IETM Brussels: Can We Talk? Art in the age of populism 
 

IETM Autumn Plenary Meeting
23-26 November 
Brussels, Belgium
www.ietm.org/brussels 

More than 700 performing arts professionals from all over the world will gather at IETM Meeting in Brussels, organised in partnership with Kaaitheater and Charleroi danse, to engage in a collective reflection on the position of the art sector in the age of populism. 

The programme will offer more than 30 sessions: keynote speeches, panel discussions, roundtable debates, interactive working groups, practical trainings, networking and mentor sessions. The meeting will also give space for presenting participants’ art projects and initiatives, thus facilitating networking and the emergence of cross-border partnerships. The artistic programme compiled from the city’s existing offer will demonstrate the richness of the Belgian contemporary performing arts scene. 

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Can We Talk? Art in the age of populism

We live in an age of confusion. Some political circles nourish our suspicion against the “other”, some incite our aversion to the neoliberal status-quo. Each side assumes they own the moral case and demonises the opponent. Meanwhile, simplification, antagonism and provocation are overtaking the political scene.

What is populism – ideology, movement or simply a style? Is it a weapon against democracy – because it shrinks the space for plurality? Or is it its last vessel of hope – because it brings politics closer to the people?  

IETM Brussels will discuss the position of the art sector regarding the growing populist sentiments and its role in providing for more social engagement. 

Besides, the meeting programme will shed light on some of the most vital issues affecting the performing arts professionals today: cross-border taxation and social security in the context of international mobility, EU cultural policies and funding for culture, self-censorship in the art sector, arts’ practices addressing migration and forced mobility, artistic work in rural areas, among others.

Speakers:
Eric Corijn (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Tunde Adefioye (KVS), Jean-Marc Adolphe (Mouvement), Dirk Geldof (University of Antwerp), Ondrej Hrab (Archa Theatre), You Mi (Academy of Media Arts Cologne), Michał Merczynski (Malta festival - Poznan), Pelin Basaran (Siyah Bant), among others.

More information
Introduction: www.ietm.org/brussels 
Meeting programme: www.ietm.org/en/ietm-brussels-plenary-meeting-2017/programme 

Organisers
IETM: www.ietm.org 
Kaaitheater: www.kaaitheater.be 
Charleroi danse: www.charleroi-danse.be