Dr. Damien Helly, Deputy Head of Programme, EU External Action, ECDPM

Roberto Cimetta Fund (with Région Nord-Pas de Calais )Take-aways from debates

Brussels 27 February 2015

Euro-Arab Relations and Local Cultural Development

Introduction: exploring and exploiting gaps and spaces

ECDPM Page 2

Photo: Damien Helly

1. Theme 1 – decentralisation / local authorities and communities

2. Theme 2 - opportunities on the EU side? - New funding modalities? - HOW?

3. Theme 3 – The How

4. What mattered for you today?

Structure of this report

ECDPM Page 3

1. Theme 1 – decentralisation / local authorities and communities

ECDPM Page 4

- Changing environment of asymetries: Financing needs at all stages of creative process for grantees, lacking at local government level.Financing available elsewhere (Gulf countries, Asia, South-South, Foundations, Americas) - where are the resources? How to manage them? “Distance in Euros” -

- Culture in violent contexts – culture in stable settings or transitions not the same approach?

- Linkages beyond artists: between and policy space for national / local authorities, private sector – local creative sector-, communities, audience, educational structures, artists

- Power struggles behind cooperation (Trojan horses and colonial memories)

2. Theme 2 – new opportunities on the EU side?

ECDPM Page 5

1. We don’t always have the same aims – policy and political dialogue with national but also local authorities, and with cultural professionals themselves? (being in line with guidelines of calls for proposals – results from EU preparatory action) – culture in violent environments?

2. Umbrella funding organisations – what linkages with local authorities?

3. Understanding or discussing the EU rules together?: Need for information detailed as much as possible: on financial regulations, on policy processes. Role of EU Delegations in support to local development? Role of new EU website?

4. What about cultural institutes and European Member States?

3. Theme 3 – The HOW (1) ?

ECDPM Page 6

1. Financing: linking the EU level, the “local” level, and mobility for financing (and policy)? How to fund emergency response?

2. Along which common aims? - Peace. - “We are looking for the “individual” in our countries” , - Economic, human development / long-term impact, - Expand public space- How to better jointly define EU calls for proposals? (new

procedures).

3. Theme 3 – The HOW (2) ?

ECDPM Page 7

3. Adjust the pledge for changing definitions of mobility • internet doesn’t replace mobility – fake mobility? - back to

Earth/Gaia (Latour)• diaspora and displacement• re-territorialisation, • beyond artistic, professional mobility• moves within a country you need to know, • community/audience, • crossing borders, • residencies, • intercultural dialogue & learning, • clarifying aims, • co-building projects

3. Theme 3 – The HOW (3) ?

ECDPM Page 8

4. “Our own research” / co-research• Mappings• “Doing our own research” (anthropological > esthetical)• Knowing the audiences • differences – reaching out to the other – translation.

5. In stability, supporting structures - Wifi / IMA / spaces - Write the case / branding & marketing of a territory- Support public services

4. What do you want to take away from today?

ECDPM Page 9

Feedback from the participants: The EU does work with local authorities especially through the cross-border programme.

You missed the role of informal structures

We need plan for action beyond understanding each other.

Are we redistributing cultural power?

Thank youwww.ecdpm.org

www.slideshare.net/ecdpm

Page 10

Questions to:Dr Damien Helly

Deputy Head of Programme ECDPM

dhe@ecdpm.org