Share your interests, contacts and recommendations on virtual mobility by participating in this online survey recently launched by On-The-Move.org (OTM), the international mobility information service for the culture sector.

Concretely, this short questionnaire is meant to define: what is going on; why professionals are working this way; where are the hotspots; and who are the key players.

This survey will feed a research project, supported by Fundación Autor, aiming at sampling this fast evolving environment in the field of contemporary performing arts. The idea is to look at key drivers provoking artists and other cultural operators to initiate, build up, engage and innovate by making use of virtual mobility.

Nowadays the use of digital channels has become essential to develop international artistic projects and to link ideas and persons. Information and communication tools allow pursuing international aims and cooperation at a distance, low costs and a lot less harmful for the environment. Virtual mobility permits to stay tuned and in touch with the whole world. It entails mobility without moving.

Yet, many cultural professionals keep on reminding us that physical mobility is irreplaceable and that electronic practices and contacts are not enough to establish trust and a long-term relationship. Regardless of the digital revolution, the importance of face-to-face communication has been increasing within artistic processes that result progressively more from joint collaborations and co-productions at the international level.

Several voices argue that digital communication has been feeding and intensifying physical interaction instead of substituting it. Is that truly the case? Let’s wait for the results of this research as it intends to examine the interfaces between online and offline collaboration and mobility.

Another interesting issue to look for would be to test if virtual mobility might be facilitating boundaries crossing, especially in what comes to transdisciplinary practices.

In fact, the different mobility experiences in the arts field are favouring exchanges and consequently putting into cause established borders. Virtual mobility makes it even easier to cross frontiers, within nations or disciplines. Thus mobility is developing side by side with other features in the arts world such as internationalisation, transdisciplinarity and hybridism, among others.

Even though this research concentrates on the performing arts field, probably it might come across many examples that join the performing arts along with other art forms and expressions. At least, this is the case when we take a look at the Directory–Artistic Platforms section and meet up some of these “virtual mobility” initiatives. Let’s see what this research will bring about!

Do you share these or other feelings and experiences related to virtual mobility in the contemporary performing arts?

Just let On-The-Move know!

This survey will remain online until October, 10^th, so, have your say!