Political Engagement from a Performer's Perspective: Burdens, Challenges and Responsibilities
In recent years public arts funding has been greatly reduced and arts organisations are pushed to adopt the American funding model. This shift in funding model has a profound philosophical impact on matters of artistic freedom, creativity and political dissension. This presentation will explore the possible impact of a fundamental shift in the arts funding model, and on a more fundamental level the question whether public funding should be used to support art forms which overtly criticise the political system to which they are bound.
Presented by David Ramael (World Federation of Amateur Orchestras)
See the PowerPoint version here.
See the Text version here.
MUS-E in relation to “20 Years MUS-E”
MUS-E® is a programme of the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation (IYMF). On the initiative of Yehudi Menuhin it was introduced in the school year 1993/94 in 2 school classes in Bern. The aim of MUS-E® is to help children – often coming from challenging environments – to begin the long road to personal fulfilment through the arts – music, dance, singing, drama and visual art. Artistic workshops are given by professional artists on a regular basis. The MUS-E® artists introduce new ways of thinking and creating, to stimulate children’s harmonious development. The project promotes social integration and aims to reduce levels of violence, racism and social exclusion amongst the young. Until now around 1 million in 13 countries have had the possibility to participate in the project.
Presented by Andor Timar (Yehudi Menuhin Forum Bern)
See the Prezi presentation here.
Singing Europe (European Choral Association - Europa Cantat)
Can cultural policies be drawn without a clear target group? There are no reliable statistics on collective singing at the European level; governments and organisations sometimes base their actions on partial or prejudiced assumptions on the situation.
The European Choral Association thus set up “SingingEurope.org”, a pilot research programme to gather and produce reliable statistical data on "people singing together". This knowledge should help national and European organisations set up programmes that better address the needs of the singing community and convince policy makers to support it.
Presented by Come Ferrand Cooper and Sonja Greiner (Europa Cantat)
See the PDF version of the presentation here.