2010 internal conference

From 14th to 17th April 2010, the European Federation of Professional Circus Schools held its first Internal Conference. It took place in Barcelona during the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.

FEDEC not only gathered the member organisations of the network, but also addressed local actors such as political representatives, journalists and circus arts professionals.

Meetings were hosted alternately by the Consell Nacional de la Cultura i de les Art de la Generalitat de Catalunya (National Culture and Arts Council of Catalunya) in the magnificent Palau Moja, and at our local member, Escola de Circ Rogelio Rivel’s venues.

A high level of participation … dis-/e-rupted (!) by the volcano

Sixty people from twelve different countries took part in the different meetings and round tables, whilst other network members’ representatives got stuck in airports in Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Hungary, the Netherlands, and France.

2010 Work Programme Launch

Four working groups met and started the 2010 Work Programme. Each thematic working group will call for the contribution of all members by consulting them in the weeks to come. Summaries of the Barcelona meetings will be soon sent to registered participants.

Opening up to local projects

In the context of the round table, different projects focusing on two subjects were presented to the FEDEC network and Catalan circus arts professionals: the recognition of vocational circus arts training programmes; and their improvement thanks to cross-border and European projects.

We would like to mention the following two actions from amongst the several that were presented:

• the ongoing process of professional certification for circus artists undertaken in Catalunya  through collaboration between the following partners: Catalan Institute for Professional Qualification, Ministry of Education of Catalunya, and Escola de Circ Rogelio Rivel. On this occasion state-recognised vocational schools from the FEDEC network shared their experience of pedagogical research and the delivery of a state-recognised diploma.

• The cross-border project Circ-que-ô !, which builds a partnership between training centres (FEDEC members Le Lido and Escola de Circ Rogelio Rivel), creation and residency venues, interest-representative organisations and information centres. The partnership includes experience-sharing, support of artistic creation, and capitalising on these actions between Midi-Pyrénées (French Region), Aragón and Catalunya (in Spain).

For further information, download the complete programme of the Internal Conference and the Press Release. The reports of the Conference will be available on the website soon.

To be kept informed, please email info@fedec.eu.