Is it possible to be happy at the end of something whose end you don’t want to see?
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Musical Walls – The Sound of Erzsébetváros: Interactive Sound Installations at 7 Sites in the 7th District
The Musical Walls project is a unique interactive sound installation guiding us through the rich musical past and vibrant present of Erzsébetváros, across various sites in Budapest’s 7th District. The aim of this project is to bring residents and visitors closer to the district’s musical heritage through public artworks, linking past and present in harmony. For this purpose, the renowned art collective, Metrum Ensemble, has been chosen as the creative force. Since their debut in 2012, Metrum Ensemble has been a distinctive presence in Hungarian music, reviving the memories of Erzsébetváros through their unique artistic vision, with a special focus on Jewish traditions, cabarets, and coffeehouse music, as well as the district’s working-class and religious musical heritage. Through interactive Sounding Memorials this rich legacy becomes accessible to all, with QR codes allowing people to acces to the curated musical selections on their mobile devices.
LeCAKE Train – Ending a project with many new beginnings
LeCAKE: Common Art Knowledge Europe was a project supported by Erasmus+ that focused on the role of the cultural sector in the ecological transition. Running for two years, from October 2022 – October 2024, the project united seven cultural organisations and a think tank to build a common base of knowledge, skills and resources. The project had four phases, moving from knowledge-creation towards hands-on, practical models, methods and tools. Máté Tenke, former project manager and head of sustainability team at Pro Progressione share with us his experiences of the project:
“I actually have more freedom to make choice with a flat screen” – interview with Vânia Gala, the Artistic Anchor of the Manifest project, about her experience in Nantes and the use of XR
The multimedia exhibition in Nantes marked the grand finale of the Manifest project, showcasing the culmination of two years of artistic work across a wide range of media—from traditional genres like painting to intermedia installations and XR technology. The exhibition, which ran from September 19 to October 6 at l’Atelier in Nantes, attracted over 2,000 visitors and was accompanied by various programs, including panel discussions, workshops, and school visits.
The exhibition aimed to offer an innovative perspective on the history and legacies of the transatlantic slave trade, placing art at the centre of evoking memories and exploring these legacies. Through the works presented, the twenty-two artists of Manifest sought to reconcile both individual and collective memories, ensuring they are preserved from being forgotten. We spoke with Vânia Gala, the Artistic Anchor of the Manifest project, about her experience in Nantes and the use of XR as one of the central mediums in the exhibition, exploring both its limitations and possibilities in shaping the presented artworks.
TBG Food for Thought: ‘the world must develop sustainably if we are all to survive’
With our flagship project, The Big Green, we are bringing environmentally-engaged artists under one large-scale umbrella initiative and experiment with innovative ways of using art to promote sustainability. But what does it mean for us on a personal level? We asked our partners to write us a few lines about what art and sustainability and their relationship mean to them. Now, let us share the thoughts of Simana Markovska (Interpret Europe):
Exploring Borsod: TeatRom Festival 2024
In this summer, our dedicated Sparse PLUS – Supporting & Promoting Arts in Rural Settlements of Europe professional team embarked on a tour of the five municipalities where the SPARSE Plus TeatRom Festival will take place (Alsóvadász, Sajókaza and Borsodbóta) this mid-October. This early visit was essential to ensure everything is set for an amazing event.
Musical Walls – the experience of commissioning for the 7th district of Budapest
In May, we reached the final stage of the DemArt selection process. Our three chosen artists presented their ideas to us and some of the local community at the Bethlen Square Theatre. It was wonderful to see the work and imagination behind the pieces. In all honesty, we knew it was not possible to select ‘the best’ from such a wide range of disciplines, so we agreed to come back to our main objective: how much does the piece connect to the local community of District 7?
Celebrating International Artistic Connections: DemArt’s Inspiring Journey at the 22nd Survival Festival in Wrocław
The curators and project coordinators and advisors of DemArt visited Wrocław from June 20-23, 2024, to participate in the 22nd Survival Festival. The festival is held at different locations in Poland each year, and this year’s theme was Romanticism, specifically exploring the meanings and values present today that originate from Polish and regional Romanticism, and how they shape modernist perspectives.
What’SAP – local work of the Hungarian team
After last summer’s Academy, the trainees started their months-long local work – the Hungarian team (Heléna Ménesi, Szilvia Markos, Viktória Csaba, Zsófia Kozma and Zalán Haragonics) with Indahouse Hungary in Hernádszentandrás. But how is the joint work going? We asked the trainees about this:
Building Community in a Lockdown Year
Careers in the Common Good (CCG) was created out of a desire to contribute to a more open, innovative Eastern Europe. Our mission is to inspire the youth of Central and Eastern Europe to apply their passion for the enrichment of their communities: there are as many paths as there are people, and we seek to empower young adults to find the path that is right for them.