AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry
AREFS art and culture association
  • Savon Radan ryhmä organizes activities along the historical Savo line

PRE-PROJECT
CONDITIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH AND PREPARATION DURING THE PRE-PROJECT

OBJECTIVES FOR SEARCHING PARTNERS ABROAD
Find and meet partner(s) to implement the project

The physically visit is an important condition for the final selection of the partners. Every organization in art has a different starting point, different objectives, and a different approach, which only can be seen and proved on location.

The partners have to be existing and equipped art residencies, small and personal, located in ecological sensitive environments, with original solutions for art production and a close relationship with the local society and youth organizations.

Meet and/or discuss with potential partner(s) to agree on the project aims, actions and work program and budget

The partners have to be able to collaborate with the other network locations by exchange of artists and collaboration art and culture programs for the youth and local society

Prepare a detailed description of the development project (2011-2013) through a strong dialogue with partners

Clarify the eligibility criteria / funding rules for all partners’ territories concerning expenditure eligibility for different project actions, legal and other restrictions on types of applicant or partners, as well as the application process requirements, deadlines and paperwork.

OBJECTIVES ARTIST EXCHANGE AND COLLABORATION
The artist’s co-operation in the final program (2011-2013) has to be based on practical working with the same intention under similar conditions with different specifics.

The artist’s collaboration with the local society is based on exchange of international experiences in the field of art and culture to reflect the local conditions on the European context.

OBJECTIVES LOCAL PROGRAM
Set up with the local school an extra art and culture curriculum that will develop strong roots of the youth of Haukivuori based on Finnish regional artists with international experiences in partner locations.

During the pre-project planning and executing together with local organizations and artists the active art and culture event WE COME FROM HERE/THIS IS OUR NATURE (work title) oriented on the youth of Haukivuori.

In the final program (2011-2013) the local society and youth organizations will be active involved through special activities and presentations by the participating artists. The intensive contacts are important sources for cross-border experiences and new contacts in partner locations.

The cultural diversity and the specific areas of the different locations are the sources for the collaboration of the artists. Their art and activities will contribute to widen local views and give new perspective to the rural circumstances in relation to the European identity.
The pre-project MY ROOTS FOR THE FUTURE / MINUN JUURENI TULEVAISUUTEEN is made up of:

I research
Ia - LOCAL research
Ib - INTERNATIONAL research

II preparation
IIa - LOCAL preparation
IIb - INTERNATIONAL preparation

III execution PRE-PROJECT
IIIa – LOCAL execution
IIIb – INTERNATIONAL execution

IV – PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (2011-2013)

LOCAL
Ia - research
* searching and contacting local groups and organizations to contribute to project parts education, art, history, arts & craft, literature and poetry, traditional culture, landscape and environment concerning.

IIa - preparation
* Haukivuoren Ylä-Aste: setting up an extra art and culture curriculum with the school a program by artists with international experiences on similar locations concerning. The program will contribute to structural developing and building on the roots of children and youth.

* Etelä-Savon Taidetoimikunta: setting up criteria, conditions and planning the selection, participation and support of regional artists in the project. This is essential for the artistic quality and level of the project.

* Haukivuoren Tapahtumatyhdisys ry: participating in events of Haukivuori Tapahtomayhditys ry to inform and involve the local society and summer guests about content and activities during the project.

* Mikkeli Museums – Mikkeli Art Museum: a source for the history of the region and the artistic component.

* Contacting other local organizations in the field of art, culture, arts & craft, literature and poetry, history, environment, architecture to bring their expertise in the final project.

* preparing with the schools and local organizations the collective activity WE COME FROM HERE/THIS IS OUR NATURE (work title) based on images and paintings made by artists during different stays in the art center.
In summer 2010 exhibitions about the history of Haukivuori (Haukivuori Muistoissamme IV) and with photos and paintings by artists are the sources for children, youth and citizens from Haukivuori to start making/selecting own photos from places, details in their surroundings.

IIIa executing
* executing the collective event WE COME FROM HERE/THIS IS OUR NATURE (work title) – Characteristic photos will be selected with the intention to publish and to inform the other locations about the landscape, nature and environment of Haukivuori.
The presentation and publication will be as an exhibition, booklet and on the web.
This will be the start for the exchange of local information and presentations on different locations.

IV development project 2011-2013
The objectives and description is part of the pre-project (2010)

During the development project (2011-2013) Finnish artists with international experiences on the other locations will work during their stay in Haukivuori with the children, youth and citizens on an artistic exchange. Through their contribution the project will build on strong roots of children in Haukivuori and prepare them for a European future.
INTERNATIONAL
Ib research
* partners in rural regions: in Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, and Turkey which are located in specific isolated rural environs.

Other contacts will be done first by the internet, Skype and email.
Sources are ResArtis, TransArtists, RHIZ.EU, Etelä-Savon Taidetoimikunta, the network of AREFS, AllaprimA Foundation and the networks of de contacted future partners.

IIb preparation
* Before visiting the partners the basic content for the final project has to be prepared.

IIIb executing
* visiting groups in selected rural regions to get informed about their system and possibilities, and to explain the development project (2011-2013). These visits are essential to get involved in the regional group on partner locations.

* visiting suitable locations in different rural regions to see the places and their facilities, circumstances, local connections and the artistic atmosphere, and to find out their specific conditions in relation to the final program (2011-2013) objectives.
It is also important to get involved to be able to select the right artists in the final project.
The art production in the development project (2011-2013) needs specific circumstances for the artists to be able to full fill the objectives. It is also important to document and to register the environment from the Finnish perspective to be able to select Finnish artists.

* The partner locations have to be physically surveyed, documented, and the information will be collected and registered to be published e.g. website, presentation and brochure. Information and registration will be used for the collective event WE COME FROM HERE/THIS IS OUR NATURE (work title) - 2010 in Haukivuori.

* making with the selected partners a plan for the development project (2011-2013) which is based on the final aim:
1. to provide international art and culture exchange with artists on exceptional rural locations to initiate new forms of art production and to involve the different local societies in the artistic and cultural exchange.
2. an art and culture program to be executed by artists with international experiences that will build on the roots of children and youth, to prepare them for a strong future in Europe with respect for their origin.

* organizing one central meeting with all future partners to negotiate about the condition terms and agreement for the development project.

* making with the future partners a schedule for the development project which is based on participation of artists, local society and the exchange between the locations presentations, publications and internet.

* making with the future partners a budget for the development project which is based on participation of artists, local society and the exchange between the locations.

* searching with the future partners to finance the development project.

On request of a member of the board of the LEADER/LAG Veej'jakaja in Mikkeli this project has been set up as part of their international (art) projects. In cooperation with the coordinator of this special EU rural development program, the local schools and the regional arts council AREFS has put in their expertise, network and vision to create a sustainable project. Unfortunately the LEADER/LAG Veej'jakaja has rejected the plans with the explanation and account as there was no connection with the home lands of the refugees and as they do not support artists.

The project has not been set up as a program for refugees, and is also not focusing on artists. It seems not so easy to see the importance for the whole youth in rural regions to get new possibilities for their future in this area. It is better to build more hunting cabins as part of the rural development.
Fortunately AREFS has a wider view and is going on with searching for funding to execute this important project.


 
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