EFFE – Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe: EFFE platform in Serbia launched!
EFFE Launching Event was held at „BAH – Belgrade Art hotel“,
on Saturday, 1 November 2014, from 10:00h
Festivals from Serbia can apply for the EFFE Festival Label until 15 DECEMBER 2014!
The Launching event of EFFE – Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe platform in Serbia, as well as the Serbian EFFE Hub, took place at „BAH – Belgrade Art hotel“, meeting hall, 27, Knez Mihailova street, on Saturday, 1 November 2014, at 10:00h. Introductory remarks were made by with Ms Višekruna Janković of ArtLink – the new EFFE Hub for Serbia, while a more detailed presentation will be made by Ms Kathrin Deventer, EFA Secretary-General.
EFFE is the EU platform for festivals, established as a pilot project for 2014-2015. EFFE is a result of many years of intense collaboration with the European Commission and the European Parliament. The EFFE Platform answers a project call launched by the European Commission and the European Parliament. Thanks to EFA’s past and present active engagement in Europe’s cultural policy development and thanks to its broad membership, the European Commission gave EFA the mandate to set up a new implementing organisation for this pilot project on the long term. It was launched in 2014 by the former European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou.
EFFE aims to be a portal for professionals and citizens to discover arts festivals in Europe. EFFE will grant the EFFE Festival Label to as many festivals as possible (including from non-EU member states), as well as the EFFE Festival Awards for excellence given to a selected number of festivals – from EU member states only.
EFFE’s overall aims are to increase access to Europe’s diverse festivals by providing key information on Europe’s arts and cultural festivals and to enrich the festival landscape and European society by promoting trends in artistic excellence and innovation in festival production.
Next to the inclusive EFFE Festival Label and the EFFE Festival Awards, activities foreseen in EFFE’s work programme include the EFFE Festival Guide promoting Award and Label winners across various digital and print formats; the EFFE Festival Gala that presents the festivals receiving the Awards and Labels; and an Outreach Programme promoting and reflecting on festival trends and challenges. An International Festival Jury, chaired by Vincent Baudriller (director of the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne and former director of Festival d’Avignon), consisting of eminent leaders from the arts, culture, business, and political sectors will steer the selection process of festivals.
Art Link will be the EFFE Festival Hub in Serbia. The Festival Hub will act as the contact point for artists, festivals, businesses, policy-makers and local audiences.
Following the announcement of ArtLink as EFFE’s Serbian Hub, Festivals from Serbia can apply for the EFFE Festival Label until the EXTENDED DEADLINE – 15 DECEMBER 2014.
