Making artists work possible through

international coproductionSibiu, June 2012

Christel Simons/ Cultural ManagerChrisim@skynet.be +32 495 124 822

Currently freelancer/ Projectweeks Culture & Development Visional Art and the Politics of Remembering Needcompany 1993 – 2012 (19 years) general manager and business manager of

this international theatre company production work film & theatre  Kaaitheater 1992 – 1993 (1 year)

Curriculum

Needcompany/ Sibiu Festival

Build around Jan Lauwers & Grace Ellen Barkey, main artists

International Multidisciplinary Ensemble Factory à la Warhol Flexible small structure Flemish www.needcompany.org

What is Needcompany?

Performance Art? (Roselee Goldberg) Flemish Wave?

AT De Keersmaeker Jan Fabre Jan Lauwers Wim Vandekeybus Alain Platel (Meg Stuart)? (Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui?)

The Flemish Wave

Jan Fabre/ Troubleyn

Rosas/ A.T. De Keersmaeker

Wim Vandekeybus

Alain Platel

Meg Stuart

Paradox of the Flemish WaveFlemish and International

http://www.flanderstoday.eu/content/riding-wave We take it for granted, this avant-garde art,

this strange and challenging work of Flanders. But it was not always so.

The rapid growth of festivals and networks facilitated the cross-fertilisation of new work.

While home-grown talent was being nurtured, touring circuits and festivals were also bringing the international avant-garde to Belgian cities. Young dancers were influenced by the German neo-expressionists (such as Pina Bausch), American postmodern dance and Japanese butoh.

The Flemish Wave

The success of the Flemish Wave is due to talent, vision and Belgian's visual arts culture, not to mention its surreal humour. But, equally, it owes its existence to the growth of a Flemish Wave of alternative management and production. A supportive infrastructure facilitated marginal works, while decentralisation of theatre spaces enhanced touring, dissemination and collaboration.

How to produce a Flemish Wave?

Distribution has a Crucial effect on reputations.What is not distributed is not known and can not be well thought of or have historical Importance. The process is circular: what does not have good reputation will not be distributed. "

Sociological Laws: Howard S. Becker

sociologists Pascal Gielen and Rudi Laermans

Reading http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_ons003199801_01/_ons00

3199801_01_0071.php

Myth and reality of the Flemish dance wave

‘Identity’/ ‘New’ Aura contamination, both artistic as

production wise International distribution Started in the fringe, to go to the center

Conclusion Flemish Wave

Off center (did not become an institution) Flemish but very international Aim: long term international coproduction

with a ‘fixed’ group of coproducers But still dependent on flexible partners Festivals give new imput

◦ Festival d’Avignon France◦ Salzburger Festspiele Austria◦ Rührtriennale Germany

CASE STUDY NEEDCOMPANY

The coproducers: Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre de la Ville/ Paris, Théâtre Garonne/ Toulouse, La Rose des Vents / Scène Nationale de Villeneuve d'Ascq, Brooklyn Academy of Music/ New York and welt in basel theaterfestival. With the cooperation of the Kaaitheater/ Brussels and the Flemish Community Commission of the Brussels Capital Region.

Isabella’s room 2004

Coproduced by Festival d’Avignon, Théâtre de la Ville (Paris), Théâtre Garonne (Toulouse), PACT Zollverein (Essen), Cankarjev Dom(Ljubljana) La Rose des Vents (Scène Nationale de Villeneuve d’Ascq), Automne en Normandie, La Filature (Scène Nationale de Mulhouse), Kaaitheater (Brussels), deSingel (Antwerp).

Lobster Shop (2006)

A Production by Needcompany and Salzburger Festspiele. Coproduction: Schauspielhaus Zurich, PACT Zollverein (Essen). With the collaboration of deSingel (Antwerp), La Rose des vents (Scène national de Villeneuve d’Ascq), Kaaitheater (Brussels).

The Deer House (2008)

A Needcompany production. Coproduction: ImPulsTanz (Vienna), PACT Zollverein (Essen), künstlerhaus mousonturm (Frankfurt). With the collaboration of Kaaitheater (Brussels) With the support of the Flemish authorities.

This Door is too small for a bear/ Grace Ellen Barkey (2011)

coproduction BIT Teatergarasjen (Bergen), in association with kunstencentrum BUDA (Kortrijk), 3D Square / HOWEST (Kortrijk), Syntra Hasselt, Kaaitheater (Brussels), with residencies in ImPulsTanz (Vienna), PACT Zollverein (Essen) 

Analysis The Whole song/ MaisonDaelBonnema (2011)

Artist in residence Burgtheater Vienna -Art of Entertainment -Caligula -Market Place: in coproduction Burgtheater,

Rührtriennale and Holland Festival (Maybe Sibiu would join, or Poznan/ Malta

Festival)

Since 2010

Balance between coproduction money and the touring possibilities

Good mix between fixed partnerships and flexible ones

Artistic freedom is important!

Conclusion: International coproduction is very important

Glocalised world: international/ regional Identity or Culture as part of tourism

strategies? Ecology & sustainability Ethics & Politics

Low & High Culture mix

What’s new?

Everything is possible/fast: communication/ travel/…

More international? /Or regional? ◦ Exemple:◦ Singapore Arts Festival: no more money if it does

not relate more to the Singapore audiences!◦ Effect: international artists join local communities◦ More exchanges?

Glocalised world

Flemish wave= identity Now Culture is more and more part of

tourism strategies◦ -City Marketing/Region Marketing:

-Story of ‘Visit Flanders’: Newtopia/ Beaufort Biennale/ Manifesta/ TRACK-speech Ritsaert ten Cate 1997

Identity or Culture as part of tourism strategies

Can we permit ourselves to be so international? ◦ What is sustainable in the world of culture

Ecology/ sustainability

KunstenFestivaldesArts, Berlin Biennale, Newtopia

What about Greece, Italy, Spain/ crisis? What about Europe & culture? What about theatre/ dance production in

other parts of the world?

Ethics & Politics

Culture barbarians are the new elite◦ Refering to a book of Alessandro Baricco: The

Barbarians◦ Triomph of the market? No funding for art any

more? Only succes as proof for quality?◦ Beware of neoliberal tendencies

Low & High Culture mix

Flemish Wave model is still to consider, as the ‘aura contamination’, still works, both artistically as professionally

Exchange aspect gives new energy to cultural scenes, to ideas, but also brings production value

Consider ecology, politics, sustainability, and the fact that we are part of the tourist & heritage industy

Conclusion