First World Summit of Community Arts Centers and Networks

First World Summit of Community Arts Centers and Networks
24-28 September, 2014, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

The First World Summit of Community Arts Centers and Networks will be held between September 24 - 28, 2014, in the historic capital of Bulgaria, the city of Veliko Turnovo, with the generous support of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo as candidate for European Capital of Culture 2019. The realization of the Summit is supported by our generous host, the mayor of Veliko Tarnovo. We are expecting the participation of representatives of networks and cultural centers from about 50 countries from 5 continents.

THEME
The theme of the event is "Creativity and Well-being for All: Changing the Future!". The topic addresses the role of community cultural centers and their networks and in general arts and creativity for sustainable community development and the rising demand for cultural policies as mediation between people's demands and public politics. The theme will be enriched by the various good practices presented by the countries and by one of our speakers, Damian Hebron, Director of the London Arts in Health Forum - bringing together the arts, health, and wellbeing.

PROGRAM
The event will be interactive series of working groups aimed at crafting long-term cooperation strategies led by world-renowned experts in the field of cultural policies and projects. Along with a historical exploration of the old capital Veliko Tarnovo, during the program, the participants will visit local community cultural centers and will engage participants in collective bread-making with "Theater of Crumbs" and "Kitchen Music" at the innovative cultural center called the Bread House, part of the Bread Houses Network.
Please read program here

ORGANIZERS
The organizer of the event is the International Council for Cultural Centers (I3C) in association with the European Network for Cultural Centers (ENCC). The ENCC comprises 14 national networks from 12 European countries and 10 associated individual cultural centers on the continent. This year, we combine the ENCC's annual Europe-wide Shortcut Europeconference of community cultural centers networks together with this first of its kind meeting of networks dedicated to community arts from across continents.
The International Council for Cultural Centers was established in 2008 in Bulgaria with the purpose to serve as the global platform for meeting, unity, coordination, and cooperation of national and continental networks of community cultural centers, facilitating the exchange of good practices and the creation of international project. I3C was founded in particular in Bulgaria, because it is the home of one of the oldest and largest networks of community cultural centers in the world, called in Bulgarian "chitalishte".

PARTICIPANTS
The First World Summit aims to bring together experts from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America representing Ministries of Culture, non-governmental organizations, associations, or networks of community cultural centers/community arts organizations.

GOALS OF THE SUMMIT
The World Summit aims to bring together for the first time national networks from different continents in order to inspire them to unite in continental platforms that can catalyze more fruitful cooperation across borders and continents. The Summit will establish the official statute of the International Council for Cultural Centers as the world organization of community cultural networks.

REGISTRATION
We invite networks and other cultural organizations to register on our website, where you can read more practical information.
Registrate here

WEBSITE
www.worldsummit.international3c.org

PARTNERS
Budapest Observatory on Cultural Policies, Culturelink Network, Red Lationamericana de Artes para Transformacion Social and Cultura Viva Comunitaria, Fundacion Crear vale la pana

In media cooperation of:
Latin American Cultura Viva Comunitaria Platform and Latin American Network of Arts for Social Transformation, African Arterial Network, Asia-Europe Foundation, Arts Network Asia, Amateo: European Network for Active Participation in Cultural Activities, ENCATC, TranEuropeHalles/ArtFactories

For further information please visit the official website of World Summit www.worldsummit.international3c.org

Please address all questions at office@international3c.org or@email

Address: 61, Nishava str., Sofia, Bulgaria 1680

Telephone: +359-885 979 798

You are also welcome to contact the ENCC office:

@email