1. Festival Art Academy Munich, January 20, 2011 Functional and contextual evolution of artistic festivals Dr Dragan Klaic Permanent Fellow, Felix Meritis (Amsterdam) Visiting Professor, Central European University (Budapest) © D. Klaic 2011

2. www.draganklaic.eu2 No end to new festivals Why this growth? Internationalisation of arts production increased mobility cities as initiators & funders obsession with visibility & participation furthers mass events divergent typology, multiplication of genres & formats parallel discourses: artistic...cultural-political... social cohesion... identity economic, employment, destination marketing

3. www.draganklaic.eu3 European Festivals Research Project EFRP partners: CEU, DeMontfort University Leicester, Leeds Metropolitan University, Universite Paris 8, Fondazione Fitzcarraldo Torino, Budapest Observatory Cooperation with EFA, CIRCLE, universities, cities and festivals Some support from ECF and AEC A process with events and publications Workshops, conferences, debates, seminars & courses A growing number of associate researchers Shifting thematic focus A repository of research materials: www.efa- aef.eu/efahome/efrp.cfm

4. www.draganklaic.eu4 Festival roots and traditions anthropological perspective sociological perspective political perspective aesthetical perspective production & logistic issues antiquity feasts medieval mysteries processions, parades court festivities revolutionary pageants carnivals political rallies leisure time, feasts and holidays

5. www.draganklaic.eu5 Historic evolution Stratford Upon Avon, Garrick 1764 World exhibits, 19 c. Bayreuth, Wagner 1876 Gémier, fête de vignerons 1900’s Venice Biennale 1895 Salzburg Festspiele, Reinhardt & Hofmannsthal 1918 1947 Avignon and Edinburgh 1948 Holland Festival 1950 Dubrovnik Summer Festival Proliferation of classic music festivals 1952 European Festival Assoc/ D. de Rougemont 1954 ITI World Theater Season Paris World Theatre season in London 1960s-70s

6. www.draganklaic.eu6 Cold War festival context The Iron Curtain: governments mediate international cultural flows CIA as festival funder: Who Paid the Piper Berliner Ensemble in Paris & London 1954-5 Student festivals: Nancy, Wroclaw, IFSK Zagreb, Erlangen Alternative: Festival of Fools, Edinburgh Fringe Experimental: BITEF 1967, LIFT 1981 A tumultuous feast: Avignon 1968

7. www.draganklaic.eu7 In the USA Federal Theater, 1936-39 Ravinia, Tangelwood, Jacob's Pillow etc. Ashton, Baltimore, Pepsico Purchase, Chicago Denver 1982 L. Angeles 1984 Peter Sellars, L. Angeles 1990-92 BAM New Wave & Lincoln Center Trivialization of the concept, indiscriminate application of the term

8. www.draganklaic.eu8 C/E Europe Asia Budapest Spring Polish festivals Sterijino pozorje Zagreb Music Biennale Eurokaz MOT Splitsko ljeto Hong Kong Osaka Tokyo Seoul Singapore Beijing Shanghai Macao

9. www.draganklaic.eu9 Post-Cold War festival map Sibiu Tanec Praha, Kontakt Torun Dialogue Wroclaw, Malta Poznan Chekhov, Golden Mask Moscow Baltic House St Petersburg Homo Novus Riga Divadelna Nitra Exodos, Mladi levi, City of Women Ljubljana Sirene Vilnius… Kunstenfestivaldes Arts, Brussels Zurich Sommerspektakel Theater der Welt Wienerfestwochen Ars electronica Linz Manchester festival 2007, 2009 Bonn/Wiesbaden Neue Stuecke

10. www.draganklaic.eu10 Long duration manifestations The year of... Mozart...Intercultural Dialogue.. L'automne de Paris BAM New Wave (NYC)‏ European Cultural Capitals

11. www.draganklaic.eu11 Palmer-Rae study 2004 Inflated expectations and promises Political conflicts Emblematic buildings, infrastructural development Investment delays Disappointing results, short-term gains Continuity: mentality change, self-image Capital renewal: competences, networks, partnerships

