M2ACT × FORUM DANCE

THE ART OF SOLIDARITY

Alliances in the performing arts


Network meetings, panels and workshops

22 November 2024, Biel/Bienne
Maison.Farel.Haus & Nebia·Bienne spectaculaire

Sustainability, fair practices, international solidarity and the representation of minority groups are currently being negotiated a lot on stage in the performing arts. Behind the scenes, we also find ourselves confronted with the ever more pressing questions: how do we want to work? And with whom? More and more artists and art workers need to stand for a common cause, pool resources and exercise influence.

Alliances – what are the expectations? Who does what? Who benefits, who decides and who pays the price?

Forum Dance and Migros Culture Percentage m2act are also entering into an alliance this year. To cast light on some of these alliances and coalitions in the performing arts, a joint network meeting will take place in Biel/Bienne on 22 November 2024. At panels, discussions and workshops, participants are invited to exchange, gain inspiration and forge new partnerships.

PARTICIPANTS

M2ACT × FORUM DANCE is aimed at Players in the Swiss performing arts, students as well as representatives and decision-makers from politics and the media.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

We start the day together at Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire. The theme is solidarity through alliance. After vegan croissants, coffee and initial discussions with colleagues, we start our morning together. We will address the following questions during this intensive day: why is equality of status so central to an alliance? What requirements are important in order to become - and remain - allies or accomplices? And what examples of use, current practices and initiatives are there?

MORNING

In this input, Rohit Jain reflects on his experiences withtransformative processes at the interface of research, art, cultural policy and activism. He draws on hisobservationsasa socialanthropologist and anti-racism activist as well as a co-founder of theremembrance project «Schwarzenbach-Komplex» and the«BernerRassismusstammtisch», the bernese antiracist collective.

The programme continues with the panel of Group50:50, a Congolese-German-Swiss collective. They show an excerpt from their reflection process documented on film, which they tackled in a retreat after three years of successful but also conflict-laden collaboration. They then discuss with the plenum the pitfalls of transcontinental cooperation, unequal funding, different living and working realities and forms of fair cooperation.

Using mapping, we form a picture of the diverse initiatives and activist formats in the field of performing arts in Switzerland. The aim is to identify networking opportunities, share knowledge and experience and thus make our professional field fairer and more sustainable. A digital map with exemplary projects will be created, with Vert le Futur as the cartographer.

AFTERNOON

During the lunch break, there is time and space for dialogue and relaxation. The food is prepared vegan by local Biel caterer Cantine mobile.

The afternoon offers the opportunity to participate in one or two workshops - or to gain inspiration from a panel: in the Maison.Farel.Haus and Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire. Solidarity, alliances, fairness and sustainability are broken down and defined in different ways - let's dive into diversity!

Draw inspiration from Tanzhaus Zürich's new accomplices model and try out methods and tools from the Collective Tools Project in French-speaking Switzerland. Anne-Laure Sahy, director of the Association Vaudoise de Danse Contemporaine (AVDC), offers a practical exchange on the topic of swarm intelligence. Or reflect on the ethical approach to autobiographical material for the stage. Try out possibilities of intercultural collaboration and artwork with representatives of artasfoundation or barrier-free communication with Zurich inclusion expert Saphir Ben Dakon. Finally, French art historian Camille Richert and least (laboratoire écologie et art pour une société en transition) (ecology and art laboratory for a society in transition) invite us to interactively rethink contemporary models of cultural production and reception.

In the afternoon, there will also be two panels: learn about forms of action of local cultural policy from all over Switzerland and their possibilities. artFAQ and produktionsbande look at the potential of association, exchange and a new self-image for production managers.

We end the day with an informal drinks reception at Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire.

SCHEDULE

Arrival at Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire with vegan coffee and croissants

Welcome and warm up with Collective Tools Project

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire theatre hall: German, French, English, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, Swiss-German sign language, French sign language upon request, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

Collective Tools Project

Input from Rohit Jain: Alliance, collaboration, participation? Practical and theoretical input for an art of solidarity

In the neoliberal, bourgeois logic, cultural creation is located outside of society. It should create fiction instead of reality, entertain away from «real life», at best provide food for thought. This distance from the world legitimises the (supposed) freedom of art. At the same time, it turns the cultural sector into a cage from which we should free ourselves.

After all, art and culture should always be seen as part of society. Everything has a culture, indeed, an aesthetic: racism, classism, ableism and sexism just as much as neoliberalism, the climate crisis and fascism. And resistance to it, freedom, utopia and solidarity are also full of culture.

