Locop local perspectives 2016 by 436 studio

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

Project design for the Evaluation of European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) from the Perspective of Local Cultural Operators

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

THE FRAMEWORK ECOC AIMS IN BRIEF

LOCOP is a young and independent research lab specialised in cultural research. Our aim is to critically assess cultural policies and supra-regional funding strategies according to their real-life effects for cultural operators in their particular local context.

The ECOC programme, according to José Barroso, is generally described as the “flagship cultural initiative of the European Union, possibly the best known and most appreciated by European citizens” (Patel 2013:2). The programme started in 1985 on the initiative of the then Greek Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri with the intention to put cities at the heart of cultural life across Europe on the one hand, and to “consider culture as a ‘tool’ to foster European identity and to strengthen the support for European integration” on the other hand (Mittag 2013: 40).

LOCOP offers in-depth experience in practical cultural management both in independent and institutional frameworks, as well as highly specified research tools for the evaluation of cultural processes based in anthropology and political sciences. In collaboration with local operators we develop highly profiled research specified for the particular demands of the cultural field. Next to our academic expertise we provide years of practical experience in cultural work that facilitates the access to our research subjects – simply as we approach cultural operators out of their own peer group, combined with the offer to actively participate and thus benefit from a growing international network of actors with similar aims and issues. Aiming to further improve this network-based platform for issuemapping, idea exchange, reciprocal consulting and critical assessment, we continuously extend our pool of experts, researchers and consultants that derive from various fields of cultural and social sciences and related disciplines, including urban planners, cultural and social workers as well as practicing artists.

According to the Decision No 1622/2006 by the European Committee, the programme aims to improve the quality of life in the ECoC cities and strengthen their sense of community through culture and art. Citizens can take part in the yearlong activities and play a bigger role in their city’s development and cultural expression. According to the Decision, between 2007-2019 the ECoC programme should fulfil several criteria, which are subdivided into two categories: ‘the European Dimension’ and ‘City and Citizens’. “1. As regards ‘the European Dimension’, the programme shall: (a) foster cooperation between cultural operators, artists and cities from the relevant Member States and other Member States in any cultural sector;

The LOCOP project was initiated with support of the Goethe-Institute. LOCAL PERSPECTIVES is a Project of Excellence by the Goethe-Institut and LOCOP.

(b) highlight the richness of cultural diversity in Europe;

Sustainability and participation are core requirements for the ECoC programme. Sustainability and long-term cultural strategy require a plan for sustaining the cultural activities beyond the year of the title. Participation is outlined as the continuous involvement of local artists and cultural organisations in the conception, implementation and evaluation of the cultural programme. 2

(c) bring the common aspects of European cultures to the fore. 2. As regards ‘City and Citizens’ the programme shall: (a) foster the participation of the citizens living in the city and its surroundings and raise their interest as well as the interest of citizens from abroad; (b) be sustainable and be an integral part of the long-term cultural and social development of the city.” (Decision No 1622/2006)

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

PLOVDIV THE LOCAL OPERATORS’ ROLE IN ECOCS Albeit the European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) programme has been discussed and treated in many official studies from different angles, most of these studies overlook questions of sustainability especially in terms of the cities’ long-term cultural and social development. To fulfil the core requirements of sustainability and participation, we first have to understand the importance of participation. Participation is outlined by the programme guidelines as the local population and civil society’s involvement in the whole ECoC programme, from the preparation of the application through the implementation of the action and evaluation. This model of involvement would meet the merits of the general understanding of participation: those, who are affected by the outcome of a programme, should be involved in the whole process, from planning to follow-ups. To ensure participation we have to focus on the roles of local operators. These local operators are local stakeholders in the cultural field, for example small sociocultural initiatives and NGOs in the fields of arts and culture. They can be involved in the ECoC programmes at different stages and on various levels, but the best practice guidelines highlight their full involvement from the planning period throughout the whole process. In the case of ECoC this means, that the local operators should be the main stakeholders and actors of the programme, as they are rooted in the local cultural scene and they can directly communicate with various groups of civil society. Through ensuring participation and the local operators’ involvement, we also have the key to cultural sustainability. The continuous involvement of local operators’ and civil society’s participation in planning, implementation and evaluation will ensure that the cultural investments during the ECoC are responding to the needs and interests to the civil society, therefore they will be naturally motivated to keep up this heritage and sustain the cultural projects, organisations, spaces and events, therefore by supporting the local operators’ we can ensure a sustainable cultural investment. Evaluating ECocs Project-accompanying long-term research and evaluation are inevitable in order to secure or even improve the quality and effect of cultural projects according to

ECOC 2019

their relevance and impact in society. Critical self-assessment is the key to understanding, developing and eventually improving the context, effects and perception of the efforts that have been or will be undertaken. Just like the conception of the actual cultural projects these complex and specific evaluations require a high degree of sensitivity for both the particular cultures as well as the specific local contexts.

