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Street Arts Winter Academy [SAWA #3]

The third edition of SAWA took place on March 10-12, 2013 at the FAI-AR (Marseille) upon the Panorama des chantiers (March 13) and the 10th anniversary of the association.

The 4 project leaders – SUGLA, the University of Winchester, the FAI-AR and HorsLesMurs – pursued the work started during the 2 previous editions by:

1) PRESENTATION: Who’s who, participants presentation and their experiences
2) ATELIERS / working groups: Discussing and designing pedagogical contents (frame of reference for street arts). Regarding some main issues (dramaturgy, context, etc.), what are the contents, tools, methods and reference points ?
3) PERSPECTIVES: What’s next for SAWA? What strategies?
After 3 gatherings, what should or could be built in the future? Needs, perspectives…
4) OPENING: SAWA presentation to the audience of the Panorama des chantiers.

Street Arts Winter Academy [SAWA #2]

The University of Winchester (UK), Gledališče Ane Monro Théâtre (Slovenia), Circostrada Network and FAI AIR (France) organised the second édition of the Street Arts Winter Academy (23 - 24 March 2012). This closed seminar took place in Winchester (UK) and gathered 30 European professionals, experts and policy makers in order to tackle the issue of education and training programmes in Street Arts.

 

Circostrada Network proposes a synthesis of the discussions on the structuring of the transmission of skills within this artistic sector, as well as existing schemes and good practices.

You can download the study in French or English.

 

 

 

Useful ressources to download:

> Artistic research within the fields of science, Henk Borgdorff

> The Conflict of the Faculties, On Theory, Practice and Research in Professional Arts Academies, Henk Borgdorff

> Where are we today? The state of teh art in artistic research, Henk Borgdorff

> The production of knowledge in artistic research, Henk Borgdorff

> Artistic Research in Performing Arts / The Bodyas a Medium of Institution, Esa Kirkkopelto

> In Formation, Efva Lilja

> Among the Restless and Uneasy, Efva Lilja

> Throw the Stones Really Hard ar Your Target or Rest in Peace, Efva Lilja

 
The recipients of this collective email address are the following organisations:
 
- HorsLesMurs (FR)
- University of Winchester (UK)
- FAI AR (FR)
- ISAN, NASA, Faceless Association (UK)
- Andalu University (TR)
- Ana Monro Theatre (SL)
- FiràTarrega (ES)
- University of Applied Studies Anhalt/ DIB Dessau (DE)
- ZEPA (UK / FR)
- Fédération française des arts de la rue (FR)
- University of Warwick (UK)
 
 
Street Arts Winter Academy [SAWA #1]

The Street Arts Winter Academy was a conference held on Pokljuka, Slovenia, from February 13 – 15, 2011, organised by Ana Monro Theatre in partnership with the University of Winchester, the Advanced Itinerant Learning Programme for Street Arts (FAI AR) and Circostrada Network. The four organisations worked on 4 objectives: 

> Map the different existing education and training programs available for the street artists

> Discuss curricula and "contents" of existing programs (e.g. focusing only on theatre, on other artistic disciplines, on production aspects, etc.)?

> Evaluate if and how these programs/ organisations could cooperate, eventually using financial support made available at EU level (Culture program, Long Life Learning program, etc.)

> Produce a first set of recommendations addressed to the street arts sector

All participants found the SAWA conference was a very positive step to start an in-depth discussion regarding education and training for the street artists. SAWA is an informal initiative, whose aim is to bring together individuals and organisations willing to meet at least once a year to share information, knowledge, expertise and other relevant issues.

This edition was interesting and useful to map existing programmes and initiatives in Europe and meet project holders to share views and impacts. Many models co-exists, all of them have benefits for the artists even if their objectives are quite wide.

It seems that 2 general approaches co-exist:

> On one side, discussions oriented towards the development of the practice (“basic” knowledge and fundamental skills to perform outdoor/ design and implement outdoor artistic works, idea of improvement, learning and individual progression, etc.), and

> On the other hand, discussions around the practice itself in a very broad approach (impacts, contexts, political statements, how to expend the practice, its level of political and intellectual recognition, etc.)

The seminar hosted European professionals and experts who contributed to a first collective conversation on the structuring of the transmission of skills within this artistic sector.

You can download the official report here.

 

Aside from discussing experiences and good practices, the goal of the seminar was to imagine possible next steps, collaborations between operators and to produce a series of recommendations so as to improve access to education and training.

Partners

1. Ana Monro Theatre

Ana Monro Theatre is one of the oldest independent theatre groups in Slovenia. It was established in 1982 as a small artistically very articulated group. From that time more than 50 original theatre pieces have been created, indoor and outdoor. With time the field of action has broadened and diversified. Presently Ana Monro Theatre is a production house, still independent and versatile, and active in the European level.

There are four main fields of activity:

  • The Annual Cycle of the Ana Monro Theatre Festivals : 4 festivals events for each season of the year
  • Ana Monro Theatre Group: create artistically strong street theatre pieces with Slovene and international artists and directors and tour them world wide.
  • MladiAna: represents a cluster of activities related to young people and artists. The most important is SUGLA street theatre school for young artists.
  • International cooperation: partner to Circostrada Network, European platform for information, research and professional exchanges, and to MERIDIANS, European coproduction network.

To find out more: http://www.anamonro.org/

 

2. FAI AR (Advanced and Itinerant Learning Programme for Street Arts)

In April 2005, FAI AR launched the first advanced itinerant learning programme in France and Europe dedicated to artistic creation in public areas, after several years of reflection and experience in the field of public area training. Original and innovative, the FAI AR bases its pedagogical construction on meeting active artists and companies, on multidisciplinary and professional artistic openness (philosophers, town planners, etc.). This training revolves around three main axes:

  • Collective fundamentals: Discussions in a specialised professional and geographic context for a period of two to three weeks.
  • Individual adventures : experience artistic events, undertake an ’imagined journey’, volunteer collaboration
  • A personal artistic project

To find out more: http://www.faiar.org/

 


3. University of Winchester

The University of Winchester proposes the new performance-based degree Street Arts, for students who want to create imaginative contemporary productions in the new arenas of street arts and outdoor spaces. As a performing artist, students may choose to create and organise live events through creative partnerships with city centres, the heritage industry and commercial companies or as part of community celebrations. The programme is taught by academics that have expertise in the defined core areas of street arts at both the theoretical and practical level, and many of them are practitioners themselves. This is coupled with visiting practitioners who are invited to present lectures, academies, seminars or workshops and provide feedback on student performances.

To find out more: http://www.winchester.ac.uk

 

4. Circostrada Network

Circostrada Network, founded and coordinated by HorsLesMurs, gathers committed partners of the developement of street arts and circus arts in Europe

For more information: http://circostrada.org

 

Resources

Studies and surveys conducted and published in France and the United Kingdom

France

HorsLesMurs

  • Reader of the SAWA conference, download here 
  • Les brèves de Stradda, April 2011, article about the meeting on education and training in Pokljuka, Slovenia, download here

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