Independent artists in the Balkans gathered in Sofia for collaborative projects
Burcu Görek stated that independent artists and cultural managers from 12 Balkan countries came together at the Moving Balkans workshop in Sofia to build international networks.
Burcu Görek participated in the five-day workshop in Sofia for the Moving Balkans project, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe program. Bringing together independent artists and cultural managers from twelve Balkan countries, the program addressed common challenges, funding, and international networking processes.
Sofia Meeting
Burcu Görek shared that she attended the workshop of the Moving Balkans project held last month in Sofia, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe program. Dancers, actors, independent producers, and cultural managers from 12 Balkan countries participated in the highly intense five-day program.
Challenges of Independent Production
The independent production process involves a stance that is as delicate as it is powerful, where bonds are built through a long process of thought and examination. While the search for stages caused by spacelessness and efforts to open space for alternatives in Turkey after the 2000s have drawn attention, boutique producers often have to act as the producers of their own work.
A Laboratory That Crosses Borders
Under the guidance of instructors such as Atanas Maev, Giulia Poltronieri, and Marija Popović, the program worked on common problems such as chronic pains, extending the lifespan of a work, and transforming the budget into a tool that feeds the artistic vision. The process revealed that producing art does not have to be a desperate struggle for survival.
International Funds and Grants
While Creative Europe stands out as the largest grant program in the field of culture and art, Small-Scale Cooperation Projects become accessible when teams from at least three countries come together. Culture Moves Europe supports international mobility, while Interreg programs finance joint cultural projects with neighboring countries.
Regional Networks and Offices
Institut Français, Goethe-Institut, and the British Council provide budgets for bilateral cultural collaborations. Teatroskop supports independent theaters working with the Balkans and Central Europe, while SALTO-Youth and Erasmus+ offer young artists training and capacity-building opportunities.