Diversity, cultural participation, alliances and collaboration offer possible strategies for consistently locating cultural creation in society. But are these new professional standards or marketing? Moral commitment or trade union work? A socio-political struggle or curatorial and artistic practice? A short plea for a polyphonic, undisciplined art of solidarity – according to the rules of art.

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, German, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, Swiss-German sign language, French sign language upon request, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

Rohit Jain

Panel and film clips from GROUP50:50 - Balancing transcontinental cooperation

GROUP50:50 is a collective of artists from the Congo, Switzerland and Germany who realise and produce transnational artistic collaboration projects together. GROUP50:50 critically reflects on the forms of their collaboration, which is hampered by historical and economic inequalities, cultural misunderstandings and the fact that the means of production always come from Europe. How can Group50:50 counteract these blatant inequalities? How can they agree on fair wages and good working conditions when the realities of life are fundamentally different?

How can they build sufficient trust to facilitate artistic collaboration? These are the questions discussed by the members of GROUP50:50 after three years of working together, full of successes and conflicts. Before the discussion, there will be a screening of an excerpt from their film-documented reflection process, which they tackled during a retreat in 2023, funded by Migros Culture Percentage m2act.

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, Conversation in French, film is shown in French with English subtitles, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, Swiss-German sign language, French sign language upon request, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

Group 50:50

Break


Alliances in motion: Mapping by Vert le Futur of fair and sustainable initiatives in the Swiss cultural landscape

How can the valuable work of numerous creative artists and initiatives committed to fair and sustainable practice be made more visible in the Swiss cultural landscape? What are the conditions that favour coordinated and effective action by the actors - and thus systemic change? And how can alliance building and co-creative collaboration be facilitated throughout Switzerland?

The Swiss Creative CIimate Ecosystem Map project, which is coordinated by Vert le Futur, was launched on the basis of these questions. It envisages the creation of a digital map that will gradually show all Swiss initiatives that deal with issues of climate justice and social sustainability in the cultural sector. This open source platform will be launched in March 2025 and offers artists a tool to find possible synergies with people and organisations and ideally enter into new alliances.

After the joint exploration of the platform prototype, the participants of M2ACT × FORUM DANCE will be invited to share formative experiences of enriching collaborations. The aim is to jointly analyse the potential of the ecosystem map to support a movement towards systemic change.

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, Simultaneous translation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, Swiss-German sign language, French sign language, hearing loop, wheelchair-accessible.

Laura Giudici
Stefanie Günther Pizarro

Lunch break at Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire

Vegan lunch

Presentation of the workshops and panels, group allocation

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, German, French, English, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, Swiss-German sign language, French sign language upon request, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

Change of venue / break

Time for a change of location between Nebia · Bienne spéctaculaire and Maison.Farel.Haus with the workshop leaders

Panel 1: Creative producers. How networks and knowledge transfer strengthen production

There is a shortage of performing arts managers (PAMs) and a frequent turnover, which raises the question of whether production work is unattractive or has a bad image. Or whether the production management does not or should not see itself as part of the artistic work. A PAM meeting will take place on the day before M2ACT × FORUM DANCE. Organised by artFAQ and Reso – Dancenetwork Switzerland, it will feature the German PAM network Produktionsbande as guests, and the results of the day will be presented by artFAQ and Produktionsbande.

Insights into solidarity-based resource sharing, knowledge transfer and working in production offices will be explored and communicated to interested choreographers, directors, organisers and PAMs. The event will reflect on possible ways of realisation and present a new self-image as a ‘creative producer’, aimed at improving balance and equality between PAM and artistic direction.

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, 60', German, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, DE <-> EN, DE <-> IT, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

artFAQ (CH)
produktionsbande (D)

Workshop 2: Between the lines. How ableism influences our communication

The aim of this workshop is to draw the attention of creative artists to incarnations of ableism in words and images. It seeks to enable people to design calls for proposals and programme texts as inclusively as possible. The workshop also raises awareness of the structural and social barriers that reproduce and perpetuate discrimination against people with disabilities and builds on this by examining the influence of discrimination in interpersonal communication. There are always spaces for joint reflection.

With the newly acquired knowledge, the workshop group works on general practical examples of ableism in words and pictures. The final step is to look at an inclusive call, recording what stands out and what might be used as targeted ways to achieve an inclusive result. The group also reflects on how their own thought process can be constantly scrutinised using a checklist and how inclusive language can be incorporated into their daily work.

