"Maybe it is the support, companionship, stimulation and fun to be gained from working within a peer group of people who share a passion, that can enable groups to generate achievements greater than the sum of their parts"
Heather Maitland and Anne Roberts in "Greater than the sum of its parts" (2006)

Cultural Networks at Work

June 7-8,
2007
Brussels
Belgium

•Organisers & Contact

European Festivals Association

Stretching from the north to the south and the east to the west of Europe, festivals open their doors to millions of people every year. The European Festivals Association embraces them all in one pan-European umbrella-organization that unifies audiences and artists, and enables visitors to come and experience the enjoyment of cultural festival events.

All EFA members have in common significant objectives, incorporating artistic, cultural, social and political facets. They share the love for art, they are internationally oriented and they thrive on innovation. Each festival is set in its own very special context but all strive at generating a stimulating and collective, individual atmosphere among audiences and artists.

Furthermore, the ambition is to create an uplifting experience for a society, whereby each festival is a herald of innovation in art, and therefore an extremely positive exposure of the artists' work in a tolerant and open society.

Contact information:

General Secretariat
Kasteel Borluut
Kleine Gentstraat, 46
9051 Gent
Belgium
Tel: +32 9 241 80 80
Fax: +32 9 241 80 89
Email:
Website: www.efa-aef.eu

Responsible for the 'Cultural Networks at Work (CNaW)' Conference: Hugo De Greef
Coordinator: Kathrin Deventer

International Society for the Performing Arts

The International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) is a non-profit international organization (founded in 1949) of over 600 executives and directors of concert and performance halls, festivals, performing companies, and artist competitions; government cultural officials; artists' managers; and other interested parties with a professional involvement in the performing arts from more than 50 countries in every region of the world, and in every arts discipline.

The purpose of ISPA is to develop, nurture, energize and educate an international network of arts leaders and professionals who are dedicated to advancing the field of the performing arts.

ISPA is committed to increase international communication, understanding and cooperation among all arts professionals through the programs, meetings and services of ISPA; strengthen the leadership capabilities of member arts institutions; provide support to enrich creative potential and intellectual growth in the field; and affirm the importance and necessity of the performing arts in today's society.

Contact Information:

17 Purdy Avenue
P.O. Box 909
Rye, New York 10580
USA
Tel: 914.921.1550
Fax: 914.921.1593
Email:
Website: www.ispa.org

Responsible for the 'Cultural Networks at Work (CNaW)' Conference: Johann Zietsman.

Festival de Wallonie

After more than 35 years of existence, the Festival de Wallonie has become one of the major events in the Walloon musical life and an ambassador of Wallonia Culture in Belgium and abroad. It was created in 1971 on the union of the Stavelot, Liege, Saint-Huber, Namur, Hainaut and Brabant Wallon Festivals. Every year, there is a common theme in the programming of all the festivals and a renowned Belgian cultural personality is chosen as sponsor for the entire season.

In 2007 the festival will be supported by the famous pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha and the theme will be "Au-delà des frontières" ("Beyond the borders"). From June to October 2007, more than 65 concerts will be presented. This year will be among other things dedicated to Luxembourg and Greater Region, European Capital of Culture. But the Festival de Wallonie will be as well open to France, Deutschland... to prove that music doesn't have any borders!

Contact Information:
General :

Rue de l'Armée Grouchy, 20
5000 Namur
Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)81 73 37 81
Email:

In Brussels:

Email:
Website: www.festivaldewallonie.be

Responsible for the 'Cultural Networks at Work (CNaW)' Conference: Baudouin Muylle

Flanders Festival

The Festival van Vlaanderen, Flanders Festival, is one of the largest classical music festivals in Belgium. This ambitious festival presents numerous concerts in different cities over the course of several months. The programme includes classical music, with a wide range of contemporary music projects, but also traditional music, jazz...

Key cities participating in the Flanders Festivals are Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Louvain, Mechelen, Tongeren and Bruges next to 74 other cities and municipalities in Flanders. They all have their own festival with a specific programme, all of that under the larger umbrella of the Flanders Festival. The mission of the Flanders Festival is to offer support to the Festivals Members and stimulate internal collaboration among them.

The Flanders Festival, together with the Festival de Wallonie, is hosting the EFA General Assembly at the occasion of its 50th anniversary which is celebrated in 2007/2008.

Contact Information:

Flanders Festival Brussels
Rue Ravenstein 60
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 02/548 95 95
Fax: 02/548 95 90
Email:
Website: www.festival.be

Responsible for the 'Cultural Networks at Work (CNaW)’ Conference: Jan Briers
Coordinator: Vicky Van Keer

Flemish Radio Orchestra

The Flemish Radio Orchestra (Vlaams Radio Orkest) is a symphonic orchestra which, as a modern, contemporary ensemble, offers its own response to the question of the future of the traditional orchestra in the 21st century. In addition to the mainstream repertoire from the 20th century, the orchestra also provides a performance outlet for contemporary symphonic music, an area in which it aims to excel musically. The Flemish Radio Orchestra is conscious of its social role, and paying special attention to young people through socio-cultural projects, specific productions and open rehearsals.

The Flemish Radio Orchestra was established in 1935 under the aegis of the public broadcasting network, and has since evolved from a studio to a concert ensemble. In 1998, the orchestra became ndependent and started developing its own activities. After making its home in the city of Leuven for a number of years, the orchestra is now accommodated in the Flagey building in Brussels.

Contact Information:

Vlaams Radio Orkest & Vlaams Radio Koor
Vlaams Omroeporkest & Kamerkoor vzw
Eugène Flageyplein 18
1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 02/627 11 60
Fax: 02/627 11 61
Email:
Website: www.vro-vrk.be

Responsible for the 'Cultural Networks at Work (CNaW)' Conference: Gunther Broucke

Sponsors

EFA would like to thank for their support:
the National Lottery of Belgium, the city of Gent, the European Union and the Brussels Capital - Region.

The national lottery the city of Ghent The European Union Brussels Capital – Region