Ukraine
Our capacity development initiatives in Ukraine started in 2007. This kick-started our long-term agenda of developing country-specific networks outside the EU to cross-fertilise cultural policies across wider Europe.
The Ukraine culture network in 2011 comprised of seven cities that can serve as local and regional hubs, which include: Ivano - Frankivsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Kiev, Lviv, Odessa and Donetsk. Community-engaged individuals and organisations in each of these cities are participating in community development workshops and will also be working with the "Ukraine Roundtable", devised by Public Art Lab Berlin, which will combine lobbying efforts with art interventions in public spaces across the Ukraine. To hear about a recent inspiring workshop session in Odessa have a look here.
Activities
Tandem - Cultural Managers Exchange Programme
In 2011, we launched a new exchange programme for cultural managers called Tandem. Co-devised with MitOst and delivered in partnership with local organisations, the programme supports long-term cooperation, knowledge development and networking opportunities between cultural managers from European Union (EU) and non-EU countries.
Throughout the year–long period, each manager works together in a Tandem to co–develop a cultural project, taking part in a work placement at each other’s organisation. Next to these exchange visits the entire group meets several times a year and receives support, capacity building and arts management training from the programme organisers.
The creative projects that emerge from the collaboration lead to a wide range of newly–fused ideas and cross–border concepts: connecting virtual to non–virtual exhibitions, producing unique publications, creating collective exhibitions and putting on public—participatory performances.
Valentyna Zalevska (left) with colleagues in the cultural organisation Wiz ART, Lviv © Nicola Mullenger
Having exhibited their productions across their own regions, the Tandem group will come together to showcase their work in Chisinau, 25 - 27 May 2012. This approach of learning from each other in a new cultural environment stimulates new lines of understanding, cultural distribution and intercultural dialogue and prepares the ground for long-term collaboration of the established Tandem partnerships across Europe and locally. For more go to their own website.
In partnership with: Centre for Cultural Management (Lviv), Culture Action Europe, MitOst and the Soros Foundation - Moldova. Kindly supported by the European Commission through the CULTURE-Programme and Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Mapping the Culture - The cultural map of Lviv presents more than just monuments
While already a true ‘cultural capital’, the Ukrainian city of Lviv, can benefit from a more focussed strategy in developing and supporting its cultural life. Over 2008, ECF and its partner the Centre of Cultural Management, trained a group of 25 cultural managers in applying innovative ways of developing cultural policies during times of transition. As follow-up, workshop participants coordinated with their arts communities and local authorities to produce the ‘Lviv Cultural Map’, which charted out the activities, needs and interactions of the city’s major arts players and organisations. Also in partnership with: Association of Museums and Galleries, Centre for Cultural Management, Dzyga Arts Centre, Lviv City Council and Les Kurbas Theatre.