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Hall, 60', German, wheelchair-accessible

Saphir Ben Dakon

Film screening and Q&A 3: ‘Alle inklusive – ein Kleintheater will mehr’ Practical insight into the process towards a more inclusive cultural sector

In the 2023/2024 season, Kleintheater Luzern focused increasingly on inclusion, setting out to become a more inclusive cultural institution. A camera crew followed the team for around six months.

They documented not only the inclusive programme in the building but also the ways in which inclusion works in the cultural sector. To this end, various stakeholders from funding organisations, associations and the arts were interviewed. The result is an in-house documentary film that shows how Kleintheater Luzern operates as a Guestplay venue in the structure between creative artists, politics and funding and what challenges it currently faces in its efforts to achieve greater inclusion in the cultural sector. Kleintheater Luzern will show excerpts from the documentary, talk to the participants about the documented journey and ask questions about the process towards a more inclusive cultural sector.

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Ground floor foyer, 75', German, Film: German, German subtitles, German audio description, a French version of the film is also available, wheelchair accessible

Jahn Graf
Fabienne Mathis

Workshop 4: The accomplices model. Real collaboration on an equal footing

Flat hierarchies, fairness and equality are buzzwords in culture and beyond. But how does true collaboration at eye level work, and what added value does it generate compared to traditional approaches? And how do you go from talk to action?

As part of the new funding structure in the City of Zurich, Tanzhaus Zürich has developed a new model of collaboration between institutional staff and artists, which Daniel Hellmann will present from the artists’ perspective and Catja Loepfe from the institutional perspective. Subsequently, possible aspects of this form of work are played through in this embodied input. The premise is that dance practice, choreographic knowledge and collaborative practices can transform organisations and, ultimately, society. The Tanzhaus therefore integrates the soft skills of dance and choreography into the DNA of the institutions. This makes it possible to develop a great deal of strength together and make a real difference when it comes to bringing about lasting change in society.

EMBODIED WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Garden room, 75', English, wheelchair access

Daniel Hellmann
Catja Loepfe

Workshop 5: Experiencing art. Facing conflicts with dance and artistic collaboration

In their workshop the artists Olivia Jaques and Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan, both working for the Zurich based artasfoundation, investigate with the participants the following questions: How can the arts become tools for social engagement? How can they contribute to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers? How can we create shared experiences that foster empathy and mutual understanding?

At the beginning of the workshop the participants are invited to the Sun Dance, a traditional Armenian dance that not only embodies the rich cultural heritage but also serves as a symbol of endurance and unity. Through this dance, we connect with the themes of resilience and collaboration as well as the capacity of cultural traditions to bring people together, even in the face of adversity.

Following the dance, the group collectively discusses examples, including the potential and limitations of artistic collaboration in regions of conflict. artasfoundation shares some insights into their way of thinking and working at artasfoundation, where everything is based on the idea of mutual learning. The Zurich-based foundation for art in conflict regions, initiates art projects for and with people in crisis regions and elsewhere, accompanies their realisation and studies how providing room for art can promote conflict mediation and peacebuilding.

EMBODIED WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Entrance hall to the basement cloakroom, 75', English, partial wheelchair access (see accessibility)

Olivia Jaques
Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan

Workshop 6: Applying swarm intelligence. Exchange of practice and tools for artistic processes and cultural projects

Horizontal and collective collaboration raises questions that is adressed in this sharing of practices: How do you cultivate the collective and its constituent individuals? How do you balance responsibility and power, communication and trust? When and how should feedback be given and received? In a format somewhere between co-reflection and intense theoretical training, this workshop aims to explore a selection of principles capable of supporting the intelligence - the genius - of the group.

Each of them will involve sharing experiences, processes or very specific tools for facilitating collaborative dynamics, participative production, location-specific dramaturgy and more decentralised governance. The workshop is aimed at all practitioners of the scenic arts in particular, and of culture in a broad sense, across all professions and roles.

WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Lounge 2nd floor, 75', French, partial wheelchair access (see accessibility)

Anne-Laure Sahy

Workshop 7: Biography & Stage. Practical examples of the ethical approach to shared stories

A person no longer feels comfortable talking about their late life partner on stage. Another person, who is not on stage themselves, is very nervous and hesitant to take part at all before talking to the director.
In an (auto)biographical project, someone reveals a true story and/or someone else changes and retells their story in a different context.

What hierarchies and dependencies exist in such an artistic process? Which ethical issues are relevant in which project phases? What agreements can ideally be made in advance? And what considerations should the people in charge of such a project make?

