Visegrad Academy of Cultural Management (VACuM)

Its main aims are:

• development of skills and competences in the field of cultural and community policies and management
• strengthening democratic transformation and community development
• supporting integration and cooperation between EaP and EU.

VACuM is not an academic course but a tailor-made training for young but already experienced professionals open for cultural cooperation projects. The course is designed in a way which allows its participants carrying on their professional tasks, developing their professional competencies and building new cooperation networks in EU and EaP countries.

20 cultural professionals from 10 countries will be selected to participate in VACuM training. The course will enable them to develop capacities and managerial skills needed for both cultural cooperation and reform processes in their countries.

CANDIDATES

The programme is designed for cultural managers from public and private organizations and institutions. Participants should have basic knowledge about European, national and regional cultural policies and min. two years’ experience in management of cultural or artistic projects addressed to local or international communities.

The selection of participants will be done by an international panel of experts. It will be based on evaluation of applications (submitted on-line) and include analysis of candidates qualifications and professional experiences, as well as the quality of the submitted project.

The training is conducted only in English therefore applicants must have a fluent command of this language.

SCHEDULE

6-13 September 2017: First residential session in Slovakia (Bratislava)

September 2017 – March 2018 – practical phase in home countries (work on the project, study visit)

17-24 March 2018: Second residential session in Ukraine (Lviv)

March – May 2018 – practical phase in home countries (work on the project, study visit)

27-30 May 2018: Evaluation session and Diploma Seminar in Poland (Kraków)

Please note that all participants have to complete the two residential training sessions as well as the Diploma Seminar, without exception.

METHODOLOGY

The course includes: 2 Training Sessions – one in Slovakia and one in Ukraine (each 8 days long, including travels), development of a project in home country and a study visit in V4 or EaP countries (organized and covered by participants) and 1 Diploma Seminar (4 days) in Poland.

It aims to achieve:

• improvement of knowledge about European, national and regional cultural policies and practice
• development of professional capacities and managerial skills
• preparing participants to play active roles in reform processes and use innovative and efficient practices in local development
• extension of European cultural exchange networks

The training consists of theoretical contributions and practical inputs of experts and practitioners and includes:

• Intervention of lecturers who not only lecture on their topic but also debate with the participants;
• Workshops in small groups and interacting on participants’ respective experiences and projects as well as on various topics tackled. The training format in these workshops is based on a “peer to peer” methodology;
• Creative sector and cultural projects case studies organized in the cities where the training will take place.

Other obligatory components of the course are: implementation of the project submitted at the application stage and study visit organized by each participant. (Please note that Organizers will not cover costs connected to this phase).

EXPERTISE

The Visegrad Academy of Cultural Management is a unique educational initiative based on the collaboration of the Villa Decius Association from Krakow with the Marcel Hicter Association from Brussels and its partner organisations and institutions: Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (Slovakia), Cultural Industries Association (Ukraine), Arts and Theatre Institute (Czech Republic), European Cultural Foundation Budapest (Hungary), Public Advocacy (Georgia), Association Marcel Hicter for Cultural Democracy (Belgium), ExStereo (Moldova) and Theatre for Changes (Armenia).

The Villa Decius Association’s main programme since 2002 has been the Visegrad Summer School, awarded by Ministers of Culture of V4 with the International Visegrad Prize. Over the years its Alumni have taken important positions both in their countries and in the structures of the EU, carrying on the ideas of cooperation. The Marcel Hicter Association’s flagship programme is the European Diploma in Cultural Project Management which has been completed, over 25 years, by over 600 cultural managers mainly from Europe, but also from African, Asian and American countries. Most of them hold now key positions in cultural cooperation projects and programmes.

FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION

Most of the expenses for this training programme are covered by the Organizer and the partners. Strategic founder of the project is the International Visegrad Fund. Each participant or the organisation he/she works for, will cover the cost of the travel, health insurance and visa. The organizer will assist participants in obtaining a Schengen visa in their home country.

COORDINATOR: Ewa Trznadel ewa.trznadel@villa.org.pl

More info on http://www.vacum.eu