LOCAL CULTURAL NETWORK (MESO-LEVEL MODEL)

ECoCs are required to have an evaluation of their programme, with a special focus on the above mentioned criteria. According to the Decision No 1622/2006, it must be completed by the end of the year after the ECoC year and sent to the European Commission. It will be published and acts as a step in public accountability. The evaluations should cover a wide range of objectives, therefore the various objectives require a large range of evaluation methods, but in general the evaluation should be both quantitative and qualitative. The general evaluation is recommended to be carried out by an organisation independent of the ECoC management but with full access to all records. Also, the areas of particular importance – according to the main aims named in the bidbook – require additional evaluation in most cases.

Local operators are the stakeholders of local participation, as they are well rooted in the local cultural field, linking the local population, the actors of the local, national, international cultural or social field and the ECoC board. They represent the needs and interests of the civil society; therefore they can ensure wider participation.

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

Following the ECoC guidelines local operators should be the main stakeholders and actors of the programme, as they are the stakeholders of local participation, and they represent the needs and interests of the civil society. By ensuring participation and the local operators’ involvement, we also have the key to ensure a sustainable cultural investment. Therefore local operators’ involvement should be one of the main focuses of the ECoC evaluation, as by evaluating their involvement and development, we can indirectly evaluate the steps towards sustainable cultural development.

enabling and supporting participation

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES ADDED EUROPEAN VALUE

ECOC

CITY

LOCAL CULTURAL OPERATORS

COMMUNITIES NETWORKS

SOCIETY

participation

SUSTAINABLE CULTURAL FIELD

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

THE LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM The Local Operators’ Platform (LOCOP) currently develops an evaluation tool for the European Capitals of Culture Programme from the perspective of local cultural operators. Although our programme for evaluation is developed in relation to the European Capitals of Culture Programme, we see it as a widely applicable evaluation model based on discursive practices, repeated issue mapping and the values of participatory democracy in general. LOCOP offers highly specified research tools for the evaluation of cultural processes based in anthropology and political sciences, as well as in-depth experience in practical cultural management both in independent and institutional frameworks. We created a constantly growing international network of local cultural operators that ranges from independent grass root organisations to established institutions. Aiming to further improve this network-based platform for issue-mapping, idea exchange, reciprocal consulting and critical assessment, we continuously extend our pool of experts. Our core group consists of researchers and consultants that derive from various fields of cultural and social sciences and related disciplines, urban planners, cultural and social workers as well as practicing artists. According to the very particular case studies we deal with, we apply selected quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and tackle the most urgent issues that appear in the processes of real-life cultural practice. Having comparable backgrounds in cultural practice like our target groups, we are in a privileged position to enter the dialog, understand problems and communicate them to actors that are not necessarily familiar with the needs and demands of the cultural field, such as politicians, funding organisations, investors or supra-regional organisations.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

PROGRAMME PILLARS NETWORK

RESEARCH PLATFORM

NETWORK MEETINGS

RESEARCH MEETINGS

VISIBILITY ADVOCACY

CONFERENCES PUBLICATIONS

LOCOP’s programme is based on two main pillars: the network and the research platform. With this programme we build a model that is widely applicable in further fields, that goes beyond the specific cases of ECOC programmes or cultural policy research on its own.

1. LOCOP NETWORK

2. RESEARCH PLATFORM

The LOCOP Network consists of local cultural operators from former, present and future ECoC cities who participate in the research and network meetings that are held every year. The personal meetings during the issue-mapping interviews supported the establishment of an international network: based on these meetings we selected the participants for our network meetings.

The Research Platform is overlapping with the LOCOP Network, involving practitioners, scholars and researchers from the fields of cultural management, cultural policy, urbanism, cultural theory and social sciences. In a think-tank format we seek to establish a research framework to address the main questions in relation to local operators’ involvement in the ECoC programme.

NETWORK MEETINGS With the network we organise regular symposiums and smaller meetings to encourage the development of the cultural sector in the CEE region and to strengthen professional structures for a sustainable and future-oriented cultural framework. Our non-hierarchical meetings enable networking and exchange between the participants, including an on-going transfer of knowledge.