In the workshop, Dennis Schwabenland and Katja Zellweger will present their project, which provides practical insights into the ethical handling of biographical material. Based on this, the workshop participants can deepen their own experiences, reflect critically and immerse themselves in the subject matter using concrete examples. The overarching goal is to make biographical work with shared stories fairer and facilitate cooperation on an equal footing between all participants.

WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Meeting room 2, 1st floor, 75', German, partial wheelchair access (see accessibility)

Dennis Schwabenland
Katja Zellweger

Workshop 8: Artistic institutions and the commons. How to collectively rethink the ecology of production in performing arts

The growing trend of overproduction and consumption in contemporary culture affects artistic practices and reveals a misalignment between institutions and the actual needs of society. Quantity is prioritised over quality, speed over sustainability, and visibility over meaningful impact.

Art Historian Camille Richert and least [laboratoire écologie et art pour une société en transition] founded by Véronique Ferrero Delacoste, ex-director of far° Nyon see the urgent need to rethink the models of cultural production and reception. In this workshop they propose shifting towards approaches that are more attuned to the communities and more sustainable in managing creative and material resources. Culture and the arts should be regarded as common goods that are shared by and benefit the entire community, accessible and relevant to all.

By drawing on the real-life contexts of the participants the group will explore how to sustain what is valued in the arts and culture, considering in what form these values can continue. In this Workshop the participants will identify what cannot or should no longer maintain, and how these practices might be replaced with new activities that are sustainable for the future, especially in the performing arts sector.

PARTICIPATORY AND CREATIVE WORKSHOP

Maison.Farel.Haus: Meeting room 1, 1st floor, 150', French, partial wheelchair access (see accessibility), this is a long workshop lasting 150 minutes (including a break of approximately 20 minutes)

Véronique Ferrero Delacoste
Lavinia Johnson
Camille Richert
Stella Succi

Workshop 9: Creative collectives. Trying out practical tools to live, work and create with groups

Working collectively requires a significant group and personal investment, learning and self-questioning, dedication of time, energy and care. It means that a project remains open to changes and improvements based on feedback, in a spirit of fluidity and constant questioning. Also it entails recognizing the diversity of knowledge sources and the need of efficiency, regardless of political or social differences.

In this workshop, we'll be exploring practical tools for working and creating together. And we delve into understanding better how we exist within a group and how to interact with care and intentionality. We’ll introduce three framework tools, useful for any type of group. Then an Ice breaker tool, to help people meet. And we'll finish with a facilitation tool to highlight individual needs and desires for a group at the start of a new project. The workshop is aimed at all groups, be they social, professional, artistic, militant, co-vivial, school projects…etc, primarily aimed at groups that operate or wish to learn how to operate under self-management and shared governance.

The Collective Tools Project draws its inspiration from cohabitation communities and specialist literature to personal experience and activist circles.

WORKSHOP

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Foyer 1st floor, 150', English, no wheelchair access, this is a long workshop lasting 150 minutes. (including a break of approximately 20 minutes)

Collective Tools Project

Time for individual change of location

Panel 10: Forms of action in cultural policy. Flights of fancy, failures and utopias from the local context

Who is fighting against cuts in the cultural budget and advocating for a stable, sustainable and solidarity-based ecosystem of cultural funding in every municipality or city? And how? The work of regional cultural lobbies, organisations and networks should not be underestimated. This association and network work often happens on the side; it is voluntary work and relies on individuals. The discussion panel will explore various inspiring forms of action and formulate common findings. Which levers have proven useful and which have yet to be invented? And how can they help to shape profitable and sustainable cultural policy processes at the local level? The panel includes examples from the Swiss periphery and from an urban centre.

PANEL

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire: Theatre hall, 60', German and French, simultaneous interpretation DE <-> FR, hearing loop including simultaneous interpretation, wheelchair access

Marynelle Debétaz
Barbara Giongo
Sibylle Heiniger
Aline Joye
Katja Vaghi

Workshop 11: Between the lines. How ableism influences our communication

Second slot. See description of the workshop from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm

Maison.Farel.Haus: Hall, 60', English, wheelchair access

Saphir Ben Dakon

Workshop 12: Biography & Stage. Practical examples of the ethical approach to shared stories

Second slot. See description of the workshop from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm

Maison.Farel.Haus: Meeting room 2, 1st floor, 75', German, partial wheelchair access (see accessibility)

Dennis Schwabenland
Katja Zellweger

Workshop 13: The accomplices model. Real collaboration on an equal footing

Second slot. See description of the workshop from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm.

