At the Biennale Puglia 2008, I took part in a session called “Mobility of artists”, chaired by Luigi Ratclif, President of the BJCEM and featuring speakers working in the field. The session looked at different mobility programmes in Europe and addressed artists, representatives of networks and national organisations in the differing national, European and international schemes.

As a previous applicant to artist in residency schemes myself, I was drawn to comparing the situation in 2008 with 1997 when I applied to the Pépinières européennes pour jeunes artists programme. After listening to the current Director, Patrice Bonaffé (in post only for six years - not when I applied and was not successful!) I was amazed to see the development of the programme, now engaging many hundreds of artists across 35 countries, compared to what it was ten years ago.

Indeed, equally impressive is the network Res artis, represented by the secretary general Marijke Jansen, who described their global artist in residence network as providing opportunities and linking artists with many areas and contexts.

The representative of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, Erminia Sciacchitano, whose work is closely linked with the Giovani Artisti Italiani (GAI) - represented by Fiorenzo Alfieri, President and Patrizia Rossello, External Relations – sees a resurgence of the Italian landscape in cross border exchange, which previously can only be described as highly limited or a desert, and which brings real hope of increased access to opportunities for creators in this country. To see more of GAI’s work look at their project "moving up”.

This new climate of structures supporting mobility is encouraging. As Patrice Bonaffé summed up to me after a wonderful meal of seafood and other delights near the port of Bari: “We can say the mobility of artists is inevitable to build a certain idea of a humanistic Europe”. Let’s hope those who speak for and fund those projects continue to reinforce this message beyond the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. If they don’t, we will all miss out.

PS: When purchasing bilateral food goodies to take home always double bag your heavy purchases even if the seller doesn’t. I got covered in olive oil in the market yesterday when the single bag split open and was told, “it’s nothing to do with me”. I guess this is something we can all work on!

-NM