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Description
"Coriolis - Movement of Sustainability" aims to increase the capacity of Companhia Instável and a wide number of other Cultural Organizations from the North Region of Portugal, namely NGOs in the realm of performative arts promoting their commitment with the place and communities they work with. It is structured in a set of activities (a theoretical-practical training; a network creation with diverse sessions of project laboratories, peer to peer experience sharing, speed meeting events; a final event for the
promotion of the sector with presentations, workshops, conference, dissemination of the project etc.) that intend to generate knowledge about the sector and inside organizations, connect organizations, value and encourage best practices, promote collaborations and the creation of new projects, generate awareness about the role of these organizations in the society, and increase their capacity to be agents for social change.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several challenges in the arts and cultural sector. Despite the growing interest in the arts for their ability to generate social change, raise new questions, integrate multidisciplinary knowledge, and connect various dimensions of the human experience, the sector faced significant issues. In Porto and its metropolitan area, a cultural and creative hub, there were difficulties in presenting projects internationally, with Lisbon having ten times more international presentations. The sector also struggled with strategic planning and management, artistic innovation, and creativity.
Professionals in the sector identified gaps in training, particularly in strategic planning, management, artistic areas, innovation, and creativity. Additionally, there was a need to enhance knowledge about the sector, qualify agents in various dimensions, and promote internationalization and artist mobility. The project also aimed to foster intersectoral collaborations and social responsibility in the arts, addressing the needs identified by Companhia Instável and improving practices in similar organizations.
The Coriolis project facilitated the development of knowledge and the implementation of best practices to enhance the activities of organizations. It generated sector knowledge, promoted the engagement and involvement of organizations, encouraged critical reflection, and stimulated collaborations. The project also empowered beneficiary organizations as agents of change within the sector.
During the first five months, two diagnostic studies were conducted to assess capacity-building needs: one for the Performing Arts sector in the Northern Region and another for Companhia Instável, the project organizer. Based on these studies, a theoretical-practical modular training program was developed. A call for participation resulted in a group of 30 organizations, with over 80 expressions of interest from various organizations.
Over 16 months, the Training and Collaboration Programs were implemented to address identified needs and enhance the capacity of the organizations and the group as a whole. The Training Program included 17 sessions totaling 152 hours and a Mentorship Program with both group and individual sessions totaling 48.5 hours.
The Collaboration Program, which began in February 2021, was conducted online due to the pandemic. The focus on "resource sharing" led to the creation of a bank for sharing material and immaterial goods. The program culminated in the creation of a joint project among 13 participating NGOs, the "Culture and Publics Meeting," to be held in 2023. Seven NGOs included this event in their applications for multi-annual support from the Ministry of Culture.
The project achieved a wide range of objectives. It facilitated the implementation of a joint project between two local NGOs and increased knowledge about the target group through diagnostic studies. The project developed and implemented an action plan to improve the promoting organization, resulting in practical outcomes such as a new name, visual identity, and website. It also delivered a relevant and appealing capacity-building program for participating organizations, leading to the improvement of a broad set of organizations by updating the skills of their professionals. The project triggered the development of better tools and work procedures in both the promoting and beneficiary organizations through the Mentorship Program and the creation of a new visual identity and website for the promoting organization. Additionally, it enhanced local sector cohesion by bringing organizations closer together, fostering reflection and dialogue, and building a more collaborative future.