Raising awareness about European cultural diversity through Cinema and Dance

Project facts

Project promoter:
The European Foundation for Urban Culture
Project Number:
RO13-0028
Target groups
Young adults,
Entrepreneurs
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€216,862
Final project cost:
€206,351
From EEA Grants:
€ 157,157
The project is carried out in:
Romania

Description

The general objective of the project is raising awareness of the European cultural diversity in Romania through a Romanian-Icelandic partnership aiming to promote European artists, comedy film, and contemporary dance, and the specialisation of human resources in cultural management. The project results in enhanced level of knowledge of European film, culture and diversity in Romania by presenting a minimum of 60 European comedy productions to an audience of a minimum of 5,000 viewers in October 2015 during Comedy Cluj festival and enhancing the level of awareness of European culture and diversity in Romania by promoting a minimum of five European contemporary dance productions in front of a minimum of 2,000 viewers in June 2015 during the Steps festival. Moreover the project aims at developing cultural management skills for ten young professionals. It will increase visibility of artists by supporting mobility in Romania for a minimum of 30 European contemporary dance professionals and a minimum of 30 European comedy film professionals. The Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF, Iceland) and the Edinborg Cultural Centre (Iceland) are the donor project partners in this project. They are amongst others involved in elements related to cultural management skills, EU comedy film (RIFF) and contemporary dance (Edinborg Cultural Centre).

Summary of project results

The project was developed in order to respond to the need of increasing knowledge of cinema arts like comedy films and contemporary dance, as tools expressing European cultural diversity and to the need to specialize human resources in promoting cultural projects. Within the project they were held the STEPS International Festival of Contemporary Dance and the COMEDY CLUJ International Film Festival. In STEPS International Festival of Contemporary Dance over 200 artists of world known dance companies from 6 European countries have presented, 12 shows, truly great mixes between sensations, sounds and moves., 6.372 participants attended the events, a team of 20 people and 30 volunteers and 47 accredited journalists. COMEDY CLUJ International Film Festival offered to the public a better knowledge of a cinematographic genre called comedy, and a creative platform for networking and thought sharing between artist, cinematographers and audience members. 92 films from 14 European countries were screened in the Cluj cinemas, and were viewed by 5.257 people. 54 people worked as a team to develop and run the festival, helped by 150 volunteers. 32 guests (directors, actors, screenwriters, producers and film critics) and 97 national and international journalists attended the festival as accredited members. Due to collaborations with photo-video sections of the Cluj Universities, 160 students were able to view the films screened throughout the 10 days and to interact with the teams behind them. The mentorship project through which 10 young people from Romania and Iceland were able to develop their knowledge in cultural management made possible a network of specialists that will contribute to new cultural projects. Over 5 press conferences, and over 10 communiques, multilingual website, over 1000 posters, over 5.000 flyers and brochures, tens of banners and different size and type of promotional materials (banners, roll-up, t-shirt, pen, etc.). Certificate of participation and attendance had been given for artists, directors, guests, and for the young professionals. Reports of press monitoring and audience flow. We delivered an audit of the partners. It raised the awareness of the European cultural diversity in Romania, it had promote European artists, comedy film and contemporary dance, and have been specialized human resource for cultural management. The partnerships did assured the large scale impact of the project.

Summary of bilateral results

During the working meetings held in the two countries, small ad-hoc meetings were held with other people in the cultural field, which led to the development of interest circles, setting the basis for new collaborations with new partners. The fact that these links and friendships lead to the successful completion of the project is not just a gain for both the entities involved and the public beneficial to the events, but they also gave confidence and confidence to plan new events and new editions of these festivals. The joint effort of the partners has added value and content to the organized events and has contributed significantly to the diversification of the cultural offer and especially to the development of the knowledge and the perception about the culture of the partner countries, which was an unprecedented and profitable experience. The active and reciprocal participation of the people in the organizing teams at the events of the partners has brought real benefits for the organization of the editions of the following years. By international character, the two countries have been promoted in partner countries, so guests, artists and countries involved have a visibility and exposure that they would otherwise not have benefited from.