CTM project #shares: 2024 Knowledge Roundtable
What is CTM project?
Cultural Transformation Movement (CTM) project is a context-based process to diversify artistic production and its destination starting from within the organisation. It is led by Trans Europe Halles with four of TEH members, Brunnenpassage from Austria, VIERNULVIER from Belgium, Zo centro culture contemporanee from Italy, IZOLYATSIA. Platform for Cultural Initiatives from Ukraine. With the Cultural Transformation Movement project, we are taking real steps, making genuine commitments and openly sharing experiences with the other TEH members about how to make social justice a priority in arts, culture and creative industries. Funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, the Cultural Transformation Movement project is designed for four years (2023-2027) and aims to transform the participating cultural organisations, so they include and reflect the full range of backgrounds and perspectives to be found in European society today.
What is Knowledge Roundtable?
Knowledge Roundtable is an essential part of the CTM project happening on the transnational, collective level. Facilitated by Israel Aloni, the CTM project researcher, Knowledge Roundtable is an annual meet-up at TEH Camp Meeting aiming to present the so-far research findings, as well as share and collectively reflect on the important project knowledge and valuable insights collected by the CTM project researcher over the past year. The CTM project knowledge is being built gradually over the years 2024-2027 and will eventually culminate in the CTM project final publication.
CTM project partners are active participants of Knowledge Roundtable, together with other TEH members who are invited to participate as observers.
What was the second Knowledge Roundtable held at 2024 TEH Camp Meeting 98 'Argatia' about?
The second Knowledge Roundtable that took place in October 2024 at the annual TEH Camp Meeting 98 focused on the concept of community as both the origin of and the destination for artistic and cultural work.
- How do we reconcile the needs of connecting with communities while meeting the demands of organizations and funders?
- What are the challenges and benefits for artists working with communities, and how can we avoid tokenism or cultural extractivism?
- What practical steps can we take to build equitable, sustainable relationships with communities?
The CTM project emphasizes the importance of relational ethics, exploring how communities are defined, formed and engaged. Participants examined the dynamics of identity, power, contribution and context, generating over 60 questions to reflect on their work with communities.
From the report: "Do not take communities out of context. Community is always in relation to the inside and the outside".
Interested in the intersection of community engagement, ethics, and cultural transformation? Keen to explore methodologies for building stronger connections with communities in arts and culture? Curious to read more about what was discussed during the 2024 Knowledge Roundtable of the Cultural Transformation Movement (CTM) project?
