Description
Carol Factory Hall is an industrial building which is being used for cultural purpose. The PP rented part of it with the purpose of carrying out the activities of the project The project is necessary because it answers to current needs: 1)development of cultural and educational activities and spaces in the south western part of Bucharest, to serve local communities as well as general public in the city, and 2) the interest in Scandinavian design and architecture, which the public would like to experience firsthand. Another issue that the project addresses is that of becoming a model of reuse of old industrial architecture, in the Carol park. The project promotes intercultural dialogue and emphasises cultural diversity by setting up a series of events, exhibitions and concerts in a collaborative process between Norwegian and Romanian artists, designers, musicians and curators. The project strengtens bilateral relations between Romanian and Norwegian partners resulting in the public's wider access to cultural and educational events and programs and extended possibilities for artistic activities and events in the Carol Factory Halls which revitalise this industrial heritage. The project results in increased mobility of artists and their works, design art works in the field of visual arts, the development of performances and the promotion of education through culture and art. The Stiftelsen Kulturhuset USF (Norway) is the donor project partner in this project. Five Norwegian artists and a curator travel to Romania and to develop creative works and perform, four Norwegian films are presented to the public, a Visual Jockey performance takes place and five works of art exhibited. Related to the following: 1 movie night and an open air exhibition encompassing 5 art installations; VJ concert; 1 professional conference, 1 cultural picnic, 1 workshop for children, were involved 10 Norwegian artists (1 curator, 2 architects, 2 visual artists, 3 musicians, 2 VJs).
Summary of project results
The project Halele Carol respond to obvious needs: on the one hand, the development of cultural and educational activities and cultural spaces as well in the south side of Bucharest, to offset their concentration in the north and central part; on the other hand, the interest in architecture and Scandinavian design and experimenting them directly by the public in Romania. The major objectives of the project were to promote inter-cultural dialogue and highlighting cultural diversity - goals achieved by organizing a series of events, exhibitions and concerts as a result of a process of co-creation made by artists, musicians, designers and curators Romanian and Norwegian. Other specific objectives of the project are: strengthening of bilateral relations between Romanian and Norwegian partners (through collaboration between Zeppelin and USF, but also with artists and musicians and VJ groups from the two countries, in the same events); a broad public access to cultural and educational events and programs (by communicating in different environments etc.); detecting multiple possibilities of activating unused industrial heritage by organizing cultural events in a former industrial site and explaining the potential but also the necessary conditions for activating the professional public, owners and local government representatives. The main project results were increasing the mobility of artists and their works: trips in Romania of Norwegian artists involved in the project in 9 events (10 artists / 16 trips); works of art and design: The exhibition "Design Postindustrie @ Halele Carol" urban design which contains 5 urban design works - installations (Tusenben Gate, Prisms, Trampoline, Ramp), conducting live events: 3 conference (press conference and professional conference "Design Postindustrie", "Seminar for all industrial"), two life performances (jazz and VJ-performace); screenings; develop models and collaborative practices, deepening bilateral relations in all cooperation activities and transfer of best practices; promoting education through culture and art: workshops for children and urban picnic; file "Halele Carol in Zeppelin magazine. The method of recovery of the industrial site developed by Halele Carol project has been analysed repeatedly in a professional context dialogue with partners, interested in developing the methodology: University of Architecture and Urbanism "Ion Mincu" Bucharest, The Order of Architects from Romania, Factory Hesper etc.
Summary of bilateral results
The Zeppelin team with USF Bergen has developed a curatorial concept for the series of events, and a strategy of urban activation of former industrial buildings. Cooperation has been instrumental in fulfilling all the objectives defined in the project Halele Carol as the project objectives are described. Concrete and obvious contributions can be found in all major project outcomes that have resulted in: Norwegian artists' travels in Romania, exhibition "Design Postindustrie @ Halele Carol" with 5-installation works, live events: 3 Conference, 2 shows life, "Nordic Film Evening"; promote education through culture and art; practices and collaborative models of activation of the architectural heritage; awareness of all stake-holders in terms of industrial architecture as a resource for the city; co-creation and skills transfer peer-to-peer; platform and international network of urban culture. The Partner organization USF Bergen was represented by Evy Sorensen, having double expertise, cultural manager and curator (expert in contemporary cultural phenomenon in Scandinavia), with an experience of over 20 years in the implementation of cultural programs, one of the initiators and coordinators of transformation process of Bergen former sardine factory in the cultural hub (USF). Halele Carol project has benefited from this very specific expertise, throughout the project, since it is a similar situation (transforming former industrial site in the park Carol into cultural destination). The Norwegian curator also made proposals for Norwegian artists to be involved in the project, gave public presentations at workshops, conferences, seminars for cultural operators, contributed actively in making the curatorial events and creating urban activation strategy Halele Carol. The Partnership established a productive collaborative working process between Zeppelin and USF, from benefiting both organizations themselves as international experience, understanding a new cultural context, adaptation to different approaches to professional issues, new methodologies of urban activation developed together within the project. USF was exposed to the cultural context, institutional, artistic from Romania and joined the European professional network developed by Zeppelin. Zeppelin came about, through this partnership, with other organizations and groups of artists from Norway and there is a great potential to develop future collaborations.