Maison.Farel.Haus: Garden room, 75', German, wheelchair access

Daniel Hellmann
Catja Loepfe

Workshop 14: Experiencing art. Facing conflicts with dance and artistic collaboration

Second slot. See description of the workshop from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm

Maison.Farel.Haus: Entrance hall, basement, 75', English, partially wheelchair accessible (see accessibility)

Olivia Jaques
Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan

Workshop 15: Applying swarm intelligence. Exchange of practice and tools for artistic processes and cultural projects

Second slot. See description of the workshop from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm

Maison.Farel.Haus: Lounge 2nd floor, 75', English, French, German (multilingual), partial wheelchair access (see accessibility)

Anne-Laure Sahy

Change of venue from the Maison.Farel.Haus back to the Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire for an aperitif

DRINKS RECEPTION AT NEBIA · BIENNE SPECTACULAIRE

Finish with vegan reception

SPEAKERS

artFAQ (CH)

Kathrin Walde (she/her) has been a creative producer for many years. She has founded the consultancy format KulturHub and is the co-director of artFAQ.

artFAQ is the production platform of the Zurich region – a structure by and for the scene that strengthens, promotes and professionalises production management by offering advice, further training courses, events and networking.

Saphir Ben Dakon

Saphir Ben Dakon (she/her) is an inclusion and communication expert from Zurich. With her company, she supports organisations in the implementation of inclusion processes. Saphir holds a BSc in Corporate Communications and an MSc in Business Administration. As the vice president of Agile, she is particularly committed to the topics of work, education, empowerment and participation with a focus on the intersections of disability, gender and migration.

Collective Tools Project

The Collective Tools Project is a research collective that explores how groups can function harmoniously, promoting inclusion and exchange to achieve their goals. It provides a box of practical and theoretical tools that facilitate collaboration. Based in Switzerland, La CTP is composed of eight white European people from different generations, including non-binary people, women and men. The research project was developed and supported by the universities Manufacture in Lausanne, HEAD in Genf as well as Yan Duyvendack, Dream Comes True. The Workshop is be held by Diane Dormet (iel/they), Marie Romanens (she/her) and Giulia Sorenza Crescenzi (she/her).

Marynelle Debétaz

Marynelle Debétaz (she/her). A graduate in law, cultural management and dramaturgy, Marynelle Debétaz spent 15 years as general and artistic director of Nebia - Bienne spectaculaire (2009-2024). At the same time, she has been involved in a number of committees and working groups, including KTV-ATP (2010-2016), the pool of western Swiss (Romandie) theatres and the Romandie association of performing arts FRAS (2010-2024), fOrum culture (2011-2024), the Jury des arts de la scène et de la Commission d'expert.e.s Pro Helvetia (2019-2023). In 2024, she joined the new Kulturlobiel, which was attached to the umbrella organisation for culture in Biel AAOC, and then the Reso (Swiss dance network) committee.

Véronique Ferrero Delacoste

Véronique Ferrero Delacoste (she/her) holds a Master's degree in Art in the Public Sphere (édhéa). She directed far° Nyon from 2010 to 2022. Her research focuses on transdisciplinary practices and the role of art in society as a means of knowledge and sensory experiences. She founded «least» (laboratoire écologie et art pour une société en transition), an association that supports interdisciplinary approaches to rethinking environmental and social issues, in 2021.

Barbara Giongo

Barbara Giongo (she/her). Active on the Geneva cultural scene since 1994, she has worked as a producer and marketing officer with Oscar Gómez Mata/Cie L'Alakran (2001-2018) and teaches production on the Master's course at the performing arts college La Manufacture in Lausanne. She became involved with a group of artists and cultural actors - Rassemblement des artistes et acteurs culturels (RACC) in 2008 and then, in 2016, with the La Culture Lutte movement, which was set up in response to cuts to the City of Geneva's budget. From 2018 to 2024, she has been co-directing the Grütli with Nataly Sugnaux Hernandez, earning them the Swiss prize for performing arts awarded by the Federal Office of Culture in 2023.

Laura Giudici

Laura Giudici (she/her) is co-director of Vert le Futur and co-project manager of the Tatenbank and the Creative Climate Leadership Switzerland programme. She studied art history and cultural management and has worked with various cultural organisations throughout Switzerland over the past 15 years. The relationship between art, ecology and sustainability also plays a central role in her parallel work as a curator, author and cultural mediator.

Jahn Graf

Since January 2023, Jahn Graf (he/him) has been an activist for inclusion, moderator and, as the person responsible for inclusion, an integral part of the operations team at Kleintheater Luzern.

