Newsletter Summer

25/06/2012

Dear friends and partners of EDUCULT,

welcome to our newsletter in summer. We would like to inform you about developments in the domain of arts and cultural education and current EDUCULT projects.

We especially recommend the latest publication in the frame of the European Expert Network on Culture (EENC). The short report compiled by Anne Bamford and Michael Wimmer “Audience building and the future Creative Europe Programme” is available for download. Further reports by Michael Wimmer can be found on our webpage resources or on EENC platform.

In Wimmer’s Quarterly, Michael Wimmer reflects on “education placing the learner at its centre” and what we can learn from the education system in the Renaissance.

EDUCULT IN ACTION provides current information on our projects.

EDUCULT IN EXCHANGE informs about international exchange and co-operations.

EDUCULT INFORMS about international affairs, projects and meetings.

Enjoy the news – and enjoy summer!

Yours EDUCULT-Team

WIMMER’S QUARTERLY

A new Renaissance is possible

Or: Why it takes so long until the knowledge of Lukrez enters our education system

Recently I came across the book “The Swerve: How the World Became Modern”. In this book, Stephen Greenblatt, Professor of English and American Literature and Language at Harvard University and author of a fascinating Shakespeare biography describes the discovery of the final copy of an ancient manuscript titled “de rerum natura” written by Lukrez. According to Greenblatt’s research, the secretary of Pope John Paul XXIII, Poggio Bracciolini, embarked on a dangerous journey to southern Germany in 1417 after the Pope’s discharge in Constance, where he discovers the final copy of the manuscript in an abbey.

What was extraordinary about this discovery was not only that a manuscript hidden for centuries behind thick abbey walls became accessible to the medieval world. It was also the explosive message of the manuscript, challenging the theocratic world order of the early 15^th century and thus sustainably shaking the strict God-given societal hierarchy.

EDUCULT IN ACTION

Austria’s answer to increasing language diversity in a multicultural Europe

On 19 June 2012 the results of the Language Rich Europe survey were presented at a half-day launch event at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna. Experts from policy and practice discussed the implications of the study referring to the Austrian context. EDUCULT was organising the event together with the British Council.

AEMS – Arts Education Monitoring System

Phase one of the AEMS project is finished. Now the research on human resources – arts and cultural educators – starts. The research will be based on a questionnaire survey. If you feel addressed by this topic and want to share your perspective on the working conditions from your own experiences, please get in touch with us.

work::sounds – How does the working world sound?

From autumn 2012, the Chamber of Workers and Employees Vienna (AK Wien) and EDUCULT offer a new project for schools combining music education, aesthetic research and professional orientation. Young people are going to use methods of aesthetic research to investigate different workplaces.

Cultural Learning for Families – Impressions of the 3rd meeting in Ljubljana

The third Grundtvig meeting was held in Ljubljana in June. Our host ŠKUC had prepared an interesting program and we got insights into the offers for families of cultural institutions in Ljubljana.

EDUCULT IN EXCHANGE

International Conference on Cultural Policy Research – ICCPR 2012

The EDUCULT team presents two papers at the ICCPR 2012 in Barcelona from 9-12 July: Anke Schad and Peter Szokol talk about progress of the AEMS project and Michael Wimmer discusses “Culture and Democracy” based on his latest publication.

IncrediblEurope Summit 2012 – Insights

At the yearly interdisciplinary IncrediblEurope Summit in Vienna members and participants jointly work on the elaboration of Europe’s shared, sustainable future and specific actions for the following year (the IncrediblEurope Charter). EDUCULT director Michael Wimmer was one of the numerous speaker of this event. Some impressions: Photos / You-Tube Clip

Creative Partnerships: Forum on Developing Creativity

A conference in the frame of the launch of the new Creative Partnerships Program took place in the beginning of June in Lithuania. EDUCULT director Michael Wimmer gave a speech to “The Value of Arts in Education: Humanistic Traditions in the Austrian Education System”.

EDUCULT INFORMS

ENCATC Policy Debate in Brussels

ENCATC is organising a Policy Debate on the economic crisis and what this could mean for the cultural sector on 6 July 2012 in partnership with CIVA who will be hosting the event.

more information

European Symposium Culture and Education in Aix-en-Provence 2012

For the fourth consecutive year, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is inviting RESEO members to the European Symposium Culture and Education that will take place on 14-15 July in Aix-en-Provence. The themes chosen for this 4th edition are of particular interest to our sector: Productions for young audiences and intergenerational projects.

more information

Access to Art and Culture throughout Childhood and Youth

More than 250 politicians, researchers, professionals, artists and art educators participated at the inspiration conference “Access to Art and Culture throughout Childhood and Youth” held on the 19th of April 2012 at the Royal Library of Denmark, right in the heart of Copenhagen. The conference programme offered a wide variety of examples on why and how to implement and focus on art and culture in children’s and young people’s everyday lives.

more information

New Website: Canadian Network for Arts and Learning (CNAL)

The Canadian Network for Arts and Learning (CNAL) brings together all stakeholders engaged in arts education, across disciplines and regions. This includes artists, arts organizations, educators, schools and academia, policy-makers, funders, researchers and other umbrella organizations and individuals that share our vision for arts education for all Canadians.

more information