 2009). Member of, the Executive Committee of Al Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve, the Board of Trustees of the Samir Kassir Foundation, the Executive Committee of the Fondation Nationale du Patrimoine and the Executive Committee of ROTA, Qatar Foundation, the Executive Board of the European Festivals Association (2011-2014). Nora was the Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremony of the 6th Games of the Francophone Games held in Beirut in 2009. Awarded: Commander of the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic (2009), Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite Francais – April 2012, Commander of the Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Feb.2015).

Laura Lahoud (Committee Member Al Bustan Festival)

Laura Lahoud has a Bachelor in Mathematics of the Chelsea College at London University. She graduated for her Master in Mathematics and Operational research at the London School of Economics, which belongs to the London University. Laura is a member of the Al Bustan Festival Committee, and a member of the board of BIT bank in Beirut.

Alissar Caracalla (Artistic Director Caracalla Dance Company – Lebanon)

Alissar is a choreographer of the Caracalla Dance Theatre and founder of Caracalla dance school. Her creative style in choreography adds an innovative spirit to the unique Caracalla technique since the ballet “ELissa Queen of Carthage” in 1996 all the way to the production of “Villagers’ Opera” and “kan Ya Makan” 2012. She has built her theatrical experience by working closely with her mentor, her father Abdel-Halim Caracalla. Her rich heritage has been deepened by her education in the United States of America with her accomplishment of her BA in International Communications and her BA in Dance at Loyola Marymount University and her MFA Dance Theory and Choreography at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Alissar has also received acknowledgment with her artistic involvement as the leading choreographer in the hit reality TV show “Star Academy” season 1 through to season 9 and as a main Judge on the international TV production “So You Think You Can Dance”. The audience experienced her choreographies not only in Style Caracalla and Folklore, but her vast creativity in Jazz, Hip-Hop, contemporary modern and Show- business. Her experience in TV and commercial work was gained through her extensive studies at the Edge Performing arts center, Hollywood, where she studied under the leading names in commercial dance.

Randa Asmar (Director Spring Festival – Lebanon)

Actress since 1982, graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University- Theatre Section; graduate of USEK – Master in fine Arts, she is currently a theatre professor at the Lebanese University. She is also the Director of “Beirut Spring Festival” organized by the Samir Kassir Foundation, since 2009. Randa Asmar played many leading roles under the direction of the most famous theatre directors in the Arab world. Her latest work on stage was the monologue of Hoda Barakat: “Viva La Diva” (2010-2011). She played major roles in many TV series since 1986. Her latest recent TV appearance was is “Yasmina” (LBCI, 2014-2015). She also took part in many motion pictures such as “Martyrs” and “Paper Kite”, winner of the silver palm in Venice Festival. She participated in a number of festivals and tours in Arab and European countries. Randa Asmar won many prizes for some of her theatre roles and got tributes from cultural institutions.

Monique Bellan (Researcher Orient Institut Beirut – Germany/ Lebanon)

Monique Bellan (Orient-Institut Beirut) is a researcher in modern and contemporary art and theatre with a focus on Lebanon and Egypt. She received her Ph.D. in Oriental Studies from Free University Berlin in 2012. Her thesis was published in 2013 under the title dismember remember: The anatomic theatre of Lina Saneh and Rabih Mroué (Reichert Verlag Wiesbaden). She has previously worked at the Academy of Arts in Berlin and the Collaborative Research Center “Aesthetic experience and the dissolution of artistic limits” at Free University Berlin and has translated several works by Saneh and Mroué into German.

Cornelia Krafft (Artist/ Choreographer; Former Assistant Professor Department of Fine Arts and Art History American University of Beirut (AUB) – Germany/ Lebanon)

Cornelia Krafft was born in Munich, Germany, in 1972. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria. Krafft taught at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna for ten years before coming in 2009 as a visiting professor to the Department of Fine Arts and Art History at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where she continued as an Assistant Professor until January 2015.

Her work deploys strategies from performance art, choreography, installation, film and stage, and costume design into a singular whole. Krafft’s art has been showcased in Vienna, London, Munich, Berlin, Venice, Beirut, and in Bundanon, Australia. At the Department of Fine Arts and Art History in AUB, she pioneered the teaching of performance art, and continues this work in Lebanon and throughout Europe. She has taken part in multiple international artist residencies, has been awarded numerous grants for her academic work, and was nominated for the 2014 AUB Teaching Excellence Award. Krafft’s performances and choreographies are generally mute and often explore natural or deserted urban spaces as a stage. In Lebanon, her installations, paintings, photography, and films were twice showcased at Gallery Janine Rubeiz, at the Musée Sursock Salon d’Automne XXX/XXXI, and MACAM gallery. In Beirut, she choreographed a series of major performances, including “777”, “Along the White Line”, and “Salome vs Bluebeard”, for which she was awarded a Mellon Foundation Grant. “Salome vs Bluebeard” and “After 100 Springs” (based on Igor Stravinskiy’s “The Rite of Spring”) were both staged in cooperation with the Al Madina Theater, Beirut.

Krafft’s work as an artist and choreographer has received broad local and international coverage with reviews in various print media and broadcasts in news media. From May–July 2014 she was an artist in residency at MARMA Studio Berlin.

Her first publication “MUTE MOVEMENTS a collective performance art journey through Beirut 2009-2014” is launched in March 2015 and she is one of the selected artists for the Lebanese participation at the International Prague Quadrennial (PQ) for Performance Design and Space in June 2015.

Paul Mattar (Director Monnot Theatre - Lebanon)

Being an artist and an educator, Mr. Mattar shares his time between artistic productions, educational and academic activities related to Theatre and Audiovisual. From a Lebanese father and a Syrian mother, Mr. Mattar was born in Egypt where he grew up. Mr. Mattar has a large knowledge of the Arab Societies and Traditions.

After he got his University degree in Economics (1970), he first worked as a journalist in Lebanon. He studied Theatre in Paris (France) and performed as a stage and movies actor, director, composer (songs, scores for plays and movies) in Europe and the Arab World. From 1977 to 1979, he undertook an ethno-musicological field research and published a book in Arabic on the Gulf States tradition and folk songs “Khaleej Al Aghani” (1981). Starting from 1981 he specialized in children and educational productions in Lebanon and the Arab World where he produced many plays and CD records. He directed and produced many video films for the UNICEF (the “Om Oyoun” TV series, Vaccination Campaign, Child's Rights Campaign, Participation Campaign…), UNDP, UNFPA, ESCWA, HERU (American University of Beirut).... He worked many times as a consultant with the Johns Hopkins University in the production of video films on the Reproductive Health issues in Arab countries (Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan…). Mr. Mattar is also an advertising video film's producer and director. Mr. Mattar has been the director of an institute specialized in drama and audiovisual studies, “IESAV” at the Saint-Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon for 8 years. He is nowadays the director of the Monnot Theatre in Beirut, Lebanon.