RESEARCH MEETINGS Within the Research Platform we invite fellow thinkers and researchers to discuss research aims, levels and formats to unveil the correlations and difficulties of local operators’ involvement interweaved with issues of participatory governance and sustainability. With these meetings we aim to explore a field that, in most cases, remains unreflected both in academic research and policy-making – in order to build strategies and research frameworks for the representation of our questions. We discuss the various studies and methodologies of ECOC policy evaluations, and analyse good practices as well as studies on policy analysis and programme implementation in order to further improve our joint research activities.

VISIBILITY, ADVOCACY To further support exchange and collaboration among local operators, we have established an online platform (www.locop.org) and distribute information through newsletters, next to sharing information on social media channels. Eventually we wish to present constructive proposals for more positive results of future ECoC programmes.

CONFERENCES, PUBLICATIONS We regularly present our research activities on conferences, and publish studies and research plans.

NETWOR MEETING

NETWORK

RESEARCH PLATFORM

ISSUE MAPPI 8

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

EVALUATION MODEL The Evaluation Model aims to address participation and sustainability. As we outlined, both are highlighted as central aims in the ECoC programme guidelines. Nevertheless, methodological difficulties can be expected when evaluating participation and sustainability with conventional evaluation methods, such as surveys and quantitative data analysis. Therefore we develop an Evaluation Model that specifically addresses and supports participation by continuous long-term evaluation, providing relevant feedback on the development of the local cultural field, and therefore also providing a framework for sustainable cultural development. This model is developed within the framework of the LOCOP Research Platform and Network in collaboration with local operators from ten ECoCs, based on actual experiences and suggestions. In our network meetings we use various methods to address issues such as sustainable economy models for local operators; participatory approaches; communication and sustainability in terms of urban development; communication and cultural planning. Furthermore, the Network supports the exchange about the development of sustainable cultural organisational models. These discussions lead to a pool of issues, recommendation and requirements from the actual lo-

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

cal operators’, which are / were involved in the ECoC programme. The Research Platform additionally discusses the key points of the research, methodology and the framework of the long-term evaluation model in relation to the whole programme cycle. Furthermore the LOCOP evaluation concept will be also consulted by the Evaluation Deptartment of the Goethe–Institute’s headquarter and their new method set “Kultur wirkt?”.

ISSUE MAPPING

With these measures, we aim to support the implementation of more sustainable cultural policies at a panEuropean level. With further research and case studies we are taking a vital step toward the evaluation of the ECoC programmes from this important point of view that has been neglected in the past.

So far this practice has been successfully applied in ECoC cities in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Baltic countries. We have already conducted guided-interviews with local operators in seven European Capitals of Culture, therefore provide experience and a good comparative base. A summary of the first cycle of issue mapping has been published on the Goethe-Institut’s website. In the long-term evaluation model the issue mapping is going to be repeated all together five times: 3-4 years before the ECoC year, 1 year before, during the actual year, 1 year and 3 years after the ECoC year.

In the evaluation model we base our research toolkit on anthropological and qualitative methods, as local operators’ involvement and role not directly measurable, and it is also important to understand the underlying networks and decision-making processes. Therefore according to the needs of the research stages and issues at stake, we apply issue mapping, participatory observation, discourse analysis, interview techniques, world café, policy analysis, network analysis and actornetwork theory.

NETWORK MEETINGS

NETWORK RESEARCH PLATFORM

RESEARCH MEETINGS

CONFERENCES, PUBLICATIONS

In every selected ECoC we organise at least one event, networking and / or research meetings to provide a framework of knowledge sharing. Our aim is to highlight the importance of local community involvement as a bridge between the ECoC’s top-down management strategy and the local organisations’ bottom-up approach. By addressing the interests and needs of local operators we aim to foster the continuity and sustainability of follow-up processes in European Capitals of Culture programmes.

CASE STUDIES The issue mapping and events provide the base for case studies to follow the process of local operators’ involvement in its continuity. This provides feedback equally for the operators and the ECoC board, but also for general cultural policy-development on EU level.

PLOVDIV ECOC 2019

EVALUATION MODEL ISSUE MAPPING

Qualitative, structured interviews form the base for the first part of the methodological toolkit of the research. The interviews are based on a repeated series of openended questions in order to map of the various issues of local operators. These recorded issues are the guidelines for our further analysis and the starting point for the focused case study.

EVENTS FOR LOCAL OPERATORS’ INVOLVEMENT

CASE STUDIES

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

TOGETHER / ECOC IN PLOVDIV AIMS IN BRIEF The title of Plovdiv2019 is “Together”. According to the bidbook, the “concept of the programme for Plovdiv 2019 is to turn the citizens’ attention towards ‘Plovdiv Together’, towards sharing cultures and spaces, towards involvement and participation, to flat hierarchies and grass-root movements, to seeing the city as a common, shared space – a European city of the 21st century with an inclusive, open atmosphere and vertical roots that keep it connected to its history” (Plovdiv Together 2019. Candidate for European Capital of Culture (bidbook)). The programme has four platforms: Fuse – for social cohesion and inclusion; Transform – to revitalize isolated landmarks by focusing on shared urban spaces; Revive – bringing the tangible and intangible heritage into a contemporary context; and Relax – returning to European values, well-being, the culture of ”Ayliak”. These platforms are in line with the overall main aim of Plovdiv 2019: to establish an inclusive and participatory programme and a sustainable cultural development (Plovdiv Together 2019. Candidate for European Capital of Culture (bidbook); Nomination of the European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria 2019, Selection Panel, Pre-Selection Report, Sofia, 10-12 December 2013). The aims outlined in the bidbook are de facto the contract for ECoCs. Based on Plovdiv2019’s bidbook, the Selection Panel praised the city’s approach to foster participation and its commitment to sustainable, longterm development (Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019, Informal Post-Designation Meeting, Report by the Monitoring and Advisory Panel, Brussels, September 2015).

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

LOCAL OPERATORS IN PLOVDIV

EVALUATING TOGETHERNESS

LOCOP IN PLOVDIV

During the pre-selection period in 2013 the ECoC Selection panel noted that many applicant cities already took steps to involve their local communities, and especially in the case of Plovdiv “the programme themes were well presented and indicated a high degree of citizen’s engagement in their development phase” (Nomination of the European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria 2019, Selection Panel, Pre-Selection Report, Sofia, 10-12 December 2013).

The selection panel highlighted the role of evaluation at the pre-selection and selection meetings. They recommended the collection of base-year qualitative and quantative data as a start for monitoring and evaluation process. As a requirement, they have reminded the cities, that “the evaluations should include references to the two main ECOC criteria, the European Dimension (e.g. how Plovdiv citizens become more aware of the diversity of European cultures as a result of the ECOC) and the city and citizens (e.g. how citizens feel more engaged in civic decision making)”. (Selection of the European Capital of Culture in 2019 in Bulgaria, Selection Panel, Final Report, Sofia, October 2014)

We are convinced that the key for sustainability and social development is based on the model of participation. Participation is not only a requirement for sustainable cultural and social development, but also the base for democratic transformation.

It is stated in the bidbook that the Foundation aims to ensure the participation of cultural operators in the city and region, as this inclusive approach is the main focus and backbone of Plovdiv Together. Although full participation is the aim, it is also one of the main challenges of Plovdiv 2019 to gain trust and participation of the minorities and majorities of Plovdivians, and to stop exclusion [Plovdiv Together 2019. Candidate for European Capital of Culture (bidbook)]. The challenges that the city face are for example the inclusion of citizens living in disconnected bubbles with many vulnerable members: the Roma community – with little interaction with the rest of the city –; vulnerable people, young, elderly, LGBT communities, etc. Against this background the ECoC is seen as an element of a policy of human rights and dignity and a way to unite the divisions through participation and inclusion. In line with the City and Citizens dimension Plovdiv aims to establish a strong commitment and participation of the social, economic and cultural sphere. One of the examples was the Kosmos cinema project, which according to the bidbook derives from community activism and interweaves architectural heritage with community engagement and memory of the socialist period. Other recognised programmes by the panel were those that presented the Roma population as a core part of Plovdiv ‘s society, therefore these community oriented projects were highly supported and contributed in big extent to the winning of the bid. In these projects the local operators’ will have a crucial importance. As a special request, the panel recommended “the bidbook should highlight in more detail how citizens, as well as cultural operators, have been involved in the development of the programme (rather than being informed) and how the programme has been (and will be continue to be) influenced by their concerns. It is expected that such engagement encompass the wide range of citizens in each city (and region if appropriate)”. (Nomination of the European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria 2019, Selection Panel, Pre-Selection Report, Sofia, 10-12 December 2013).

What the Local Operators’ Platform can offer for the evaluation in Plovdiv, is a focused evaluation model for the evaluation of the main aim, “togetherness”. As we outlined our main focus and field of expertise is centered on participation, which is the key of sustainable cultural development. For this evaluation qualitative data will be especially important. Therefore as the first step towards the evaluation, we will conduct an issue mapping on the local cultural scene.

According to the bidbook a team from the Plovdiv University is already in place for evaluation and monitoring. The work is already running in what regards methodology, questionnaires have been developed for surveys, timetables have been agreed and tasks have been assigned. Nevertheless no special evaluation strategy was announced, for example for the evaluation of the local operators’ involvement, or sustainable cultural development.

As it is already stated in the bidbook that the Foundation aims to ensure the participation of cultural operators in the city and region, we can join these efforts by offering our collaboration on the evaluation of participation of local cultural operators’. We can further support the transformations outlined in the bidbook by connecting the local operators to our LOCOP network and by organising events for the local operators where they can already meet and practice ‘togetherness’.

PLOVDIV ECOC 2019

LOCAL OPERATORS’ OVERALL STATUS

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

– PARTICIPATION – SUPPORTIVE CULTURAL STRATEGY OF ECOC CITY

NON-SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

– INCLUSION & SUPPORT BY ECOC BOARD

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM

REFERENCES European Capitals of Culture 2020 - 2033 Guide for cities preparing to bid http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/documents/ecoc-candidates-guide_en.pdf European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) 2020-2033 Guidelines for the cities’ own evaluations of the results of each ECoC http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/documents/ecoc/city-own-guide_en.pdf European Capitals of Culture more than 30 years http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/documents/ecoc-fact-sheet_en.pdf Decision No 1622/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a Community action for the European Capital of Culture event for the years 2007 to 2019 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri =CELEX:32006D1622&from=EN Mittag, J. (2013) ‘The changing concept of the European Capitals of Culture: between the endorsement of European identity and city advertising’. in. Patel, Kiran Klaus (eds). The Cultural Politics of Europe. European capitals of culture and European Union since the 1980s. Routledge, pp. 39-55. Nomination of the European Capital of Culture in Bulgaria 2019, Selection Panel, Pre-Selection Report, Sofia, 10-12 December 2013 http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/documents/ecoc/2019/preselection-report-bulgaria_en.pdf Patel, K. K. (2013) ‘Introduction’. in. Patel, Kiran Klaus (eds). The Cultural Politics of Europe. European capitals of culture and European Union since the 1980s. Routledge, pp. 1-17.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVES

Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019, Informal Post-Designation Meeting, Report by the Monitoring and Advisory Panel, Brussels, September 2015 http://plovdiv2019.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Plovdiv-2019-Informal-Post-Designation-Meeting-ReportSep-2015-final-pub-1.pdf Plovdiv Together 2019. Candidate for European Capital of Culture (bidbook) http://www.ecoc2019bulgaria.eu/images/content/33/ app_en_plovdiv.pdf Selection of the European Capital of Culture in 2019 in Bulgaria, Selection Panel, Final Report, Sofia, October 2014 http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/documents/ecoc/2019/report-bulgaria_en.pdf

PROJECT LEADERS

CONTACT

SZILVIA NAGY is the initiator of the LOCOP project. She is responsible for LOCOP’s research activities and conducted most of the interviews with local cultural operators in Eastern European ECOCs. Szilvia is a cultural researcher and curator from Budapest,Hungary. She holds an MA in Cultural and Visual Anthropology and in Political Science. She is also a PhD Candidate in the Film, Media and Contemporary Culture Studies PhD Programme, in the Department of Philosophy at the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. The provisional title for her research thesis is “Inclusive Museums in Eastern Europe: Social Networks and Institutional Transformation in the Field of Art”, and her research focusses on the transforming institutional background of the art field, especially the structural changes and their analysis by means of network theories. Her interest in the institutional transformations are closely related to her curatorial approach to present and organise reflective exhibitions, actions, symposiums, and workshops on the new developments of institutional critique, and to estimate her curatorial projects with her academic interests. Her curatorial experience includes her work as a project manager and curator at the Miskolc Institute of Contemporary Art (M.ICA) between 2008-2012.

We are looking forward to provide more detailed information on our concepts and methods. Please don’t hesitate to contact us: locop.project@gmail.com +36 70 615 0713 (Szilvia Nagy) www.locop.org

ĽUBOŠ BIŠTO is a freelance project manager and film programmer from Košice, Slovakia. From 2013 to 2014, he worked as a project manager for Trans Europe Halles Conference in Amsterdam as a follow-up to several conferences and networking projects that he managed in his hometown of Košice. He studied film studies at the Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic from 2010 to 2012. Before that, in 2010, he completed his bachelor’s degree in British and American studies at the University of P.J.Šafárik, Košice, Slovakia. Since 2012, he has been the film programmer of Kino Úsmev cinema and its predecessor Kino Biograf. He worked internationally on projects ranging from music gigs, street art festivals, and exhibitions including those funded by the European Commission, with partners from Central and Eastern Europe.

LOCAL OPERATORS’ PLATFORM