Newsletter 3 - Dec. 2009

PRACTICS... See Mobile See Practical!

Dear PRACTICS Newsletter Readers!

How important is mobility to you as artists and cultural professionals?
What does mobility mean to you?
How does it affect your work and private life?
As the year is coming to an end, PRACTICS has entered the important phase of piloting. You can now get relevant information and advice concerning your mobility to Belgium, Spain, Wales and the Netherlands. In this release we are introducing you to our Infopoint in Wales and you can find out what they have done to launch their activities.
And while PRACTICS aims to support artists and cultural professionals, it is also keen to hear your mobility stories. PRACTICS listens... to your experiences, tips and comments!

PRACTICS wishes you all a wonderful holiday season and an inspiring and mobile 2010!

Wales Arts International

WAI is a partnership between Arts Council of Wales and the British Council.
It supports the promotion and development of professional artistic practice and contemporary culture from Wales, across all art forms. Among others,

• creates a series of publications showcasing some of the best Welsh artists in Music, Dance, Crafts, Visual Arts and Performing Arts
• works with cultural organisations in Wales to raise their European profile through engagement with European networks and programmes

WAI Acts as an information point for practitioners in Wales and abroad
Among others,

• maintains a website that promotes the arts in Wales and provides regular news and opportunities for artists in Wales to develop their practice internationally
• provides information about the arts in Wales for cultural organisations and arts practitioners overseas
• supports international opportunities through programmes and a funding scheme
• works to create in Wales a programme of international projects across all art forms

Wales Arts International encourages international exchange and collaboration
Among others,

• works with European networks and participates in European projects that invest in developing the arts sector in Wales in an international context
• collaborates with arts organisations overseas to develop a series of residencies for Wales-based arts practitioners
• has an open application scheme for international activity called the International Opportunities Fund that encourages professional arts practitioners in Wales to both explore potential partnerships and to deliver collaborative projects in countries outside the UK

Contact:
Wales Arts International
Bute Place, Cardiff, CF10 5AL, UK
t: +44 29 20 44 13 67
f: +44 29 20 44 14 00
e: info@wai.org.uk
w: www.wai.org.uk

PRACTICS gets started... The Launch of Infopoint Wales

Wales Arts International has received very positive feedback for the official launch of the Wales PRACTICS Infopoint at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea on December 11th. Fifty key creative professionals from arts organisations around Wales were present to hear information about the project itself as well as presentations from three guest speakers who talked about their experiences and work in the field of artists mobility.
Read more

PRACTICS moves... Public presentation in Torino, Italy

The report from the workshop on cross-border cultural mobility with Italian artists, operators and venues is now online!
Read more

PRACTICS listens... Tell us your mobility stories!

Your mobility stories are interesting to us and other artists and cultural professionals wanting to be mobile in the EU. Be part of PRACTICS and let us know how you experience mobility!
PRACTICS is collecting mobility stories from mobile artists and cultural workers. Comments will be moderated and selected stories and tips published on PRACTICS web pages.

Follow this link to our questions and make your voice heard!

PRACTICS... the Project

PRACTICS is a 3-year project supported by the European Commission and started in December 2008. Its aim is to facilitate the provision of information about EU cross-border mobility in the cultural sector through the piloting of cultural mobility contact points called PRACTICS Infopoints.

PRACTICS... Update

The first months of the projects were used intensively by the partners to develop the concept of the PRACTICS Infopoints. They identified the scope of the information that they should provide and how they should deliver their services. The coming months are used for research in specific information areas and for setting up strategic partnerships with relevant authorities, institutions and organisations. The fully operational PRACTICS Infopoints in Belgium, Spain, Wales and the Netherlands will be ready for your questions in November 2009.

PRACTICS... One of Four

PRACTICS is one of four projects selected in autumn 2008 under the call for "Networking of existing structures supporting mobility in the cultural sectors". The other projects are E-Mobility led by Pépinières européennes pour jeunes artistes (France), Changing Room led by Trans Europe Halles and co-organised by the Sibelius Academy (Finland) and Melkweg Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and SPACE led by ONDA (France).