apap VII - performing europe goldegg
fact sheet
who: szene salzburg, together with the apap network has researched, designed and received funding for its 7th apap project: performing europe goldegg.
the apap network is a coalition of organizations which not only administer theaters and festivals of performing arts and music, but also present film programs, gallery exhibitions and all kinds of cross-genre events. The network is committed to nurturing emerging artists by creating more opportunities for the development and presentation of their ideas and by exploring themes essential to the development of contemporary performing arts. apap has particular expertise in the dance field, which has developed by including formats and practices from visual arts, new media, new technology, and music. apap organizations share the belief that an interdisciplinary approach is not only essential for younger artists to develop and define their individual artistic identities, but also to nurture the changing needs of curators, audiences, and communities at large.
what: apap VII introduces a unique format for gathering artists and producers, as well as cultural politicians and specialists in economy and the arts to explore themes relevant to contemporary performance today. The meeting also includes university professors, politicians, producers and theorists from around the world. The event promises to be a rare think tank where the best minds and creators gather to explore themes relevant to contemporary performing arts.
when: May 28 to june 1, 2009
where: Rather than gathering in a metropolis, the meeting happens in Goldegg, Austria which has a lake and castle with an infrastructure to support conferences, accommodations for visitors, and atypical spaces for performative ideas. during the week of the project, the village will become a platform for artistic considerations as well as a think tank for new strategies and ideas with lasting consequence. This Alpine village, remote and rural, offers an off-the-beaten path setting where thinkers and artists can delve deeply into the subjects at hand.
why: apap VII presents three essential elements: a unique location which opens itself to meeting and discussion, a gathering of ideas and theoretical statements, and a culmination of research and artistic statements collected from platforms within the apap network. during this inaugural year of the project, two themes have been selected for the meeting: the role of the performer in the 21st century and the arts and economy. the apap network just submitted a request to the EU to continue funding for this annual meeting as a multi-year project called apap VIII. themes in subsequent years will include “the Political Performer: how relevant are the arts for changing societies?” and in the following year: “Connections with Non-European regions/Outer Europe.”
performing europe goldegg marks a significant step forward for apap and for european performance and programming. the project will collect research from specialists and experts in economy and the arts, incorporating their knowledge and experience alongside artistic and theoretical statements from artists and scholars. the project seeks to promote the creation of new approaches, to examine cultural practices, and to expand artistic opportunities which will create enduring impact on access for curators, producers, artists and politicians.