About the Biennale
The Biennale is considered one of the most important Mediterranean events focussing on youth creativity, and presents the work of artists from 18 to 30 years old, across all art forms. The chosen theme for the XIII edition of the Biennale 2008 is "Kairos - Our Creative Diversity: Kairos" (pronounced keeros) is a Greek word meaning fit time, opportunity, a point in time where change is possible.
The event is promoted by the International Association for the Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (BJCEM) which was founded in July 2001 in Sarajevo. The Biennale itself however started in 1985 in Barcelona, followed by Thessaloniki 1986, Barcelona 1987, Bologna 1988, Marseille 1990, Valencia 1992, Lisbon 1994, Turin 1997, Rome 1999, Sarajevo 2001, Athens 2003 and Naples 2005. The objective of the Biennale is to strengthen cooperation among ministries, municipalities, institutions and cultural associations in Europe to promote youth creativity, intercultural dialogue, international exchange and peaceful relations beyond the existing political and geographical borders of the Euro-Mediterranean area.
For the first time young artists from England will be able to take part in the Biennale. Arts Council England East Midlands has agreed to be a partner organisation and in partnership with Derby University, Loughborough University, Nottingham Trent University and De Montfort University, we have 18 artists taking part in this years event. While participation in the Biennale may eventually be open across the whole of England, the East Midlands is fortunate in being the first English region to take part in this exciting event.
Bodies and countries participating in 2008:
- Albania*1:
- Independent Forum for the Albanian Women (Forumi i Gruas), Tirana
- Algeria*:
- Association Amis de la Biennale de Tipasa (ABIT), Alger
- Austria:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vienna
- Belgium:
- King Baudouin Foundation, Brussels
- Bosnia Herzegovina*:
- International Peace Center (IPC), Sarajevo; J.U. National Theatre Tuzla, Tuzla; U.G. Alternativni Institut, Mostar
- Bulgaria
- Croatia*:
- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rijeka; Miroslav Kraljevic Gallery, Zagreb
- Cyprus*:
- Ministry of Education and Culture/ Cultural Service, Nicosia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Egypt*:
- Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center (Alex Med), L'Atelier d'Alexandrie, Alexandria
- Estonia:
- Department for Ancient Near Eastern Studies - Faculty of Theology - University of Tartu
- Finland*:
- Cultural Office (Kulttuuriasiainkeskus)/City of Helsinki
1 *BJCEM members, **BJCEM partners
- France*:
- Centre Européen de Création et de Développement Culturel (CECDC), Aix en Provence; Espace Culture Marseille; Direction Affaires Culturelles/City of Montpellier; Agglomeration Toulon Provence Mediterranee
- FYROM*:
- Association for International Youth Cooperation, Skopje; Pogon Youth Centre, Skopje.
- Germany:
- Goethe-Institut, München
- Greece*:
- Ministry of National Education/ General Secretariat of Youth, Athens; Municipality of Thessaloniki/ Directorate of Culture/ Department of Cultural and Artistic Events; Social and Cultural Organization of Stavroupolis (IRIS), Stavroupolis, Thessaloniki
- Hungary:
- Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Budapest; Teleki László Institute, Budapest
- Ireland:
- Centre for International Studies, Dublin
- Israel**2:
- Digital Center of Holon
- Italy*:
- Arci Nazionale; Arci Arezzo; Arci Bari; Arci Lazio; Arci Lecce; Arci Livorno; Arci Milano; Arci Napoli; Arci Pescara; Arci Salerno; Arci Torino; Arci Sicilia; Comune di Ancona/ Assessorato alle Politiche Giovanili; Comune di Bologna/ Assessorato alla Cultura/ Ufficio Promozione Giovani Artisti; Comune di Campobasso/ Assessorato alle Politiche Giovanili; Comune di Catania/ Assessorato alle Politiche Giovanili; Comune di Ferrara/ Assessorato alle Politiche Giovanili; Comune di Firenze/ Direzione Cultura; Comune di Forlì/ Assessorato al Progetto Giovani; Comune di Genova/ Direzione Cultura/ Ufficio Cultura e Città; Comune di Giugliano in Campania/ Assessorato alla Cultura; Comune di Messina/ Assessorato alle Politiche Giovanili/ Ufficio Giovani Artisti; Comune di Milano/ Settore Giovani; Comune di Modena/ Settore Cultura/ Giovani d'Arte; Comune di Padova/ Settore Servizi Sociali / Progetto Giovani; Comune di Palermo/ Assessorato alle Attività Sociali; Comune di Parma/ Assessorato alla Cultura e alle Politiche Giovanili; Comune di Pisa/ Dipartimento Servizi alle Persone/ Progetto Giovani Artisti; Comune di Prato/ Assessorato alla Cultura; Comune di Roma/ Zone Attive; Comune di Torino/ Divisione Servizi Culturali/ Ufficio Giovani Artisti; Comune di Venezia/ Ufficio Politiche Giovanili/ Archivio Giovani Artisti/ ShortInVenice; Provincia di Arezzo/ Assessorato Istruzione/ Politiche Sociali e Giovanili; Provincia di Napoli/ Presidenza/ Direzione Comunicazione; Fondazione Mediterraneo.
- Jordan*:
- Performing Arts Center (PAC), Amman
- Kosovo*:
- Kosovar Youth Council (KYC), Prishtina
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lybia
- Lithuania:
- Lithuanian Institute, Vilnius
- Luxembourg
- Malta*:
- Association Inizjamed, Pembroke
- Montenegro**:
- Ministry of Culture
- Morocco
- Netherlands:
- European Cultural Foundation, Amsterdam
- Norway
- Palestine**:
- Sabreen Association for Artistic Development
- Poland:
- International Cultural Center, Kraków
- Portugal*:
- Clube Portugues de Artes e Ideias, Lisboa
- Romania
- Rom Nation
- San Marino*:
- Ufficio Attività Sociali e Culturali/ Segreteria di Stato per gli Istituti Culturali
- Serbia*:
- Centre for Youth Creativity (CSM), Belgrade
- Slovakia:
- National Trust of Slovakia (Narodny Trust Slovenska), Bratislava
- Slovenia*:
- Association SKUC, Ljubliana
- Spain*:
- Ayuntamiento de Alicante/ Concejalia de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Barcelona; Ayuntamiento de Jerez/ Concejalia de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Madrid/ Concejalia de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Malaga/ Area de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Murcia/ Concejalìa de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Palma de Mallorca/ Concejalia de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Salamanca/ Concejalia de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Sevilla/ Delegatiòn de Juventud; Ayuntamiento de Valencia/ Concejalìa de Juventud; Recursos Animaciò Intercultural (RAI), Barcelona; Fundacion VEO, Valencia
- Sweden
2 *BJCEM members, **BJCEM partners
- Syria
- Tunisia:
- Centre de Carthage pour le Dialogue des Civilisations (Ministère de la Culture et de la Sauvegarde du Patrimoine)
- Turkey*:
- Sabanci University/ Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences/ Communication Center, Karakoy Istanbul.
- United Kingdom:
- Arts Council England East Midlands, Nottingham