Omar Rajeh (Artistic Director Maqamat Dance Theatre/ Founder of Bipod-Beirut International Platform of Dance – Lebanon)

Omar Rajeh, choreographer, dancer, and artistic director of Maqamat Dance Theatre, studied at the Lebanese University (diploma in Theatre Arts), and at the University of Surrey, England (MA Dance Studies).

Since 2004, he has been the founder & artistic director of projects such as:BIPOD- Beirut International Platform of Dance, an International Dance Festival, Masahat, a regional network between Syria, Jordan and Palestine, “ Leymoun- Arab Dance Platform”, an international showcase for artists from the Arab World: , “ Maqamat Dance House”, an international residency space and dance school and Takween- Beirut Contemporary Dance School, an intensive international program for young performers.

Rajeh is considered to be the founder of a contemporary dance scene in Beirut. Through his artistic work he has made an essential and significant contribution to its establishment, sustainability, and progress. Seeking an extraordinary physical and powerfully moving dance performances, in his choreographies he deals with everyday questions, concerns, and perceptions in a fascinating and captivating way. Continuously questioning the individual presence and the physicality of ʻthe bodyʼ within a socio- political and human context, his work, intense and powerful, pushes the boundaries of dance in Lebanon and communicates mixed feelings of sarcasm, sorrow, and ʻchangeʼ, as one spectator once said. For the past 11 years His work has toured throughout the Arab World and Europe, in addition to Canada and Korea.

Nagy Souraty (Director Al Madina Theatre – Lebanon)

Nagy Souraty was born in Beirut. He obtained his Masters of Arts in "Drama & Theatre Studies" from Royal Holloway-University of London in 1998. He is also a graduate in Communication Arts from the BUC/LAU (1992, major: Radio, TV & Film / minor: Theatre). Director & actor, he has also been teaching since 1992. Known as the Didaskalos.

He taught at the Lebanese American University between 2001 & 2011, where he directed every year a Major Theatre Production. These productions have been acknowledged by the press & the audiences to have taken theatre at the LAU to the level of the professional scenes. He is coordinator of the artistic education at the Collège Protestant Français where he is responsible for the Theatre & Audiovisual options as part of the French Baccalaureate (emphasis that has been implemented by himself in Lebanon & the Middle East since 1992). He is also Artistic Consultant & member of the board at the Al Madina Theatre in Beirut.

Organizer of theatre workshops, he participated in many festivals & residences of artists (London, Avignon, Beirut, Tunis, Damascus, Cannes, Vienna...).

After having directed on stage texts written by Sartre, Pirandello, Kafka, Shaffer & Camus; he explored since 1998 only with texts written by living authors: Etel Adnan, Philippe Ducros, Richard Millet, David Rudkin, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Michel Azama, Nasri El Sayegh... all in the realm of collective creations.

His experimentation in the theatre is nowadays institutionalized & recognized as THEATRE OF THE EDGE.

Hala Chahine (Director Beiteddine Art Festival – Lebanon)

Hala Chahine is a graduate in Political Sciences and Business Administration from the University of St. Joseph, Beirut. Hala joined Tele Management (The marketing arm of the Lebanese TV), as a head of the Marketing and Promotion Department. She then shifted from Media to advertising, and joined Impact-BBDO and Public-Graphics –at the Beirut head office as Account Director responsible for the Japanese market. Hala joined the Citibank Gulf as Vice President of the Marketing Department. From 2004 until 2006, she became the director of Corporate Affairs of the Dubai Investment Group based in the UAE. Hala Chahine is the Director of the Beiteddine Art Festival.

Cultural Beirut

The Atelier aims to connect festival managers and lecturers with the hosting city/country and its cultural life. Beirut Throughout the 7-day programme the following venues will be visited:

Al Bustan Festival President: Myrna Bustani

The Al Bustan Festival was founded in 1994. The founders wished to revive the cultural life of a country re-emerging after seventeen years of war. The Festival has indeed reached its objective, presenting each year more than thirty performances over a five week period in February and March. With a predominance of chamber music, the Festival also includes opera, orchestral http://www.albustanfestival.com concerts, choral concerts, dance, marionettes and theatre. The Festival takes +961-4-972980/1/2 (Beit Mery special care in presenting each year a rich and homogeneous programme focused office) around a special theme, celebrating the culture of a country or a city, or exploring +44-207-937 2633 (London office) a special subject. In keeping with its cultural vocation, the Festival organises master classes and workshops, with the participating artists at the National Conservatoire in Beirut and other institutions across Lebanon. The Festival has commissioned works by contemporary composers such as John Taverner, Naji Hakim and Roxanna Panufnik. A Visual Art exhibition is organised each year during the Festival. The Al Bustan Festival is a member of EFA.

Ashkal Alwan Director: Christine Tohme

Ashkal Alwan is a platform for the creation and exchange of artistic practices. As non-profit, the association is committed to education, production, support and circulation of creative and intellectual endeavours rooted in an engagement with civil society. The Lebanese Association for Plastic Arts, Ashkal Alwan was founded in 1994 by Christine Tohme (Curator), Marwan Rechmaoui (Artist), Rania Tabbara

(Graphic Designer and Interior Designer), Mustapha Yamout (Cultural Events Organizer) and Leila Mroueh (Communications Director). Initially, Ashkal Alwan www.ashkalalwan.org promoted and introduced the work of artists who have been engaged in critical +961 (0) 1 423 879 art practices within the context of post-war Lebanon. The association was duly incorporated in Lebanon in compliance with the Lebanese Associations Law, and registered by the Lebanese Ministry of Interior on June 8th, 2006 under decree no. 249/ad. Ashkal Alwan continues its work through an emphasis on education.

Baalbeck International Festival President : Nayla de Freige

Director: Maya Halabi

The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest cultural event in the Middle East. In 1956, the President of the Lebanese Republic, Camille Chamoun, officially announced the creation of the Festival which became an official government www.baalbeck.org.lb institution managed by benevolent members with the mission of promoting the +961 1 373150 /1/2 cultural and touristic life of Lebanon and nurturing an enticing artistic environment of cross-cultural exchange as well as providing the setting for innovative works by local and regional artists and acclaimed international performers. In 1966, the Festival started a drama school to promote Lebanese works for the stage confirming the Baalbeck International Festival's role as patron of the arts. The diversity of its programming has contributed to Lebanon's cultural reputation as a beacon which shines worldwide. The festival became an annual event that takes place from early July to the end of August in Baalbeck, a city steeped in history and contributes to a better Lebanon so as to spread the Lebanese cultural and touristic image around the world.

