European Festivals Association

1. European Festivals Association The voice of hundreds of festivals across Europe and beyond www.efa-aef.eu info@efa-aef.eu

2. Internationalisation • 88 arts festivals in the field of music, dance and theatre • 12 national festivals associations • 4 cultural networks European Festivals Association

3. Bosnia and Herzegovina International Festival Sarajevo “Sarajevo Winter” Bulgaria March Music Days International Festival Sofia Music Weeks Foundation Varna Summer International Festival Croatia Dubrovnik Festival Hrvatska Music Biennale Zagreb Macedonia Ohrid Summer Festival Romania George Enescu International Festival and Competition Serbia BEMUS - Belgrade Music Festival Slovenia Festival Ljubljana Member Festivals in the Balkan European Festivals Association

4. Member Festivals in Turkey • International Ankara Music Festival • Aspendos Internatinal Opera & Ballet Festival • International Bursa Festival • Istanbul International Music Festival • International Izmir Festival • Mersin International Music Festival European Festivals Association

5. Benefits “Membership in EFA stimulates to do more ambitious projects with more partners. This is more interesting for our audience and of course also more economical. With the help of our European colleagues Festival Ljubljana could enrich its programme and open the door for new audiences from abroad.” (Ljubljana Festival) European Festivals Association

6. Benefits “EFA membership has confirmed the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival’s distinguished place among other festivals in the world. EFA facilitates contacts with colleagues from many festivals important to develop new projects and collaborations.” (Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival) European Festivals Association

7. Benefits “The International Izmir Festival is a member of EFA because: We believe that to establish, enrich, and promote cultural links and mutual understanding between Turkey and Europe can be created through multidisciplinary arts. We believe that the Izmir Festival has to meet its European counterparts in order to discuss future projects and visions, to lead cultural interaction and mutual inspiration, to create and enhance a wider interest.” (International Izmir Festival) European Festivals Association

8. Benefits “EFA give its members a platform for exchanging experiences and for developing co-operation projects. EFA encourages cultural diversity within a united Europe.” (International Sarajevo Festival “Sarajevo Winter”) European Festivals Association

9. Benefits “EFA offers the opportunity to promote Croatian national culture in all European countries and to learn about music from other countries. In the European music community, Music Biennale Zagreb is understood as a bridge between West and East and as a meeting place for the contemporary European music scene. EFA supports our efforts by building a common space of European culture.” (Music Biennale Zagreb) European Festivals Association

10. Benefits “Due to EFA membership, the Varna Summer Festival has won reputation and recognition. Thanks to EFA, we are kept informed about new cultural achievements worldwide and we have established creative relationships with festivals from the region. Today, we are a partner of EFA in some global activities such as the European Atelier for Young Festival Managers 2009.” (Varna Summer International Music Festival) European Festivals Association

11. Benefits “Dubrovnik Summer Festival has been a member of European Festival Association since 1956. At the time, EFA membership was a sign of belonging to integration with European cultural institutions, opposed to the environment of former Eastern Europe. We were the only member from the socialist block. This enabled us to be the only meeting platform for artist from west and east for decades. After the fall of the Wall, the membership was a confirmation of the continuity as well as a possibility to multiply our communication with numerous festivals from all over Europe.” (Dubrovnik Summer Festival) European Festivals Association

12. Benefits “Mersin International Music Festival is a member of EFA because EFA gives priority to art and society relations and dialogue among cultures, it focuses efforts on education, facilitates cultural and artistic interaction among regions and it unites festivals from different countries.” (Mersin International Music Festival) European Festivals Association

13. Four working strands • Communication • Expertise • Training • Advocacy European Festivals Association

14. Activities with members • 2008 Annual General Assembly in Antalya (Turkey) • ARS NOVA in Zagreb (Croatia) • European Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Varna (Bulgaria) European Festivals Association

15. EFA Website: www.efa-aef.eu EFAextra webpage: www.efa-aef.eu/newextra Communication European Festivals Association

16. EFA Brochure • 20.000 copies distributed among: • Members • European Political Bodies • Cultural Networks • Festivals from all over the world • European cultural press European Festivals Association

17. Communication • EFACTS • EFA INFO BOX • “for members only” European Festivals Association

18. Expertise • Festival Centre of knowledge • studies and reports available online European Festivals Association

19. EFA Books Series ‘Still so much to be done. Challenges for Culture in Europe’ ‘Give, get or get off! Challenges of cultural networking today’ ‘Cahier de l’Atelier. Arts festivals for the sake of art?’ European Festivals Association

20. Training European Festivals Association

21. European Atelier for Young Festival Managers • a week-long training programme aimed primarily at professionalising those involved in artistic programming • Varna (Bulgaria) • 25 April – 3 May 2009 European Festivals Association

22. Application Deadline: 31 January 2009! European Festivals Association

23. Arts Festivals’ Declaration on Intercultural Dialogue European Festivals Association

24. Declaration launched on 8 January 2008 in Ljubljana 25 festivals and officials from 17 European countries signed the Arts Festivals’ Declaration and committed to its objectives and obligations European Festivals Association

25. Ljubljana Tallinn Antalya Brezice Oslo Gent Liverpool Stockholm Signing Ceremonies European Festivals Association

26. FestFlash & EU Website European Festivals Association

27. Presenation of Declaration project in Paris with Jan Figel’ Balkan festivals present included: • Varna Summer International Festival • Sarajevo Winter Festival • Ljubljana Festival European Festivals Association

28. European House for Culture The European House for Culture aims to: • Create a central dock/a physical embassy – a meeting place to facilitate contacts between culture, the arts, civil society and politics • Facilitate and multiply advocacy activities of House’s residents European Festivals Association

29. Contact Information • Secretary General: Kathrin Deventer • Address • European Festivals Association (EFA)Kleine Gentstraat 469051 Gent - Belgium • T: +32 9 241 8080 • F: +32 9 241 8089 • info@efa-aef.eu • www.efa-aef.eu European Festivals Association