Group 50:50

GROUP50:50 is an artist collective and production structure from Congo, Switzerland and Germany based in Basel and Lubumbashi. Since 2022, they have produced and realised the musical theatre pieces ‘The Ghosts Are Returning’ and ‘Ecosystem’, which are still touring today. At the same time, they curated the discourse series ‘The Time For Denial Is Over’, which brings together over 80 artists, activists and researchers in Africa and Europe who deal with questions of the restitution of cultural assets and human remains and a decolonial ecology. Joseph Kasau (he/him) and Elia Rediger will be speaking at M2ACT x FORUM DANCE.

Stefanie Günther Pizarro

Stefanie Günther Pizarro (she/her) is an actress, moderator and cultural manager, lives in Bienne and has been working in the performing arts for 20 years. She is dedicated to sustainable art and cultural mediation and in 2020 created an initial inventory of national and international best practices. She has been involved in Vert le Futur since its foundation in 2020 and, together with Laura Giudici, has taken over the management of VlF & Project Management Tatenbank and CCL Switzerland 2024.

Sibylle Heiniger

Sibylle Heiniger (she/her) is a freelance theatre creator/director. She studied theatre studies, sociology and art history at the University of Bern, followed by theatre pedagogy in Germany. In addition to her artistic work, she is also involved in the chairmanship of t. Theaterschaffen in the Bern regional group. Her work within the association focuses on cultural policy. For the past eight years, she has been responsible for cultural tandems, a forum for dialogue between cultural professionals and politicians.

Daniel Hellmann

Daniel Hellmann (he/him) is a singer, performer, and dance/theatre creator from Zurich. He studied philosophy, classical singing and theatre/performance and has been developing his own artistic and multi-award-winning works since 2012.

Hellmann sees his artistic practice as a form of intersectional activism. His projects examine bodies, bodily relationships and desire, scrutinising social norms and power relations in the fields of sexuality, human rights and animal rights.

Rohit Jain

Rohit Jain (he/him) holds a PhD in social anthropology and is a collaborative researcher focusing on migration, postcolonialism, politics of memory and globalisation. He has also been involved in artistic research projects on the Swiss gold trade (Zurich University of the Arts) and urban citizenship (Shedhalle), among others. Co-founder of the «Berner Rassismusstammtisch» and the «Schwarzenbach Komplex» remembrance project. In 2016, he became the co-managing director of the Institut Neue Schweiz INES; from 2019, he developed and managed the funding programme ‘Neues Wir - Kultur Teilhabe Migration’ at the Federal Commission for Migration FCM; since 2022, he has been a research associate at the Institute for Social Anthropology at the University of Bern. He also curates the Public Anthropology Lab.

Olivia Jaques

Olivia Jaques (she/they, left in the photo) is a Vienna-based artist and cultural worker, active in the fields of art & and artistic research. As her work spins around the relational and the performative, most of her work is created in artistic collaborations and art collectives. She is running & part of the artist-duo Performatorium – a laboratory for practice-oriented research of and through performative means (2017). She frequently teaches and is part of the feminst collective Mz*Baltazar’s Laboratory as well as part of the artasfoundation team (since 2016).

Lavinia Johnson

Lavinia Johnson (she/her) is interested in eco-educational practices and the links between the transmission of knowledge and our relationship with different environments. She is a graduate of the TRANS Master's programme - socially engaged practices - at the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD), and has a Bachelor's degree in anthropology and education. She was a researcher at the Haute Ecole de Travail Social (HETS) for an action research project (FNS) on child poverty in Switzerland. She is in charge of production and cultural participation at «least» (laboratoire écologie et art pour une société en transition).

Aline Joye

Aline Joye (she/her) is a cultural manager and socio-cultural animator. She has been working backstage in various theatre areas for over 20 years. Aline gained her experience as an event technician, trainee stage designer, production manager and coordinator of the Swiss Artists’ Exchange. She has been supporting and advising strategic change processes in the cultural sector since 2012. As a member of the aaoc culture szene biel-bienne board for several years, she is committed to cultural policy issues.

In autumn 2023, she took over as Administrative Director and Co-Managing Director of the Swiss Theatertreffen.

Catja Loepfe

Catja Loepfe (she/her) started her career as an exhibition curator, assistant director and production manager after studying ethnology. In 1999, she took over the co-direction of the Rote Fabrik factory theatre. From 2007 to 2012, she worked as a dance dramaturge and interim co-director for the Gessnerallee Zurich. From 2012, she worked on establishing the Zurich Dance Festival. She was a member of the programme group of the Zürcher Theater Spektakel from 2012–2014 and has been the artistic director and managing director of Tanzhaus Zürich since 2014.