Beirut Art Centre Co-Directors: Sandra Dagher & Lamia Joreige

Beirut Art Centre (BAC) is a non-profit association, space and platform dedicated to contemporary art in Lebanon. The aim of the centre is to produce, present and promote local and international contemporary art and cultural practice in a structure that is open and active throughout the year. The centre constitutes a public space that makes art accessible to a large and growing audience of residents and visitors alike, who will be able to engage with rich and diverse www.beirutartcenter.org range of contemporary art and cultural practice. Along with its main exhibition +961 (0) 1 397 018 space, BAC includes a screening and performance room, a mediatheque and a bookshop. BAC will also organise regular activities such as lectures, concerts, performances, video projections and workshops.

Beiteddine Palace Director: Dr. Mounir Attallah

The Beiteddine Palace is a masterpiece of the early 19th century Lebanese architecture built by Emir Bechir Chehab II on a headland, which overlooks a terraced mountainside. It lies 45 km southeast of Beirut and is situated 900 meters above sea level. Built around a small Muslim-Druze hermitage, the Palace, is a composite work, conceived by Italian architects and carried out by the finest artists and craftsmen from the whole region. Although an oriental palace in its layout, Beiteddine also draws on all traditional forms of Lebanese architecture and fits perfectly with its mountainous surroundings. The edifice is enriched by glorious gardens. The Beiteddine Palace, with its vast courtyard and beautiful fountains, ochre stone and perfectly geometrical arcades, is a wonderful sight to behold. The Palace is the summer residence of the President of the Lebanese Republique.

Beirut Chants Festival Founder and President: Micheline Abi Samra

Director: Toufic Maatouk

Beirut Chants is an annual festival that takes place on the evenings of the 1st to 23rd December in the historical churches of the central district of Beirut and its surroundings. Celebrating Christmas, the Festival attracts large crowds, in excess of 20,000 persons from all over Lebanon. The Beirut Chants program includes choral, sacred music, chamber and philharmonic orchestra performances and appearances by international soloists. For 23 evenings, Beirut Chants revives www.beirutchants.com spiritual and ethnic musical traditions about the Nativity. Various national and international artists have collaborated on the Festival lineup such as La Scala, Notre Dame University Choir, The Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, Abeer Nehme, Jeff Cohen and Abdel Rahman el Bacha. The 2014 Beirut Chants seventh season brings in a novel tapestry of vocal and instrumental performances, some for the first time in Lebanon. Established and emerging Lebanese and international artists will spread musical traditions, sharing the festive spirit in the many beautiful and historical churches

Beirut Spring Festival Director: Randa Asmar

The Beirut Spring Festival", created and launched in 2009 by the Samir Kassir Foundation, is inspired by the title of one of the last articles written by Samir Kassir, shortly before his assassination in 2005. This event, targeting the broad general public, is unique both in its concept and program.The goals of the Festival and its particular character have generated such a warm welcome from the public. The Festival is the first of its kind in Beirut. The Festival features multidisciplinary international performances (theater, music, dance, www.beirutspringfestival.org conferences...) revolving around the themes of tolerance and cultural diversity, +961-1-397331 especially in societies facing violence and injustice. The Festival features exclusive one-night performances scheduled over a week in different venues across Beirut. The Festival supports contemporary art creation and energizes Lebanon’s cultural and artistic life, built on the belief that art is the ultimate way to tolerance. The Festival thrives on the young generation’s interest in maintaining ties with the vision and thoughts of Samir Kassir. The free admission to the Festival provides all categories of the Lebanese society with unrestricted access to original, non- commercial art works.

Caracalla Dance Theatre Director : Yvan Caracalla

Artistic director: Alissar Caracalla

Caracalla is an internationally-acclaimed dance company and has built their own bridge between East and West. Indeed, “Zayed and The Dream” culminates in 100 artists taking their place on the stage, bringing together performers from www.caracalladance.com China, Spain, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. Caracalla's own story is equally amazing; training against the hostage situation of the 1980s, thriving despite the turmoil of the Lebanese War, where all conflicting political factions found a common unity and came together in agreement that Caracalla is the cultural image of Lebanon and the Arab world. Caracalla is now working with companies and performers from across the world to take their place as the leading dance company in the Middle East and recognized on the international stage.

Collectif Kahraba Co-Director: Aurelien Zouki

The Collective Kahraba is a theater company consisting of artists from different backgrounds, which have been engaged in the artistic life of Lebanon for four years. It creates shows, events, encounters with the priority of mobility (regional and international), the exploration of various forms (theatre, puppetry, dance, contemporary writings, video ...) and the realisation of friendly artistic moments. Since its inception in 2006, the Collective has produced several shows: collectifkahraba.org/le-collectif "Arabiyetna", "Voices in the Dark", "That can remember but that does not repeat", "Apple Crumble", "Ken fi Asfour chajara "," Sab'a w 7 "," el bahr Chrebt +96-11- 442-770 my wo ntafa nari. "

Irtijal Festival Director: Sharif Sehnaoui

Ongoing since 2001, Irtijal is presently the oldest music festival of the city of Beirut, and one of the longest standing international festivals of post-war Lebanon. Irtijal is organized by MILL, a non-profit association founded in 2000 by musicians Mazen Kerbaj and Sharif Sehnaoui, with the intent of promoting contemporary and experimental practices in music, and assisting projects that do

not fit within the Lebanese mainstream, yet still present undeniable artistic value. www.irtijal.org The 20th century has witnessed a strong worldwide spread of new and alternative

musical styles, which in turn constitute an important aspect of the historical evolution of music as an art form. MILL was created to boost and support these practices in Lebanon: free improvisation, free jazz, contemporary classical music, post-rock, experimental electronic music, sound-art as well as many other attempts to explore new and uncharted territories in sound, including within the realm of traditional Arabic music. In the same manner, and thanks to the importance of Beirut on the cultural map of the Arab world, we strive to extend these ideas to neighboring Arab countries. With a keen eye on these practices, Irtijal is a yearly meeting that focuses on presenting works by both local and foreign artists, all the while encouraging interaction between them. The festival does not confine itself to any specific style or genre of music, but rather tries to advocate an experimental and innovative approach to each and every genre it showcases. Irtijal has achieved considerable growth during its 15 years of existence, going from a one-day festival in 2001 to 4-6 days since 2003; the number of concerts has grown from 4 to 20, while that of international guest artists from 5 to 30. Over the past 15 years Irtijal has unquestionably inscribed itself as the main annual event for new and innovative music in the Lebanese artistic scene, and is rightly considered as the largest structure of its kind in the Arab world.

