I’m a huge fan of the IETM – definitely the most passionate and engaged member organisation that I’ve experienced. The board members (who now include the newly elected and truly inspirational Judith Knight), staff, city partners and ‘regular’ members are achieving Very Important Things in terms of cultural policy in the EU and globally.
One of my favourite IETM moments was during the 2008 meeting in Ljubljana – the opening plenary was delivered by the then Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti who, as he explained how he’d spent the previous six months campaigning at the highest level to ensure that the word “culture’ was included in the next version of the Lisbon Treaty, was backdropped by a company of dancers who were ‘protesting’ by warming up and rehearsing behind him. It was very beautiful and I wish someone had filmed it.
Personal highlights from the Stockholm meeting included:
– a four hour workshop with a philosopher/musicologist and a clinical psychologist using Wagner’s Ring cycle as a metaphor for organisational change
– a VERY MALE circus show in a massive hangar in the suburbs
– spending much time with friends, especially Ed & Paul
– and this
[vimeo 22489185]
All in all an excellent trip. Well done IETM. Again.