Fabienne Mathis

Since the 23/24 season Fabienne Mathis (she/her, on the left in the photo) along with Janine Bürkli (she/her) have been co-managing the operation and programming of Kleintheater Luzern.

Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan

Shoghakat Mlke-Galstyan (she/her, right in the photo) is active as an actress, dancer, arts manager & organiser in Yerevan, Armenia. She co-founded Mihr Theatre (2003) and has been the manager of the Tiezerk Band. She was a lecturer at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography as well as the executive director of the HIGH FEST International Performing Arts Festival (2012–2021). She was awarded the Golden Medal of the RA Ministry of Culture (2016). She completed the CAS Arts and International Cooperation at ZHDK (2018) and is part of the artasfoundation team.

produktionsbande (D)

Sasha Schlegel (they/them, left in the photo), Sofie Luckhardt (she/her, middle in the photo) and Martin Bien (he/him, left in the photo) are on location for produktionsbande. produktionsbande is a German network for production managers, producers, art workers, strategists and those who see themselves as active artistic producers in the independent performing arts. Together, they move at the interfaces and examine these as connecting lines between idea and organisation, concept and structure, production and administration.

Camille Richert

Camille Richert (she) has a doctorate in art history from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Paris, teaches at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (ENSBA) Lyon, and is an art critic and independent curator. Her research, curation and publication projects focus on representations of work in contemporary art and activist artistic practices, with particular reference to issues of gender, employment, ecology and democracy in art.

Anne-Laure Sahy

Anne-Laure Sahy (she/her) is a dramaturge and facilitator. She has also worked as a programmer, editor, producer and designer of artistic projects. Since 2021, she has headed the AVDC - Association vaudoise de danse contemporaine. In this role, she initiated the "ddd - dramaturgy dance dialogue" network project for co-development and exchanging practices. In 2022, she trained in collaborative dynamics facilitation to support teams in their governance and collective project management.

Dennis Schwabenland

Dennis Schwabenland (he/him), actor and director in Bern, founder of the collective PENG! Palast and director of the theatre company Dennis Schwabenland - thecodes. He has recently written the play ‘Mülheim Absturz Ruhr’, based on research into his own parents’ social decline, and is working on his first documentary film, which will explore his new Swiss hometown of Landiswil i.E. His productions – most recently, ‘Gilgamesh Origin’ – often deal with issues of social injustice and one-sided representation. He has also worked as a radio journalist. In 2022, he initiated the m2act project ‘Biography & Stage’.

Stella Succi

Stella Succi (she/her) is an art historian and independent researcher. She has sat on editorial boards in Italy and abroad including Alfabeta2, Mousse Magazine, The Towner, Prismo. She is currently coordinator of the magazine Il Tascabile. Since 2016, she has been part of Altalena, a collective and interdisciplinary research group in the visual arts. Since 2020, she has been a dramaturge for dancer and choreographer Annamaria Ajmone. At «least» (laboratoire écologie et art pour une société en transition), she is in charge of research and communications.

Katja Vaghi

Katja Vaghi (she/her) is a dance researcher and performer. She lectures in dance history, and philosophy in the UK, and Germany. Recipient of the Swiss Federal Office of Culture sustain to the Performing Arts Heritage 2021 for a study on Claudio Schott, who founded the first contemporary dance company in Ticino. She is on the board of DANZAsia, the Swiss Italian association of dancers and choreographers.

Katja Zellweger

Katja Zellweger (she/her), freelance cultural journalist and Head of Communications at Reso – Dance Network Switzerland since 2019. Previously, she was the deputy editor of Berner Kulturagenda and worked in production, mediation and dramaturgy at the Schlachthaus Theatre. She worked on a theatre play based on autobiographical research within the scope of the CAS Cultural Journalism at Zurich University of the Arts. She has been the co-director of ‘Biography & Stage’ since 2022.

REGISTRATION

CHILD CARE

We offer a free childcare programme for younger children from 1 to 10 years in cooperation with GioiaCares. The foyer of the Loges in Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire is available for this purpose. Please notify us of any children when you register.

Times: 09:15-13:00 and 14:15-18:00.
The child spends the lunch break with the parent. All children are cordially invited to our vegan lunch in the Nebia cafeteria. If your child needs other food, you must bring it yourself.

Please bring: snacks, lunch (if necessary), drinks, toiletries, spare clothes

Language: the language of supervision is Swiss/German and French.