Maqamat Dance Theatre Director: Omar Rajeh

Maqamat Theatre Dance is a Lebanese contemporary dance company that aims at establishing a platform for innovation, experimentation, and continuous development of contemporary dance culture in Lebanon and the Region. Through introducing new ideas and concepts of dance and ‘the body’, the company anticipates a new phase of artistic and social productivity, creativity, modernization, and free expression. www.maqamat.org +961-134-3834

Metro Al Madina Director: Hisham Jaber

A cabaret like no cabaret in Beirut, like no metro station in the world. Metro Al Madina comes in two spaces: 1. The Metro Station: A café-bar with a subway station flare that opens From Monday till Saturday at 6 PM with a DJ booth. The food menu offers a variety of snacks, beverages and a menu of flavourful salads, sandwiches and other lip-smacking http://metromadina.com fusions. The Metro Hall: Where all the varied concerts and cultural events happen. +9611753021 Also, Metro has its own Cabaret Show: a night filled with various acts and performances – ranging from music, theatre, dance to satire and stand up-comedy introduced by a Master of Ceremonies (MC). 26

Mir Amin Palace Hotel Director: Toni Gerges

Mir Amin Palace Hotel, is the former residence of the last Emirs of Lebanon, the Palace is one of Beiteddine’s historical landmarks. Located 45 km from Beirut, www.miraminpalace.com Mir Amin Palace Hotel offers 19th century splendour with spacious courtyards, flowing fountains and terraced landscape. It overlooks the mountainside with its + 961 5 / 501315 –501318 awe-inspiring scenery.

SHAMS: Khayal Association for Arts and Education Sunflower Theatre Director: Karim Dakroub

In 2004, a number of artists got together and founded the KHAYAL Cooperative Lebanese Association for Arts & Education as the extension and expansion of the Lebanese Puppet Theatre experience. Due to difficult circumstances in Lebanon at the time, the Lebanese Puppet Theatre had found itself collaborating with local and international associations on artistic and theatrical projects with more social and www.khayalart.org educational applications. In time, this initiative started making an impact on the +961 (0)1 391 290 community, both economically and socially. It soon became apparent that these new projects transcended the scope of the Lebanese Puppet Theatre, opening a wide window of opportunity for the artists and activists involved.This is where KHAYAL came in to take charge of those new responsibilities and develop this field with the purpose of promoting the Arts for social, educational and developmental purposes in parallel with the association’s resolve to continue developing artistic research and creativity. The name “KHAYAL” has a two-fold meaning in Arabic: “imagination” and “shadow”. This choice of name suited the association very well, both because it describes the association’s creative approach and because shadow theatre is one of the primary forms in the Arab traditional theatre. The work of the Lebanese Puppet Theatre remains an integral part of KHAYAL’s activities, with a special emphasis on quality and creativity in its productions. The Lebanese Puppet Theatre is also the organiser of the Mediterranean Puppet Festival (now renamed Puppets in Caravan), an international festival held every 2 years.

Theatre Monnot Director: Paul Mattar

“Theatre Monnot” is a private theatre that participates actively in the Lebanese cultural life since 1997, and staging both in French and in English. This private theatre is one of the most active theaters in the country with around 60 performances a year, staging international and local plays, dance, concerts, www.usj.edu.lb/monnot readings and movie festivals. Also a university Theatre, Theatre Monnot is a real +96-11-20-24-22 launching pad for young talents. It hosts different troops from all around the world (Egypt, Syria, Switzerland, Canada, Greece,…) in various disciplines: theatre, tale, concerts, dance, cinema, video, exhibitions, and conferences. Theatre Monnot is a place keen on exchanges, in one of the most lively areas of Beirut.

Villa Linda Sursock Contact person: Nina Al Atrache

With its intricate woodwork, its delicately crafted ceilings and oriental arches, this 19th century palace draws on all traditional forms of Lebanese architecture. Located on the prestigious Sursock street, in the heart of Beirut, the venue hosts only the most glamorous events. The Linda Sursock Villa is a famous landmark in the city.

Zico House

Director: Mustapha Yamout

In 1999, Beirut was selected to be the Cultural Capital of the Arab World; this was when Zico House, the civil society organisation for culture and development, was officially born. Zico’s home was increasingly associated with the arts and soon, by word of mouth, it became the place where cultural events took place. The whole building became a house for ecological, social, youth and cultural organisations. Since 1999, around 250 activities have been hosted in Zico House such as: exhibitions, poetry readings, installations, storytelling, debates, video screenings, dance performances, theatre plays, concerts, ciné-club, workshops, etc... The www.zicohouse.org impact of Zico House as a centre for artistic creativity and experimentation is not +961 1 746 769 only due to the quality of the works and innovative ventures, but to its unique cultural atmosphere and a constant inflow of people and ideas. The cultural endeavour initiated by Zico was to support both artistic creations and development work by civil society organisations, all conjoined in the same place: experimental artwork, students’ projects, small theatre rehearsals, painting exhibitions, site- specific installations, as well as providing a space for social development projects, social associations and civic institutions. Zico House’s aim has always been to become a notable cultural center and to date, no other such multi-faceted centre exists in Lebanon.

Zoukak Theatre Company and Cultural Association

Directors: Omar Abi Azar, Lamia Abi Azar, Danya Hammoud, Maya Zbib

Zoukak Theatre Company and Cultural Association, formed in 2006, is a platform for research in theory and practice with the aim to create interrelated languages of performance between us, company members or with our collaborators. Zoukak’s methodology of creation is based on a freedom of individual propositions where its input is hybrid and interchangeable. Work ranges from solo performance, group projects, workshops, independent investigations, to participatory performances www.zoukak.org/index.php with psychosocial components, with an emphasis on audience interaction, positing the viewer as an active agent in the developmental process. The association +961 1 746 769 facilitates workshops from international artists, supporting and expanding a network of diverse practitioners. This sustains their mission of developing a dialogue of exchange and sharing of experiences, in order to create a pulsating web of artistic creation in the country, and to provide local students and practitioners with a space to learn and to share skills and creativity. This space was concretised with Zoukak's studio, serving in part as a free access rehearsal place for local practitioners. In addition to artistic work, Zoukak Company is interested in applying theatre on various levels: social, psychological, and educational. The Company has developed a special approach to drama therapy and applies techniques of theatre in a context of learning, giving workshops and training sessions in different Lebanese regions and in various contexts, in collaboration with local and international organisations.

