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IETM

Another network Arts Council Malta is a member of, and has been for a number of years, is IETM.


IETM’s Mission: We advocate the value of the arts and culture in a changing world and empower performing arts professionals through access to international connections, knowledge and a dynamic forum for exchange.

IETM is the International network for contemporary performing arts. It is a network of over 500 performing arts organisations and individual members working in the contemporary performing arts worldwide: theatre, dance, circus, performance, interdisciplinary live art forms, new media.

Members include freelance professionals, involved in the contemporary performing arts and interested in international cooperation; be it in education, production, presentation, curation, promotion, support, research. IETM members also include festivals, companies, producers, theatres, research and resource centres, universities and institutional bodies.

Two plenary meetings a year are held in different European cities, and smaller meetings all over the world. Besides that, IETM commissions publications and research projects, facilitatescommunication and distribution of information, and advocates for the value of performing arts.

IETM’s Vision for equity, diversity and inclusion:
We aim to create a more inclusive contemporary arts field by helping our members to diversify their organisations and work, and stimulating underrepresented performing arts professionals to join our activities and the network, regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, social conditions, working and employment status, age, career path and geographical location.

For further information on IETM membership and events have a look at https://www.ietm.org/

For financial support to attend IETM meetings check out Arts Council Malta’s International Cultural Exchanges Scheme. Also be on the lookout for Arts Council Malta’s open calls.

 

Conference Report: Caravan Lofoten 2024 - Pamela Kerr

As a newly joined member of IETM, of which Arts Council Malta is a member, I recently attended the Caravan Lofoten 2024 conference, held from the 6th to the 9th of September. The event was hosted in Bodo, Norway, the European Capital of Culture for 2024.
 
I had followed a webinar on this subject, organised by Arts Council Malta, and applied to participate when an open call for applications was issued. 
 
The conference coincided with the Bodo Biennale, a Northern Nordic city which has unique challenges due to its geographical isolation and relatively small population.
 
 
Throughout the conference, a recurring theme was the impact of these factors on cultural development, education, and artistic expression. The historical colonization of the region by southern powers, and how this led to the suppression of local cultures, particularly those of the indigenous Sami people, was also discussed.
 
As someone hailing from Malta, I found these discussions profoundly relevant. Despite our geographical positioning in the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta’s size and its own history of colonization have similarly shaped our culture. Just as the Nordic North has grappled with external influences trying to overwrite indigenous traditions, Malta has also experienced the effects of cultural suppression, and our heritage continues to reflect the complex layers of our colonial past.
 
Multilingualism was also discussed, particularly with regards to the Sami language, which had been banned for many years. Today, efforts to revive the language are gaining momentum, although the number of speakers remains small. Listening to the stories of linguistic repression reminded me of Malta’s own challenges in maintaining its linguistic identity amidst external pressures.
 
Caravan Lofoten 2024 was an enriching experience that left me reflecting on the similarities between the Northern Nordic regions and Malta. I look forward to applying some of the insights gained from this experience in my own work and continuing my involvement with IETM in the future.

 

Global Connect 

IETM Global Connect is a new programme being led with the support of Associate Members with a view to making the network more inclusive, diverse and accessible.

Who are the IETM Global Connectors?

IETM Global Connectors are experienced contemporary performing arts professionals from across the world who have demonstrated a commitment to increase global awareness, inclusion, accessibility and connectivity for the benefit of their communities.

Through Global Connect, they receive the IETM membership for two years, attend all IETM events free of charge, take part in the yearly Global Connectors gathering and benefit from a travel bursary to attend a Plenary Meeting. 

Most importantly, they have the opportunity to expand their international network, to find new inspirations in their professional lives which they can share with their communities, and to actively contribute to IETM’s activities and development by bringing fresh perspectives to members and the global performing arts sector. 

 

2021-22: Patsy Chetcuti was selected as one of the 18 Global Connectors for this year.

Applications for IETM Global Connect 2024 are now open and close on 2 November 2023 at 23:59 CET. Read more here. 

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