On site, we will ask you to fill out an information sheet about your child with important information. Check-in takes place at the Welcome Desk in the Nebia foyer.

Registration: Please notify us of any children when you register.

ACCESSIBILITY

We offer various accessibility measures and draw attention to accessibility or barriers at every point in the programme.

Under each programme description, you will find information on: location, duration, languages and simultaneous translation, wheelchair accessibility, vegan catering, childcare, etc.

We recommend that you bring your own noise-cancelling earplugs, stimming rings and other aids.

Awareness: we would like to encourage all participants to be attentive to their own needs and to take breaks when necessary. It is possible to leave the premises at any time during the programme. The Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire and Maison.Farel.Haus offer retreats.

Retreats: In the Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire, the cafeteria and the foyer are ideal for retreats. In the afternoon, workshops take place in the foyer on the ground floor and first floor.
There is a cafeteria in the Maison.Farel.Haus. The Laure Wyss Esplanade is a four-minute walk from the Maison.Farel.Haus. It offers a small green area and fresh air.

The afternoon workshops at the Maison.Farel.Haus are not simultaneously interpreted but take place in the language indicated on the programme. Sign language interpreters (Swiss German or French sign language) can be made available to accompany participants to the workshops. This need will be clarified during the allocation to the workshops.

GENERAL ACCESS INFORMATION FOR THE LOCATIONS

Maison.Farel.Haus
Everything on the ground floor is barrier-free. The upper floors can be reached via a small Schindler lift (suitable for a self-propelled wheelchair) with manual doors, like the wheelchair-accessible toilet on the lower floor. You need a key for this and the path leads through the bicycle cellar. For assistance, please contact the event staff. Maison.Farel.Haus does not have an induction loop.


Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire
The theatre hall, cafeteria and foyer on the ground floor are barrier-free. Special seats for wheelchair users are available in the theatre hall. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are also available. The foyer of the Loges is accessible via a lift. The foyer on the 1st floor is unfortunately not accessible for people with restricted mobility.
Visitors with hearing impairments: the theatre hall has an inductive hearing system for people withhearing aids (in rows C to Q with the exception of seats O26, P26 and Q26 and in rows S to V). You can find more information about how this system works here. Receivers for simultaneous interpretation via induction loop are available at check-in.

LOCATIONS

Maison.Farel.Haus

Oberer Quai 12
2503 Biel/Bienne

Approx. 10 minutes on foot from Biel/Bienne railway station via Bahnhofstrasse

Public transport: Bus no. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 from Biel railway station to «Zentralplatz» stop

Nebia · Bienne spectaculaire

Thomas-Wyttenbach-Strasse 4
2502 Biel/Bienne

Approx. 3 min walk from Biel railway station via Bahnhofsplatz

WHO IS BEHIND FORUM DANCE?

As the most important industry meeting, Forum Dance is an annual opportunity for a critical and constructive exchange on the framework conditions, structures and needs of the professional Swiss dance scene. It has addressed artistic processes and safe spaces, (dis)continuities of dance careers and fair practices. It has been organised once a year since 2013 by Reso – Dance Network Switzerland in partnership with Danse Suisse and Pro Helvetia. Reso acts as a national coordinating body for dance. Its members comprise around 100 Swiss organisations and institutions from the field of professional dance.

t.l.t.r:
Reso: Boris Brüderlin (management), Simona Travaglianti (project management), Lisa Letnansky (project management), Katja Zellweger (communication management), Manuel Zizzari (assistance), Daria Reimann (coordination), Claudio Richard (assistance, not on the image)

Instagram: RESO

WHO IS BEHIND MIGROS CULTURE PERCENTAGE M2ACT?

Migros Culture Percentage m2act is committed to fair and sustainable practice, promotes cultural co-creation and supports open knowledge transfer in the performing arts. Together with cooperation partners, m2act organises networking events for the purpose of networking and exchange among art workers in the performing arts in Switzerland and raising the profile of projects supported by m2act. In this way, m2act aims to raise awareness among the public and cultural policymakers of the concerns and demands in the performing arts. m2act is a project of the Migros Culture Percentage which is part of the social commitment of the Migros Group.

t.l.t.r:

Regula Schröter (co-project development and content consulting), Anna Trombini (production management), Saima Sägesser (director), Belinda Schweizer (communication), Dino Radoncic (internship), Michelle Akanji (coordination & funding operations, not in the image)

Instagram: m2act

REVIEW M2ACT x BURNING ISSUES 2023 – PERFORMING ARTS & ACTION