Participants

Malavika Anderson Cornelia Anhaus Festival of Ideas ARGEkultur Salzburg University of Cambridge Ulrike-GschwandtnerStrasse 5, Trumpington Street 6 5020 Salzburg Cambridge CB21RP Austria United Kingdom [email protected] [email protected]

Eric Arellano Duncan Ballantyne Gamlestaden Jazz Festival Highlight Arts Postbox 13086 East Renfrewshire Gothenburg 40252 G42 8RU Sweden Scotland United Kingdom [email protected] [email protected]

Sjoerd Bootsma Laura Boswell Leeuwarden Cand. EU Capital UK Young Artists of Culture 2018 c/o 1.15a Clephan Building, De Montfort University [email protected] LE2 7DR, Leicester United Kingdom [email protected]

Lauren Clelland Cristina Bodnarescu Victoria Street 57 Colectiv A Association, Kelvin Grove Henri Barbusse Street 59-61, Brisbane, 4059 Queensland 400616, Cluj Napoca Australia Romania [email protected] [email protected]

Joshua Delladonne Cecilia Suhaid Gustafsson One Yellow Rabbit Atalante 215 13TH avenue SW Unit 1505 Ovre Husargatan 1 Calgary, AB, 41122 Göteborg, Canada Sweden [email protected] [email protected]

Maya Halabi Noomi Hedlund Baalbeck International Festival Dalhalla Opera Riad el Solh 11-4215 Litorinavägen 22 Beirut, 181 66, Lidingö Lebanon Sweden [email protected] [email protected]

Satu Herrala Carolin Hochleichter Baltic Circle Berliner Festspiele / Foreign Tunturikatu 16, Affairs 00100 Helsinki, Schapstrasse 24 Finland 10719 Berlin Germany [email protected]

[email protected]

Yvonne Jila Stella Soffia Johannesdottir Women Filmmakers of Reykjavik International Literary Zimbabwe Festival Winderemere Close 9, Sturlugötu 5, Helensvale, Harare, 101 Reykjavik, Zimbabwe Iceland [email protected] [email protected]

Martin Kadinov Jihae Samantha Kim ON! Fest // Gaming Geumjeong street 143-2 Entertainment LTD 609-837 Geumjeong-gu Busan Slavekyov square 1V, floor 3, S. Korea 1000 Sofia [email protected] Bulgaria [email protected]

Jelena Kneževic Tomas Kutinjač Bitef (Belgrade International BLITZ International Performing Theatre Festival) Arts Festival 29:I Terazije Street Trg brodogradilišta 5 11000 Belgrade 52210, Rovinj Republic of Serbia Croatia [email protected] [email protected]

Francesco Leonardi Toufic Maatouk Associazione Musicale Jubilate Beirut Chants Festival – IFCM Building 150, Saad Zaghloul Via Abruzzi 19, Street, 20025 Legnano Beirut P.O. Box 119493 Italy Lebanon [email protected] [email protected]

Amani Maihoub Carla Mardini Amsterdam Fringe Festival Al Bustan Festival 2013 Al Bustan Hotel Postbus 3985 Beit Mery 1001 AT Amsterdam Lebanon The Netherlands / Syria [email protected] [email protected]

Laura McDermott Corinne Orton Fierce Festival Glasgow Film Festival Unit 57, 27 Colmore Row, B3 12 Rose Street 2EW Birmingham Glasgow, 63 6RB United Kingdom United Kingdom [email protected] [email protected]

Carla Pusceddu Federico Rinaldi Associazione Culturale Ghislierimusica ISCANDULA Piazza Ghislieri 5 Via Perda Bona, 6 27100 Pavia 09045 Qyarty Sant’Elena (CA) Italy Italy [email protected] [email protected]

Emma Rygielski Tania Saade Gothenburg Culture Festival [email protected] Mässans gata 8, Box 29, 401 20 Gothenburg Sweden [email protected]

Marta Mari Szypczynska Sabina Sabic- Zlatar Asylon Theatre Pehlivanusa 14, 31 Forth Place, 71000 Sarajevo South Queensferry EH30 9RY, Bosnia Scotland [email protected] [email protected]

Rowena Taylor Emmanuelle Walter East Brisbane, La filature, Scène nationale QLD Australia 20, Allée Nathan Katz, 68100 Mulhouse, [email protected] France [email protected]

Liza Wiegand Ana Zirner Phase 7 Dachauer Str. 112d Veteranenstrasse 10 80636 München 10119 Berlin Germany Germany [email protected] [email protected]

The Festival Academy and its mission

The Festival Academy is an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA) launched in 2013. This new non-profit organisation offers various training formats on festival management to young, dynamic and passionate festival makers worldwide: the Atelier for Young Festival Managers, Festival Readings and a training for production managers.

The Festival Academy’s mission is to share, exchange and construct know-how on festival management focusing on the essence of festivals – the art and the artist – and touching upon all artistic disciplines. In this way, The Festival Academy will develop and sustain a network of festival leaders of the future. It empowers a new generation of emerging leaders (artistic and production) as capacity building and internationalisation are at the Academy’s core. It generates new professional opportunities for festival makers.

Three training formats In order to fulfill its mission, The Festival Academy invites cultural professionals to take part in three unique training formats:

 Atelier for Young Festival Managers: a 7-day intense training programme addressed at 45 young artistic festival managers who are guided by 10 renowned festival directors from all over the world

 Festival Readings: a 3-day encounter taking place during a festival with readings by high-level lecturers from the festival sector addressed at festival representatives working in a broad range of festival departments and open to the general public

 Training for Production Managers: an exchange on festival production aimed at young production managers

The Festival Academy is traveling across Europe and the world and is always strongly connected to the local context in which it takes place.

“The engagement of the European Festivals Association in allowing life-long learning experiences in the cultural sector is exemplary. These kinds of initiatives are crucial for the further development of a cultural Europe. Nobody will be successful by doing business as usual. We need young creative minds for regenerating and rethinking the future.” Odile Quintin, European Commission External Advisor, Board Member The Festival Academy, former Director General European Commission Academy Alumni Network In addition to the different training formats, The Festival Academy aims to sustain and further develop the Academy Alumni Network which has emerged from the previous Ateliers for Young Festival Managers. Today, it counts 264 young festival leaders from 60 countries and 32 renowned festival directors worldwide. This network ensures sustainability beyond the training formats: it allows for the development of new cooperation projects and broader networks.

The network is continuously growing with each training programme and results in concrete collaborations, extended networks and increased career opportunities. The Festival Academy does not only impact on the individual professional sphere of the participants but has a broader impact on community, cities and society.

