Conference on Collaboration in Culture
The aim of this year's conference is to re-mediate the meeting of representatives of mainly independent performing arts (umbrella organizations of theater, dance, new circus) and representatives of cities, regions, state administration and other established institutions. With a two-day meeting, we want to remove barriers, facilitate mutual communication and articulate what is essential.
16 – 17 September 2020 / Municipal House / Prague
The 2020 Culture Get-Together conference aims to create a platform for an open dialogue between professionals in the independent performing arts industry (including organizations of theatre, dance, and new circus) and representatives of cities, regions, and public administration.
The conference does not aspire to resolve particular problems but identify so called baseline, which can then lead to better understanding of the present-day challenges, recognizing matters that are less pressing or more urgent—for both groups of the attending presenters. Accordingly, we strive to establish a communication channel which, once a year, brings both sectors together and contributes to eliminating barriers. So that we help streamline mutual communication and articulate the essential.
The first day of the conference, 16 September, will be dedicated to the situation in Prague; the second day presentations, on 17 September, will explore the individual regions of the Czech Republic. The programme is scheduled from 9:30 to 16:00, with lunch break. Topics will be presented in Czech, the subtitled video recording of the conference will be available in 2 weeks.
The 2020 Culture Get-Together conference will be moderated by Marta Ljubková and Saša Michailidis.
The conference is designed for professionals in the performing arts / organizations, independent professionals in culture, the public /, representatives of the local authorities, staff of the Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, cultural grant management officers, and others, who will at the same time present at the conference.
The theme of the inaugural edition of the Culture Get-Together conference is “Collaboration in Culture.” Its format is inspired by the Industry Get-Together Berlin—an annual conference of performing arts industry held by our German colleagues who will also be present.
The 2020 Culture Get-Together conference will begin with opening remarks by Janina Benduski, Director of the Performing Arts Programm Berlin and Chair of the German Association of Independent Performing Arts, and her colleagues who will talk about the original ambitions for the launch of the Industry Get-Together Berlin. They will present topics discussed in the previous editions, how they have evolved, what is the current situation, and where they are heading. Deputy Mayor of the City of Berlin will also speak at the conference.
The representatives of the independent art scene will introduce a particular subject which should identify the current scope of their activities (provide additional information and further clarify the situation for other industry organizations, but also for the local authorities and representatives of the Ministry of Culture). They should clearly define the most urgent obstacles and propose areas that could benefit from assistance by others from a particular art scene, local authorities, or the government. Each presentation shall not exceed 8 minutes.
The representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Office of the City of Prague, and the following day also the representatives of the individual city and regional authorities, will outline challenges they have encountered (where they would appreciate a forthcoming approach from artists and industry organizations) and, in simple terms, invite the art community to see the situations through their lens.
The topics will be introduced as short presentations, each not to exceed 8 minutes. Every session of the programme will be followed by a moderated discussion.
The Culture Get-Together conference is organized by Nová síť z.s.
Partners of the 2020 conference include the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the International Theatre Institute ITI, Institut umění – Divadelní ústav (Arts and Theatre Institute), Česko-německý fond budoucnosti (Czech-German Future Fund), the Performing Arts Programm Berlin, and the industry organizations presenting at the conference.
