The EFFEA Generation #3 Intake Seminar gathered over 100 festival makers and artists selected for the third round of residencies on 11 June 2024. The primary aim was to facilitate introductions, build connections, and offer a space for exchange in preparation for Call #3 residencies in the coming months. The event underscored the importance of collaboration and mutual support, diversity, and artistic freedom in the contemporary cultural landscape in Europe.
Opening Remarks
Jan Briers, EFA President, Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary General, and Donika Rudi Berishaj, EFFEA Project Coordinator, warmly welcomed the attendees. Jan Briers emphasised the time and space for dialogue, thinking and new ideas allowed through EFA’s initiatives, particularly through the EFFEA residencies, stating, “(...) as a festival director, I was always busy searching for money and programming, and sometimes you just need to take time to study, for introspection. Working together is very important in this. That is why we bring you together – festivals and artists.”
Artists Conversation - Elbenita Kajtazi and Tom Creed
A discussion unfolded between Elbenita Kajtazi, Opera Singer from Kosovo/Germany, and Tom Creed, EFFEA Jury Member and Opera and Theatre Director from Ireland. Elbenita shared her journey from an emerging artist in Kosovo to an international opera star, detailing her experiences with various organisations and residencies. The artist emphasised the transformative power of music in her life, especially during her time in war-torn Kosovo. She recounted her childhood in Mitrovica, saying, “On the one side I had a beautiful childhood but on the other a sad one because I am a war child, I have experienced the war in Kosovo and that is how I started to sing. I would find myself in horrible situations as a child and I wanted to escape that reality and not live what I was watching so I started to sing in my mind and it would take me to another universe.”
Elbenita spoke about her dreams of performing on prestigious stages, stating, “To think of conquering the world was too much, was unreal, but I knew in my heart and mind that I could do it if I never gave up.” Under the motto, "never give up and work hard", she was determined to succeed despite numerous challenges. Elbenita also announced her new initiative, the Bajar Berisha Stipendium, to support Albanian young and talented artists in Germany. “With this initiative/scholarship, I will be able to support every year Albanian artists to make their dreams come true in Germany.”
Residencies Presentations
Colm Croffy, Chairman of the Association of Irish Festivals & Events (AOIFE), part of the 14 EFFEA Platform Members, moderated the introduction of 57 residencies by the 57 emerging artists (individuals or collectives) and 159 festivals from 35 countries, proposing to work across 18 artistic disciplines. This segment allowed attendees to meet one another and their selected projects under EFFEA Call #3’s umbrella.
Artists Conversation - Haris Pašović, Emily Ansenk, Serge Aimé Coulibaly, and Peter Florence
A panel discussion among EFFEA Jury members focused on the role of festivals in nurturing and promoting new talent. Panellists included Haris Pašović, Theatre and Film Director from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Emily Ansenk, General Director of Holland Festival, Serge Aimé Coulibaly, Choreographer/Dancer from Burkina Faso, and Peter Florence, Director of European Festivals Forest and Festivals Consultant and Strategist.
Haris Pašović emphasised the importance of diversity and the role of artistic voices in addressing contemporary issues such as technology, climate change, and political shifts. He stated, "For me, the key word is diversity. In today’s world, diversity is such a crucial element. It is about different discourses and the importance of dialogue in society and the arts." He added, "Art is essential for humanism and our identity; otherwise, we become robots just there to buy and sell and be present on social networks. That is something deeply disturbing for me." Pašović highlighted the need for both established and emerging artists to collaborate and innovate, adding, "I believe in individuals, individual creativity, genius, in collaboration. I believe in young artists and established artists as well."
Emily Ansenk highlighted the lack of political engagement with cultural events and the need for collective action in the arts. She said, "Many politicians don’t attend cultural events. We are looking for a dialogue, but if the counterpart is not there, that is the dangerous thing." She stressed the importance of non-transactional spaces where artists and audiences can connect meaningfully, noting, "When we have the podium, we need to send the message that the arts are so important for our humanity."
Haris Pašović further discussed the challenges of censorship and the pressure on artists. "Politicians are aware of the importance of culture because they see the interest in museums, attendance at festivals, long lines for exhibitions and concerts", he remarked. "But at the same time, they don’t see the arts in the same way we do. They want to control these long lines of voters and use instruments like the stick and carrot budget, hanging over our heads, and other more subtle ways of censorship. There is also a certain sense of auto-censorship in Europe more than before in recent years. (...) There is a lifeline story for the artists to be courageous and critical. (...) Collectiveness is, like Emily said, something we can hold on to and use as protection of arts and freedom." He emphasised the importance of collective action, noting, "This collectiveness has to be carefully crafted in terms of freedom and free speech. It will be increasingly challenging to do so with the change of governments or a bigger presence of the far right in our lives because they tend to be more conservative and are not open to a modern, post-colonial Europe that is equal to everyone."
Kathrin Deventer summed up the conversation with a call for collective efforts to uphold the values of artistic freedom and expression while engaging in dialogue. "It is not a 'they and we' story but an 'us' story. This is our planet, our life, and we all take a share of that responsibility." She emphasised the importance of dialogue, stating, "Not closing ourselves in our fight but keeping the bubble in conversation and dialogue with those that we need to talk to."
Info Session
The Seminar concluded with an informative briefing by Luana Santos, Communication and Administration Assistant, and Donika Rudi Berishaj, outlining the next steps for the residencies and expressing best wishes for the participants' future endeavours.