Atelier for Young Festival Managers: Mission, history, success

Mission and objectives The Atelier is about formulating experiences and passing on knowledge to a next generation of festival makers: knowledge about the arts, artists and festival formulas, thematically focusing on the very essence of arts festivals: the art and the artist.

Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General

The Atelier is especially designed for those who are working or have ambitions to become involved in programming or in programming related departments within a festival. During 7 days, participants can widen their horizons, broaden their programming skills and develop exciting new ideas under the professional guidance of renowned festival managers coming from all over the world to share their rich experience.

The Atelier was a great human and work experience, which helped me to grown my own idea of festival but also to figure out what I would like to change in my current work.

Laura Martegani, Spielart Festival - Germany Participant Atelier EDINBURGH 2014

Next to a high-level reflection in small topic based working groups, lectures and debates, practical activities and case studies, interactive exchanges based on papers that participants prepare for the Atelier, informal talks and contacts with artists and with leading cultural institutions from the region create an outstanding opportunity to link insights gained in the working groups with the concrete environment. In Hugo de Greef’s words, “practical know-how combined with a high-degree of conceptual content in the management discipline is the guiding ethos of the Atelier”.

Key Focus Particular emphasis is given to the artistic aspects of festival management, including artistic vision, political and social responsibility in relation to the cultural and artistic significance of a festival in a certain region, a certain community, but also internationalisation, networking, renewal and sustainability.

The Atelier aims to shed light to the fact that festivals have a strong meaning for the art, the artist and a key place in society. It goes without saying, that some instruments, such as communication, production or budget, play a key role to reach this main purpose. These instruments – to the extent in which they are relevant for the implementation of the artistic programme – are also touched upon during the Atelier.

The Atelier enjoys world-wide attention of politicians and foundations, and the support of numerous governmental agencies, which confirms the success of this initiative in the international cultural scene. The international dimension is one of the Atelier’s key features. This dimension has to be present in the professional approach and policy of a festival and is an essential topic in management training. Furthermore, through this international dimension, the Atelier encourages a joint reflection on the role of festivals in today’s globalising societies.

Finally, the Atelier appears to be one of the rare opportunities for festival managers to network and to reflect on the true mission of festivals and on their role in a globalised, fast and result oriented world. For the next generation of festival managers, it represents an outstanding occasion to imagine innovative, pioneering and creative project ideas and festival formulas.

Presenters and Mentors Presenters involved in the Atelier are festival directors who are leading or who led festivals; they are (or were) also responsible for the general running of festivals, including tasks like communication, production or budget. They are invited to share their experience, their motivation and explanations of their artistic choices in regard of the Atelier’s mission.

These experienced festival operators, professionals and artists give lectures, lead workshops and take part in round tables and debates – all of them spending some days with the participants for face-to-face contacts and discussions. Participants have confirmed their fascination by success stories while at the same time they learn from failures.

The Atelier Coordinator is Hugo De Greef and mentors and presenters include so far:

. Robyn Archer (Artistic Director The Light in Winter Melbourne, Deputy Chair Australia Council for the Arts, Strategic Advisor Gold Coast Arts and Culture Queensland – Australia) . Norman Armour (Executive Director PuSH International Performing Arts Festival, Vancouver - Canada) . Steve Austen (Felix Meritis Foundation - The Netherlands) . Mark Ball (Artistic Director London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) - UK) . Darko Brlek (EFA President and Artistic and General Director Ljubljana Festival - Slovenia) . Seok Kyu Choi (Creative Producer AsiaNow Productions, Jongno-gu - South Korea) . Hugo De Greef (Atelier Coordinator, former EFA Secretary General, Director European Capital of Culture Bruges 2002, Co-Founder Kaaitheater Brussels - Belgium) . Bernard Faivre d’Arcier (President Lyon Biennial, former Director Festival d’Avignon - France) . Rose Fenton (Director Free Word, Co-Founder LIFT Festival, London - UK) . Heiner Goebbels (Artistic Director Ruhrtrienniale – Germany) . Ching-Lee Goh (Executive and Artistic Director CultureLink Singapore, Former Director Singapore Arts Festival - Singapore) . Agnes Havas (Mezzo Opera Festival - Hungary) . Gavin Henderson (Dartington International Summer School - UK) . Nele Hertling (Vice President of the Academy of Arts Berlin, Member Strategy Group “A Soul for Europe” – Germany) . Tzvetelina Iossifova (Red House for Culture and Debate - Bulgaria) . Nevenka Koprivsek (Mladi Levi Festival - Slovenia) . Wai-Lap Kwong (Programme Director Guangdong Modern Dance Festival - China) . Gundega Laivina (New Theatre Institute of Latvia - Latvia) . Grace Lang (Programme Director Hong Kong Festival Society - China) . Sir Brian McMaster (former Director Edinburgh International Festival - UK) . Joseph V. Melillo (Artistic Director Brooklyn Academy of Music New York, US) . Michal Merczyński (Director Malta Festival Poznan and Nostalgia Festival Poznan - Poland) . Sir Jonathan Mills (Former Director Edinburgh International Festival - UK) . Gerard Mortier (General Director Teatro Real de Madrid, former Director Salzburger Festpiele, former Director Ruhr Triennale - Belgium) . Mark Russell (Festival Under the Radar - USA) . Marie-Agnès Sevestre (Festival des Francophonies en Limousin - France) . Graham Sheffield (Director Art British Council London, former Artistic Director The Barbican London- UK) . Galin Stoev (Fingerprint Company - Belgium/Bulgaria) . Tom Stromberg (Impulse Festival - Germany) . Fruzsina Szép (Program Director Sziget Festival in Budapest, founding Director of the Hungarian Music Export Office - Hungary) . Carla Van Zon (Artistic Director Auckland Arts Festival, former Director Creative New Zealand - New Zealand) . Matthias Vogt (Institut für kulturelle Infrastruktur Sachsen - Germany) 36

Participants “Young” in the Atelier’s title refers first of all to the festival managers being “young in the festival business”. Participants represent a broad diversity of cultural and professional backgrounds – from students in arts management to young managers working for large established organisations to emerging curators running their own innovative international festivals. They all share the desire to implement excellent artistic festivals.

Each participant is invited to write a paper in preparation for the Atelier: “Participants describe an artistic project they would like to develop (a programming aspect of a festival, a new festival, a new model for an old festival, a series of programming events…), sketch the context in which their proposed project will take place (geographical, regional, local) and explain the specifications and demands of this particular situation (budget, programme, staff, production…).” During the Atelier they have the opportunity to present their paper, to discuss it with the presenters and the participants to receive feedback and to adapt and improve their project.

