With the support of the EEA grant, the New Theatre Institute of Latvia and Norwegian partner “Rosendal Teater” from 15 December 2021 to 1 June 2023 implemented an international cooperation project and training programme for young curators “The Shake Down”. Looking back on what has been done, the project implementers tells the first part of their project story:
“By inviting young people to take on key roles and organise events, we wanted to bridge the gaps in knowledge, experience and financial means that turn young people away from cultural and arts events, and thus make art processes accessible to more diverse groups in society.
The project offered ten young people from Latvia and Norway, aged 16-18, practical training in festival organisation. During the 15-month programme, the young people participated in online workshops led by experienced mentors and artists, learned about the professional environment of contemporary performing arts and the principles of festival production, followed local and international art events, and went on residencies to partner countries.
These 10 youngsters were: Ikars Grazdanovics, Estere Dimitere, Samuels Ozolins, Alberts Roze, Karu Treij, Annie Strand Mølster, Margit Adde, Nikolai Furseth Rushfeldt, Hedda Osmo Rohde un Zahida Kardou.
As part of the programme, the young curators independently organised two international performing art events – “The Shake Down” programme at the International Festival of Contemporary Theatre “Homo Novus” in September 2022 in Riga and the International Art Festival “Bastard” in 2023 in Trondheim, Norway.
From 23 to 27 March, 2022 the participants of the project “The Shake Down” – young curators from Latvia and Norway, as well as their mentors – met in person for the first time after several months of online communication. The young people from Latvia travelled to “Rosendal Teater” for a residency in Trondheim, Norway.
The young people participated in workshops organised by the Norwegian partner and mentors, which were designed to create a space for young curators to experiment and reflect on the work of curating in the performing arts. The young people were mentored by Czech curator and playwright Petr Dlouhý, Czech curator, playwright and educator Sodja Zupanc – Lotker, Slovenian artist Lea Kukovičič and Norwegian choreographer and dance artist Mette Edvardsen.
Video were both project implementers (the New Theatre Institute of Latvia and Norwegian partner “Rosendal Teater”) speak about the project:
From 27 June to 1 July, 2022 at the Rucka Arts Residency Centre, Ikars, Estere, Samuels, Alberts, Karu, Annie, Margit, Nikolai, Hedda and Zahida, in collaboration with the project mentors, planned the final weekend programme of this year’s International Festival of Contemporary Theatre “Homo Novus”.
Video from the residency where to get to know these 10 young people and to hear their thoughts:
Project stories (about organised festivals and what young curators think after all this project experience) will continue, but a small preview about their thoughts at the project end is already available:
Ikars: A magical combo of excitement and burnout!
Karu: I am still unsure how we managed to curate two festivals and how much praise and recognition we actually deserve for it but we did it and i suppose that’s all that matters. At least i can brag about my name being published in the newspaper.
Estere: in the end everything will be okay.
Alberts: This project has taught me a lot of skills, both in the beautiful Trondheim Festival, where we were able to take a piece of Baltic culture, and in the untamed and exciting “Homo Novus” in Riga, where I had the opportunity to work with actors and also – search for a chainsaw.
Samuels: “The Shake Down” became a big part of my life for a year and a half and will definitely continue to influence my life. It has changed the way I look at art and what kind of art is needed in our society. It is an experience that I will never forget and that has given me so much that it is impossible to tell it in a nutshell.
Nikolai: Thank you for this opportunity. For What? The opportunity to find friends and partners along the way, gain knowledge that I never knew I could gain, give the audience a pleasant experience and most importantly. Created something that we as a team can be proud of!!
Margit: “Chu chu chu” the train said as we derailed once again. Every question must be answered by a hundred more.
Hedda: Thank you for this experience where I get to goof off with people that seem to be just as silly as me. Thank you for the opportunity to meet a variety of people who have the same visions and views as me! Thank you for giving me a chance to share everything that’s bubbling in my head.
Zahida: The festival was so much fun!
Sodja Zupanc Lotker (Mentor): This was one of the most joyful collaborations I have ever experienced. It was exciting to follow these young minds at work in finding new ways to relate to the world. For me reality will never be the same after “The Shake Down”. “
Project desription: https://eeagrants.lv/en/2021/12/07/the-shake-down/
Project homepage: https://the-shake-down.com/en/
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