EDN Atelier in Dresden

The EDN Atelier, co-organised and hosted by HELLERAU, took place on 7-8 July 2022 in Dresden, in the context of the “Cool Down” Festival of the Alliance of International Production Houses, dedicated to the environmental and sustainability questions and artistic practices in connection to climate change.

Together with artists and colleagues from theatres, public administrations and funding institutions, participants dealt with questions: how can abstract topics such as climate change, environmental destruction or extractivism be treated artistically? Do these topics also change artistic approaches, methods, the relation to the audience or the handling of time? In a second part, participants raised the question of how different cultural institutions, e.g. production houses, festivals, and foundations, can address these issues – which transformation processes are already taking place, how are these initiated and what models and strategies are there? And do these strategies differ in the individual regions and countries?

In the Atelier, participants addressed these questions using practical examples, in which artists as well as representatives of cultural institutions presented their own practices and questions and discussed these together with the participants. 

The following guest speakers were invited: Franziska Pierwoss (artist, DE), Sebastian Brünger (German Federal Culture Foundation), Kieron Jina (choreographer, ZA), Romuald Krężel, René Alejandro Huari Mateus (artists, PL/CO/DE), Mariela Nestora (artist, GR), Ulrike Cadot-Knorr (City of Dresden), Stefanie Schwimmbeck (Network Sustainability in the Performing Arts), Bettina Weber (Konglomerat Dresden)

Additionally, there was the opportunity for participants to see some productions in the context of the festival “Claiming Common Spaces IV: Cool Down”, as well as to get in touch with artists and organisers in Dresden and HELLERAU.

Atelier was opened to EDN members and others. EDN members were invited to apply for the EDN Travel Bursaries Open Call.

Report

EDN commissioned Carmen Anne for a full-length report of the Atelier. You can find the full report on the link below. 

Programme

July 6 (optional)

15:00 – 18:00 (CEST)
Arrival option I & Check-in

18:00 (CEST)
Get Together & Dinner

18:00 (CEST)
Abigail Conway: The candle project (different slots) (performance)

20:00 (CEST)
Romuald Krezel / René Alejandro Huari: To See Climate (Change) (performance)

21:30 (CEST)
Krezel/Huari (artist talk)

July 7 

10:00 – 10:30 (CEST)
Arrival option II, Check-in

10:30 – 11:00 (CEST)
Sebastian Brünger: Keynote (online)

11:00 – 11:30 (CEST)
Intro, schedule, goals

11:30 – 13:00 (CEST)
Practical Input: Franziska Pierwoss, The Eco Rider Proposal

13:00 – 14:30 (CEST)
Lunch

14:30 – 16:30 (CEST)
Working Groups

Rosa Müller, HELLERAU: Institutions: Transition Management
Ulrike Cadot-Knorr, City of Dresden: Institutions: City Management
Stefanie Schwimmbeck, Network Sustainability in the Performing Arts: Initiatives

16:30 – 17:00 (CEST)
Coffee Break

17:00 – 18:00 (CEST)
Wrap-up day 1
Bettina Weber, Konglomerat Dresden

18:00 – 20:00 (CEST) 
Dinner

20:00 (CEST)
Gathering 

July 8

10:00 – 10:30 (CEST)
Intro/Arrival

10:30 – 12:30 (CEST)
Working Groups led by artists

Romuald Krezel, René Huari (PL)
Mariela Nestora (GR)
Kieron Jina (ZA)

12:30 – 14:00 (CEST)
Lunch

14:00 – 16:00 (CEST)
Wrap Up 

17:00 – 18:20 (CEST)
Lea Moro: Ears to See (performance) - optional

18:30 – 19:30 (CEST)
Dinner

20:00 – 21:15 (CEST)
Serge Aime Coulibaly: WAKATT (performance) - optional

21:30 – 21:45 (CEST)
Artist Talk: Coulibaly

21:30 – 22:30 (CEST)
Abigail Conway: The Candle Project - Burning Ceremony (performance) - optional

July 9 (optional)

15:30 – 16:30 (CEST)
GASTSTUBE°: Klima-Fest (performance) - optional

17:00 – 18:20 (CEST)
Lea Moro: Ears to See (performance) - optional

20:00 – 21:15 (CEST)
Serge Aime Coulibaly: WAKATT (performance) - optional

How to participate as an EDN member or its associate?

EDN covered three nights of accommodation and reimbursed up to 300€ of travel costs and 3 per diems at 30€ per day for up to 7 EDN participants. Participation fee of 150€ was invoiced to their dancehouse. EDN travel support was extended to all members’ associates and EDN asked them to share the invitation within their networks. 

*Consider calculating the environmental impact of your travel when planning for your trip.

How to participate as a non-EDN member?

The Atelier was aimed at professional artists and cultural practitioners in the extended dance and performing arts field. Participation in the Atelier was free of charge, and attended at participant's own expense. Only the participation in the meals was charged. Travel and accommodation had to be organised by the participants themselves.

A few places with travel support were available. EDN covered 3 nights of accommodation and reimbursed up to 300€ worth of travel costs and 3 per diems at 30€ per day. Registration for travel support was enabled on the specific link.