The Atelier was the opportunity to meet both experienced festival leaders in an intimate context, as well as the possibility to meet young colleagues. It’s very rare in our specific professional context to meet so many young people together. To me, that was food for thought.

Tobias Kokkelmans (Festival Van Vlaanderen, Belgium); Participant Atelier GÖRLITZ

Editions Every edition of the Atelier is characterised by its hosting city and its festivals. The Atelier aims to connect festival managers and lecturers with the hosting city and country and its cultural life. Participants get to know the facets of the cultural diverse city and are invited to learn more about the political background of parts of Europe and the world with a certain meaning in (Europe’s) history by ‘experiencing’ the place. Questions are raised concerning the hosts’ region. Local venues, the cultural sector, political representatives and sponsors are mobilised. Lectures take place in different local venues connecting to the local community. The Atelier ‘lives’ in the hosting city and local partners really participate in it (including their staffs and volunteers).

The Atelier has an ever-growing network of ’alumni’: after six editions, 223 young festival managers and 32 presenters from all over the world have participated in the training programme.

After six successful editions the Atelier is an annual recurring activity that has established itself as a unique platform for the exchange of ideas, the development of artistic visions and new networks, the only one featuring such a distinguished group of festival leaders and cultural experts.

Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General

GÖRLITZ 2006 The first Atelier for Young Festival Managers took place from 15-21 May 2006 in the historical city of Görlitz/Germany (on the German-Polish border) and gathered 33 participants from 20 countries and thirteen mentors and presenters from eight countries. It was organised by EFA, in cooperation with the Institut für Kulturelle Infrastruktur Sachsen (IKS) and Theorem, and with the support of the Felix Meritis Foundation and the Amsterdam/Maastricht Summer Academy and Dartington International Summer School. The reactions were very positive: participants left with fresh ideas, new energy and self-confidence, and with a new network and vast possibilities for future international exchanges and long-term collaborations.

Tobias Kokkelmans Festival Van Vlaanderen - Belgium Participant Atelier GÖRLITZ 2006

VARNA 2009 The second edition of the Atelier took place from 26 April to 3 May 2009 in Varna/Bulgaria, hosted by the Varna Summer International Music Festival and organised in partnership with the Varna Municipality and the Festival and Congress Centre. It gathered 35 participants from 21 countries and eleven mentors and presenters from three different continents and ten different countries. The positive reactions of participants and presenters underlined the necessity to continue a professional and high-quality training programme in the field of festival management.

The opportunity to meet with other festival managers from throughout Europe, to exchange ideas and experiences and initiate conversations, is an invaluable and rare one. Emily Thomas, Watch This Space Festival London - UK Participant Atelier VARNA 2009

SINGAPORE 2011 The third edition of the Atelier took place from 14-21 May 2011 in Singapore. EFA organised this first edition of the Atelier in Asia together with LASALLE College of Arts Singapore, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals (AAPAF), the Singapore International Arts Festival and CultureLink Singapore. It allowed 34 participants from 20 countries and five continents to meet, exchange, establish sustainable ties for the future, and to benefit from the wealth of experience of 15 renowned festival directors, artists and cultural managers. The great success of this Asia-Europe collaboration confirms the need to further extend the Atelier to other continents.

For five years now, the Atelier has planted the seeds for exciting international exchanges and long-term collaborations amongst the next generation of festival managers, challenged by a globalised world. This edition has taken the Atelier to a new standard and EFA is ready to develop this initiative into an independent training programme for young, dynamic and passionate festival makers worldwide.

Darko Brlek, EFA President, The Festival Academy President

IZMIR 2011 The fourth Atelier took place from 24 to 31 October 2011 in Izmir/Turkey. It was organised by EFA, the International Izmir Festival and the Izmir Foundation for Culture Arts and Education. 38 participants from 27 countries and eight renowned festival managers from three continents and seven countries met, exchanged and established sustainable ties for the future.

Being able to listen to people from all over the world offered me an incredible wider prospective. We were blessed to have incredibly renowned mentors with us for the whole week, speaking about their festivals and their experiences. The networking opportunities of the Atelier are immense and I believe I have made strong contacts, which will help me building my festival. I found myself thinking less as a European and more and more as a global citizen.

Cristina Goletti, I.F. O.N.L.Y. Festival - Ireland Participant Atelier IZMIR 2011

LJUBLJANA 2012 The fifth Atelier took place from 14-21 October 2012 in Ljubljana/Slovenia and was co-organised between EFA and the Ljubljana Festival. 32 participants from 21 countries and five continents and eight renowned festival managers met, exchanged and established sustainable ties for the future.

We all felt that we have a strong new network here – the seeds of many potential future collaborations between us have certainly been sowed.

Gemma Connell, Broken Rose - UK Participant Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012

I did not expect to be stimulated so much, and make such great friends.

Jonathan May, London International Festival of Theatre - UK Participant Atelier LJUBLJANA 2012

EDINBURGH 2014 From 3-10 April 2014, The Festival Academy (an initiative of the European Festivals Association) in association with the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) organised the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Edinburgh/Scotland. 51 participants from 28 countries and five continents have attended the Atelier together with nine highly qualified festival leaders from eight countries.

At the Atelier you learn from experienced mentors, festival pioneers; you hear inspiring stories from young festival managers from around the world; and you broaden your network. But the unique thing is that you get to know more about yourself.

Mohamed El Ghawy, AFCA for Arts & Culture/ Hakawy International Arts festival for Children - Egypt Participant Atelier EDINBURGH 2014

POZNAŃ 2014 From 20 to 27 October 2014, The Festival Academy (initiated by EFA) in collaboration with the Malta Festival Poznan organised the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Poland. 41 participants from 23 countries and five highly qualified festival leaders attended the Atelier. In addition, festival managers from emerging festivals in the region contributed to the Atelier Poznan 2014.

“The Atelier is organised in such a way that renowned festival directors and managers are mentors who provide lectures, presentations and inspirations to the participants. The participants also share their experiences from their different festivals. This process provides a rich interaction and transfer of knowledge among participants.” Daniel Maposa, Director of Savanna Trust / Artistic Director of the Protest Arts International Festival / Coordinator of the Zimbabwe Festivals Network Participant Atelier POZNAN 2014

BEIRUT 2015 At the crossroads between East and West, the first Atelier in the Arab region will take place from 21 to 27 March 2015 in Beirut/Lebanon. After the postponement of the envisioned 2013 Atelier in Beirut, The Festival Academy and the Beiteddine Art Festival are delighted to offer participants and presenters from all over the world the opportunity to experience the cultural dynamism of a region which is looking for reconciliation and re-building of trust. This vibrant Arab metropolis offers presenters and participants a unique platform for exchange and debate.

