The British Council is one of ten partner cultural institutions in the SPACE network (Supporting Performing Arts Circulation in Europe), which has now selected 30 arts professionals for an exciting new training programme.

As part of a three-year project supported by the European Union, SPACE is providing a professional, mobile training programme for arts managers distributing performing arts work throughout Europe.

Following an application process throughout Europe, 30 arts professionals from varied disciplines were selected from 18 countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) to undergo the 16-month training programme. This consists of five sessions, each lasting three days and taking place across five European countries. The participants will be split into two groups that will visit different cities (see timetable below).

By taking part in the training, participants will:

• Acquire solid information on the context of each country's performing arts sector
• Learn about the practical conditions and restrictions around the movement of work in those countries in order to improve their professional opportunities
• Undertake a thorough and substantial European cultural experience
• Compare working tools and touring experiences with those of other arts professionals
• Create a network of arts professionals with common interests and experiences
• Develop a better understanding of Europe and its cultural diversity, on both practical and political levels
• Understand and respond to the central challenge of sustainability and its impact on the mobility of performing arts and artists
• Develop an understanding of the importance and practice of international collaboration.

A huge and unexpected response drew 385 applications, a clear indication that this type of opportunity for training and diverse networking across Europe is sorely needed and widely valued.

Applications came from 35 European countries and from professionals of 40 different nationalities. 15 per cent of the applicants were already ‘on the move’ (i.e. not working in his/her ‘home’ country) and many more (about 38 per cent) had professional experience outside their own country. From the analysis it was noted that the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland are the main countries ‘receiving’ professionals.

Timetable

	Group 1			Group 2
	Session 1: Moderna, 15-17 October 2009 Session 2 :Paris, 4-6 February 2010 Session 3: Amsterdam, 17-19 June 2010 Session 4: Zürich, 14-16 October 2010 Session 5: Riga, 10-12 February 2011			Session 1: Hamburg, 5-7 November 2009 Session 2: Sofia, 4-6 March 2010 Session 3: Santarcangelo, 7-9 July 2010 Session 4: Prague, 8-10 October 2010 Session 5: UK, 24-26 February 2011

For more information see www.spaceproject.eu.