The European Festivals Association (EFA) organises a participatory session Festivals: Open Doors. Open Minds. Build Societies! in the framework of the EU Forum on Building together a society for all at Wednesday, 20 October 2010 from 9:30 to 11:00 at the Halles de Schaerbeek in Brussels. 

The session is part of the EU Forum Building together a society for all - A circus against exclusion. It is organised by the European Commission in the framework of the European Year 2010 for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion and the campaign "Do you know what social Europe can do for you?". The EU Forum illustrates the European Year 2010's message of participation and shared responsibility, by giving an active role to various actors: public authorities at various levels, NGOs, social partners, cultural actors, foundations, as well as people experiencing poverty. 

The session builds on the project Open The Door of the European Festivals Association (EFA), which aims to increase awareness of the power of arts and culture in the process of social transformation through festivals’ artistic core mission as well as festivals’ outreach activities. 

Dedicated to the motto Festivals: Open Doors. Open Minds. Build Societies! the session is the moment to present first results of the Open The Door initiative: best practice examples, tools and actions have been identified in a series of some 30 interviews with festival directors from all over Europe. The opinions of participating festival directors are challenged by a critical address of stage director Galin Stoev (tbc). It follows a conversation with Biljana Zdravkovic, General Manager Belgrade Music Festival, and Jelle Dierickx, Musicologist, Artistic Coordinator of Gent Festival of Flanders, Vice-President of ISCM Flanders 2012 Music Days.

"The European Year calls upon all stakeholders to engage. There is no doubt that culture can contribute to combating poverty and social exclusion – but only if the arts and cultural sectors are equipped with the appropriate frameworks, means and tools to present artistic works, they can fully comply with agendas of societal concern. Artists and their creations and productions are the 'ring' for all keys that are used by festivals to continuously build inclusive societies," EFA President Darko Brlek underlines. "It is essential for EFA to bring across the message that the role of arts and culture is generally recognised if we want to achieve to see a true social and a cultural Europe in the future."

The debate invites all participants to identify keys needed to open doors to arts and culture and the respective responsibilities of decision-makers to enable festivals to support the development of a more inclusive society. Participants are invited to share their best practices and opinions on obstacles encountered as festival organisers or as artists. 

*** Photo: ©Romaeuropa Festival ***