“After the Atelier for Young Festival Managers planned for 2013 had to be postponed, I am happy to reiterate my invitation to host the Atelier in Beirut, Lebanon in March 2015. This vibrant and resilient city is the cultural hub of the Middle East. It is renowned for its festivals and artistic activities, universities, free press and its rich history, as well as for being a dynamic financial and banking center. Come and discover the cradle of civilization, and experience the successful encounter between East and West, and between tradition and modernity, in one of the ten liveliest cities of the world, the city of Beirut.”

Nora Joumblatt, President Beiteddine Art Festival - Lebanon

GWANGJU 2015 The Atelier for Young Festival Managers will take place for the second time in Asia from 31 August to 6 September 2015 in Gwangju, South Korea. Gwangju is one of the six largest cities in Korea, with a population of 1.4 million. Gwangju is rich in culture and art, as shown by its cultural initiatives such as Hub City of Asian Culture project and Gwangju Biennale which make the city one of the most vibrant and colourful places in the country, all these elements will be part of this ambitious project in Korea. The Atelier Gwangju will coincide with the inauguration of the Asian Culture Complex (ACC), in close collaboration with the Chonnam National University, one of the most prestigious national universities in Korea and the ACC's Asian Arts Theatre.

“We are delighted to host the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in partnership with Chonnam National University. Our grand opening festival will provide an arena where different perspectives and visions can freely collide and mingle. As one of Asia's most ambitious cultural initiatives, our festival will be a timely opportunity for future generations of festival managers to question and explore the most pertinent discourses of Asia today.”

Seonghee Kim, Artistic Director Asian Culture Complex - Asian Arts Theatre

Co-organisers

The Festival Academy – initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA) The Festival Academy is an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA) launched in 2013. This new non-profit organisation offers various training formats on festival management to young, dynamic and passionate festival makers worldwide: the Atelier for Young Festival Managers, Festival Readings and a training for production managers. The Festival Academy’s mission is to share, exchange and construct know-how on festival management focusing on the essence of festivals – the art and the artist – and touching upon all artistic disciplines. In this way, The Festival Academy will develop and sustain a network of festival leaders of the future. It empowers a new generation of emerging leaders (artistic and production) as capacity building and internationalisation are at the Academy’s core. It generates new professional opportunities for festival makers.

European Festivals Association (EFA) In 2012, the European Festivals Association (EFA) celebrated its diamond jubilee: 60 years of networking and connecting festival leaders, artists, emerging festival managers, experts, researchers and politicians from very diverse regions, countries and continents; 60 years of growth and active participation, artistic co-operation, professional development and action for the arts; 60 years in which Europe, the world and the arts have changed dramatically. Europe’s festivals have been some of our greatest success stories over the last 60 years. Founded by 15 member festivals in 1952, the European Festivals Association is one of the oldest cultural networks in Europe. Since then, EFA has grown into a dynamic network representing about 100 music, dance, theatre and multidisciplinary festivals, national festival associations and cultural organisations from 40 (mainly European) countries.

Beiteddine Art Festival – Host President : Nora Joumblatt Director: Hala Chahine

The Beiteddine Art Festival is one of the leading festivals in the Middle East. It takes place in a large and magnificent 200-year old Palace in the Chouf Mountains. Each year since 1985, in the months of July and August, the Festival presents outstanding performances by world famous stars and Lebanese artists. Concurrent with the performances, the Palace houses one or more international art exhibits. www.beiteddine.org Every summer, around 40,000 spectators gather in the Palace’s spectacular +961-1-373-430 courtyards to attend different performances.

Contacts

Atelier Team The Festival Academy / European Festivals Association (office): +32 2 644 48 00 Kathrin Deventer, Secretary General European Festivals Association Inge Ceustermans, Managing Director The Festival Academy: +32 495 27 17 24 Ysaline Lannoy, Atelier Trainee: +32 479 61 38 22

Beiteddine Art Festival Team Nora Joumblatt, President Hala Chahine, Festival Director Hollie Ghandour, Project Manager: +961 70782403 Emily-Jane Aouad, Logistics Manager: +961 3 17 39 20

Emergency contacts Allo Taxi: 009611517030 Police : 112 Red Cross : 140 Fire brigade : 175 General Security : 1717

Hotel Presenters’ Hotel Rotana Gefinor Hotel Clemenceau street Beirut, Lebanon T: 00 961 (1) 371888 – 999

Participants’ Hotel Mayflower Hotel Yafet st. Hamra Beirut-Lebanon Tel: + 961-1-340680

Venues and maps

1. Villa Linda Sursock Tel.: +961-5-501315 Sursock Street, Ashrafieh, St. Nicolas 8. National Library Baakleen Beirut 2071-7407, Lebanon P.O. Box 1503–25, Baakleen Tel.: +961-1-218720 Chouf, Lebanon Tel.: +961-5-304050 2. Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) 289, Clemenceau Street 9. Maqamat Beirut B.P. 113 – 7318, Lebanon 1st Floor, Habis Bldg. Tel.: +961-1-373373 Indepandance Street, Ashrafieh Beirut, Lebanon 3. Zoukak Theatre Company Tel.: +961- 1- 218040 Chaghouri blg, 17, 2nd floor, Impasse 39, Najeeb Azouri Street. Adliyeh 66, Achrafieh. Beirut, Lebanon. 10. Deir Al Oumara Abouna Yaacoub, Deir Al Qamar, Lebanon 4. Metro Al Madina Tel.: +961-5-511558 Sarolla Building, Minus 2, Hamra, Beyrouth, Lebanon 11. Yacht Club Beirut Tel.: +961- 7-6309363 Beirut Marina Quayside Mina El Hosn, PO BOX: 11-6401 5. Café de Prague Beirut, Lebanon Makdissi Street, Hamra, Phone: +961 - 1 - 762800 Beirut, Lebanon 12. The Music Hall 6. Beiteddine Palace Starco Center, Omar Daouk Street, Chouf Mountains, Beit Al Dine Downtown Beirut, Lebanon Chouf, Lebanon Tel.: +961-01-371236 Tel.: +961-5-500077 13. Ashkal Alwan 7. Mir Amine Palace 1st Floor, Building 110, Chouf Mountains, Beit Al Dine Street 90, Jisr el Wat Chouf, Lebanon

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The Festival Academy Sainctelettesquare 17 1000 Brussel Belgium Tel: +32 2 644 48 00 [email protected] www.TheFestivalAcademy.eu www.efa-aef.eu

The Festival Academy is an initiative of the European Festivals Association

Host and Co-organiser:

EFA and The Festival Academy thanks for their support:

The Atelier BEIRUT 2015 is organised in a broad partnership: