MOVING FROM ME TO WE ONLINE ADAPTING TO VIRTUAL: A PROGRAM OVERVIEW LETTING CREATIVITY FLOURISH: CENTERING ARTISTS

MOVING FROM ME TO WE ONLINE

As the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions on international travel and social distancing made it impossible to convene in-person, all the events of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators planned in 2020 moved online, starting with short half-day online programs for the US Regional Events in April and May. Recognizing the value and inspiration the YCIs took from still being able to connect regardless of location/platform during those two short events, an ambitious overhaul of the annual week-long residential program typically held at Schloss Leopoldskron in October was undertaken. Moving the program online presented challenges – but it also offered a great many opportunities.

The first challenge to be addressed was the timing. After several months of online programs and virtual convenings, it was clear that a five-day full-time program would induce significant “Zoom fatigue”. Instead, the program was spread out from October 12 to 23 with plenary sessions held for just two and a half hours every other day. A plethora of smaller group sessions were programmed across multiple time zones, enabling YCIs to participate around their other commitments. Weekends were left free of formal programming.

The main programmatic challenge was how to ensure “deeply human” and creative connections could be fostered in the online space. The goal of the program was to create connections between participants, to explore the issues and struggles that participants are facing in their work, and to support them to develop collaborative solutions. A robust program that centered interaction, inclusion and the informal and impromptu creative spirit of the YCI Forum was thus developed, adapting many elements of the residential program and making use of a broad array of online tools far beyond just Zoom’s standard video conferencing facilities. The importance of connecting with the body during the online program was also kept foremost in the minds of those participating.

Another challenge was technological. While many of the YCIs had already become greatly accustomed to working remotely and convening online, not all had reliable internet. Financial support was thus offered to increase their internet capacity or purchase equipment that they needed to be able to participate in the online program. Nine participants, all of whom are in the Global South, availed of this support. A pre-program webinar helped to further on-board participants, explain the various platforms to be used over the course of the 10 days, set expectations for the program, and offer an opportunity for any remaining questions that participants had to be addressed.

The greatest opportunity offered was to expand the global reach of the YCI Forum. Previously, participation had been determined by scholarships provided by donors and limited to specific cities or countries, leading to a feeling among some of the previous cohorts that the Global North, especially North America, was over-represented, limiting the “global” nature of Forum. However, as numbers of participants were not restricted by physical space or travel funding, not only were more YCIs were able to take part in the program, but more from the Global South were also able to participate. The lack of such restrictions also meant that a significant number of existing YCI Forum network members were able to be involved in the program as facilitators.

Being able to include more of the existing network members as facilitators offered two significant opportunities: the deepening of connections between cohorts and the inclusion of these facilitators in the co-creation of the program. As the mantra of YCI is “moving from me to we”, this was an opportunity for Salzburg Global Seminar to practice what we preach, effectively giving up ownership of the program and instead becoming a collaborator in its creation. This collaborative, co-creation approach has democratized the YCI Forum, opening up further opportunities for innovation, inclusion and impact.

Online convening had already long provided the opportunity for continued connections between programs and events of the YCI Forum; the great success of this year’s program and the clear enthusiasm of this year’s cohort to strengthen their connections to each other and the wider network of YCIs means that online convening will remain a key component of YCI programming going forward.

“[The YCI Forum] came at a time when I needed it most.

Being in lockdown and creating a new start-up isn’t easy. Salzburg gave me a rich network of people that saw the world that I did and also provided me different ideas of what possibilities I could create. Participating in the cultural art night also gave me a new platform and challenged me to use my voice to influence the world. While we weren’t able to come to Salzburg, the two weeks felt like we

were in Salzburg and every minute mattered to us.” “I needed to remember the beauty of our world this year.

Meeting daily with other like-minded people around the globe to discuss topics, issues, successes, and opportunities within the cross-cultural sector was a much needed reprieve from daily pandemic life. I am assured that I am stepping away from our experience together with knowledge that I didn’t previous have, well-rounded (global) perspectives, and much support. Since the Forum ended, I have kept in touch with several Fellows, and I am certain we will be friends for life. I look forward to making this earth a much more beautiful,

accessible, and just place alongside my new colleagues!” “Throughout the years, many people made fun of the

values I consider can improve our lives and future and I can’t explain the feeling I had on the first day of the Forum, when I understood those values are the core of YCI Forum... YCI Forum connects beings from all around the world, each one lead by a similar drive, similar values and creative ways to shape it into their work and reality. It opens solidarity, reflexivity, understanding, inspiration, solutions finding, interdisciplinary and international collaborations. This is for sure one of the most needed things nowadays: we need to classify, to simplify, to separate, to study deeply one small piece of a puzzle in order to understand, but, then, in order to go further in this understanding, there is the need of bringing back all the small pieces of the puzzle together, see how they articulate, interact, react, intertwine, gather the discoveries made in each pieces in order to see the bigger picture.

This is the strength of YCI Forum. Thank you so much!”

“The [YCI Forum] came at a perfect time for me. I was feeling

overwhelmed, overworked and inspiration was slowly draining itself from me. The YCI felt like an injection of energy and a reminder of my purpose. The connections I made from the other fellows were invaluable and I learnt so much through our sharing of ideas, experiences and expertise. The facilitation

team was dynamic and everything was very well organized.” “When you remember that you’re not the only one in

the world with the same motivations, worries, struggles, hopes, feelings, you feel stronger and more optimistic. You remember why you always thought that you could make a change. You remember that there are a lot of people seeking for this change. You become confident. You commit not to ever give up. Now after just a couple of days

I got new ideas, new aspirations and a lot of HOPE.” “I believe that this seminar in particular offers the possibility

of connecting in a humane way with other people. Today, when

we are so locked in, it helped me as a window to the world.” “This year has been particularly difficult for me with the

added layer of COVID. YCI is exactly what I needed. It helped to give me strength and reignite hope. Many thanks for your support. The YCI Forum and the work of Salzburg Global is

so important. Together, we can create positive change.” “Beyond the social and economic problems, the pandemic

brought us together in the same river. Each of us with different boats. Each with different strengths and weaknesses. We were able to share our strengths and reinforce our weaknesses with the help of others. I am immensely grateful to each and every one of the participants and organizers, producers, facilitators, attendees,

donors and partners of the YCI for giving me this gift.”

ADAPTING TO VIRTUAL: A PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The 2020 program of the YCI Forum, titled A Global Platform for Creative, Just and Sustainable Futures, mixed main sessions for the whole cohort, with small group sharing sessions, capacity building workshops known as pocket sessions, an open space session for impromptu programming, a creative showcase performance, and breakout sessions – additional “rooms” where conversations could continue.

The main sessions of the YCI Forum brought together all of the participants for 2.5 hours, and aimed to create connections across the whole cohort, to link to the overarching challenges affecting the cultural sector, and to get YCIs to start thinking of collaborative solutions to these challenges.

A summary of each of the different main sessions can be found in the APPENDIX [GO TO >>]

On alternate days, participants joined a group for their sharing sessions along with five to 10 other YCIs. These groups, widely reported by participants to be the most transformative element of the program, focused on personal and professional development though self-reflections, peer coaching and mentoring. Groups were facilitated by members of the YCI Forum network who each designed the facilitation framework and held the space for their group over the course of the four 3.5-hour sharing sessions.

Testimonials from the sharing sessions can be found in the APPENDIX [GO TO >>]

Participants were invited to “choose their own adventure” by deciding on two workshops that they would like to participate in. These pocket sessions workshops were designed to give participants some new ideas, skills, tools and approaches to put in their pocket and take with them. The workshops were offered to the 2020 cohort and also opened up to the whole YCI network when they happened for the second time in November. A description of each of the different workshops can be found in the APPENDIX [GO TO >>]

Greta Muscat Azzopardi, a member of the Malta YCI Hub, led a number of mindfulness and breathing exercises that aimed to give participants simple techniques to deal with emotions, to sit with discomfort, and to connect the experiences that they were having online with the physical sensations in their bodies.

These connections to the body and grounding of the YCI experience in the real world was further unpacked by Marc Laws, a YCI Forum facilitator and international yoga teacher, who offered two optional space sessions during the weekend between the two weeks of the program. These sessions focused on self-sustainability and dealing with uncertainty.

“It is definitely NOT ANOTHER WEBINAR. I personally felt at home and understood. We have gone beyond technology!” “The balance between main sessions, small group sessions and

breakout-rooms is great (in the sense of the richness it allows:

balancing big concepts, daily examples, experiences, etc.)”

LETTING CREATIVITY FLOURISH: CENTERING ARTISTS

Authentically centering and celebrating the creativity and brilliance of artists is a vital part of the YCI Forum. All those who are bought into the power of the arts understand that cultural practices – whether that be visual arts, music, dance, spoken word, poetry, storytelling or food – have a deeply humanizing and transformative power. Creating spaces in which creativity is able to flourish was especially important in the context of the online YCI Forum in 2020.

Salzburg Global was delighted that due to support from the Kresge Foundation, theatre maker and poet Steven Fox from Memphis, was able to join the YCI Forum as a virtual Artist in Residence. Steven listened in on sessions and used his skills to craft two powerful and moving poems about the YCI Forum.

One of the highlights of the YCI Forum is always the creative showcase event during which participants are invited to share their creative selves with the group. This year the format was adapted to take place on Zoom by Rocio Rappoport, a member of the Buenos Aires YCI Hub. The WOW! Art! Showcase showcased the work of 12 YCI artists who performed and shared their creative practices live on Zoom for the rest of the cohort. YCI 2020 “Spreader of Sparkles” Burton Bridges, from the Memphis YCI Hub, took on the role of host for the creative showcase supported by a suitably sparkly jacket and extensive collection of feather boas.

YCIs responded with innovative ideas for their performances such as a collaboration between Noémie Anneng, a member of the Salzburg YCI Hub, who provided interpretive dance and movement in response to a poem read by Firdous Hendricks, an arts educator based in Cape Town, South Africa. Performances did not shy away from addressing tough issues, with Lucia Santana from the Buenos Aires YCI Hub, sharing a poem raising awareness about domestic violence, an issue that has become exacerbated for many people around the world during the pandemic. Musicians Tazeen Ayub from Detroit, Dominique Campbell from Detroit, and The New Victorians a musical duo from Malta, all performed for the group. Nancy Muigei from Nairobi, Kenya and Dinah Kerstin Pinto from Manila created a poem about our common connections which they read in their native languages and which exists as an ongoing project with other members of the YCI network invited to add a translation in their own language to the collection of poems.