12. www.draganklaic.eu12 Tensions and conflicts Delayed appointments and organization set up Autonomy: programmers, executives and boards; cultural players and politicians Programmers and accountants Overprogramming Concepts and practicalities Staff exhausted before the year starts Audience saturation in 3 months Making the rest of the world notice Keeping the impetus

13. www.draganklaic.eu13 European Cultural Capitals 1985 Athens, 86 Florence, 87 Amsterdam, 88 Berlin, 89 Paris, 90 Glasgow, 91Dublin, 92 Madrid, 93 Antwerp, 94 Lisbon, 95 Luxemburg, 96 Copenhagen, 97 Thessaloniki, 98 Stockholm, 99 Weimar, 2000 Brussels, Avignon, Bergen, Prague, Bologna, Bergen, Reykjavik, Cracow, Santiago de Compostella, 01 Rot- terdam, Oporto, 02 Brugge, Sa- lamanca, 03 Graz, 04 Genua Lille, 05 Cork, 06 Patras, 07 Luxemburg Sibiu, 08 Liverpool Stavanger, 09 Linz Vilnius, 10 Istanbul, Essen & Pecs, 11 Tallinn Turku, 12 Guimares Maribor, 13 Kosice, Marseille 14 Umea Riga, 15 Mons Plsen 16 Poland Spain 17 DK (Arhus?) Cyprus, 18 The Netherlands Malta, 19 Italia Bulgaria, 20 Romania Ireland Croatia, 21 Greece Iceland Switzerland, 22 UK Macedonia Turkey European dimension Ling term development strategy Civic mobilization Attitudinal change A city outside EU?

14. www.draganklaic.eu14 Burning issues Consequences of proliferation What matters and what does not Festivals worth following? Distinction and unique features Non-festivals...feasts, parades, carnivals, regatta's, celebrations Arts-culture-cultural policy-economy- sociability intertwined Funding, expenditure, governance, organization Programming, audience development, partnerships

15. www.draganklaic.eu15 3 kinds of festivals community self-celebrations commercial crowd-gathering events artistic festivals

16. www.draganklaic.eu16 Some strategic issues to consider Commercial / non-commercial Residents/ visitors Broad artistic discipline or a narrow niche Multidisciplinary- interdisciplinary Social and political causes Intellectual pursuits and overwhelming thematization: urbanity, globalization, migration, exile, the human body, food... Philosophy, science, economy, literature, poetry, journalism, creativity New media

17. www.draganklaic.eu17 Performing arts Dramatic theater: national drama, new playwriting, Greek classics, Shakespeare, Ibsen Innovative directing concepts, prestige companies Experimental performance Theater for children & youth Musical theater, opera, new opera One language: francophonie Ambiental One performer: monodramatic, stand up comedy

18. www.draganklaic.eu18 Visual arts, design, architecture Exhibition/ trade show / proto-festival? Venice Biennial, imitators & followers classical art, décor and furniture (TEAF)‏ single artist: Breuer, Piano national selection period

19. www.draganklaic.eu19 Festival purposes & orientation artistic celebratory/ commemorative pacifying, community reinforcing city marketing, tourism boost, economic gain # compensatory # manifestative # developmental Role: presenting/ producing

20. www.draganklaic.eu20 Basic questions to answer Why why here for who how with whom when where specifically what different than the others?

21. www.draganklaic.eu21 What is a festival? An artistic project with cultural social political economic implications, requiring  original concept, insights, network of info providers  human and material resources  co-operative mentality, good will

22. www.draganklaic.eu22 Festival scope and outreach local regional national international What makes a festival international? Mastering the dialectics of local & international Programming vs. funding vs. outreach and echo

23. www.draganklaic.eu23 Why do festivals matter? Artistic innovation and vitality Events and processes New audiences, new places, new partners Quality of urban life, cultural democracy Intercultural dialogue, intercultural competence Local and European citizenship Festivals outside Europe.