Another Training Hotspot went by and we are ready for our second round of feedback!
This time, Irena and Nina from
Kulturanova (Serbia), Sonia from
MALTE (Italy) and Antonio from
Hangartfest (Italy) have expressed their opinions on the two-day Training Hotspot that went live from Novi Sad (Serbia), hosted by Kulturanova.
Describe the Training Hotspot in 3 words. Why did you choose these words?
Irena: New. Innovative. Fun.
Nina: Inspiring. Fun. Different. – It was an unusually interactive event that kept my focus despite the “Zoom fatigue” I’ve been having in 2020.
Sonia: Revitalizing: listening to the different approaches of our colleagues has been a nurturing exercise for creativity and imagination. Human: the idea of doing some physical activities, even during a Zoom session, was a strong reminder of the profound meaning of the performing arts. Comforting: meeting many cultural operators and artists from different countries an backgrounds in this difficult phase and have the opportunity to share thoughts, fears and hopes is a good way to get rid of the sense of loneliness that we are feeling nowadays.
Antonio: Enriching, because I learned some new tools for my job. Socializing, because I had the feeling of belonging to a community with which I could share ideas. Friendly, because I felt that the hotspot was structured but not rigid, not formal, and I appreciated the atmosphere.
How did you like the interventions on new business models for performing arts? Which one was your favourite?
I: I really enjoyed the whole training. I especially liked those little games at the beginning, I think they really contributed to break the ice and to a better communication among the participants.
N: I liked the radio show intervention, it is such a simple idea and yet it really engaged the workers and helped the dynamics in their environment.
S: I have appreciated every speaker’s narrations in their diversity. Gabriella Antezza was my favourite one, because I can imagine using the tool “Canvas” to improve my association’s competences in designing future projects.
A: I especially appreciated Milan Vracar’s intervention on Entrepreneurship in Creative Industries. Also, I found the Creative Project Canvas suggested by Gabriella Antezza very useful.
Did you gain useful knowledge on artistic interventions in non-conventional contexts? Can you use it in your field of expertise?
I: Of course! The training has really broaden my knowledge regarding this topic and motivated me to search for more information about it.
N: I was particularly inspired by Marija Farmer and her business model. I think it intersects well with AIO and I find it to be easily applicable in my line of business as well.
S: Many examples have been inspiring on different levels. I realized, for instance, how interesting the idea of a radio play in social theatre can be. I am thinking about implementing a research in this field for MALTE’s new European project.
A: Yes, I will try to get inspired by some of the tools that I’ve learned in the hotspot. I found some good suggestions in Uros Mladenovic’s interventions.
What would you like to see in the upcoming events that has not been done yet?
I: I’d like to make sure to stay in contact with all the project participants in the future and to cooperate with them on some other projects as well. And, of course, I miss some “offline” trainings. Zoom is fine, but meeting people in real life is better.
S: I would love to work in groups and have more time to experiment a co-creation exercise. I think that collective forms of practical work should be fostered, in order to unfold innovative ways of doing our job.
A: It would be interesting to have a focus on how to cope with politicians and public administrators, so on how to deal with people that hold the decision-making power on (local) cultural policies.
N: People live!!! JK. I’d like more chance to network with the other participants and learn from them directly, since I feel I still didn’t make valuable connections and virtual friendships, which is strange and I feel like that part is really missing when we have this online. I don’t have specific ideas on how to facilitate this, perhaps to create a group with all participants on social media where everybody gets a chance to present themselves and interact outside for a couple of hours every few months. Perhaps a joint email list. Something that is not too invasive, but adds that element of closer connecting that these projects usually have.
