The International Young Performing Arts Entrepreneur (IYPAE) Award is the second in this year’s series of British Council competitions for young creative entrepreneurs. It is designed to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the field of the performing arts.

In 2008 competitors from the following 9 emerging economies will participate in the IYPAE: Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Kuwait, Lebanon, Poland, South Caucasus (including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and Tanzania. Finalists for the Award will visit the UK in August 2008 to undertake a common programme where they will take part in valuable networking both with key UK performing arts sector partners and amongst their IYPAE peers.

The IYPAE competition consists of two stages: the selection process in Poland and the world finals in the UK. In the Polish stage of the selection process a professional jury will select the best young entrepreneur / manager in the Polish performing arts industry who will then compete for the title of International Young Performing Arts Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 in the world’s finals in the UK.

The IYCE awards are unique in rewarding entrepreneurial ability. We recognise that a finalist may be active as an actor or director, however his/her work as an artist should be secondary to their focus as an entrepreneur in the promotion of the performing arts industry in their country. Artistic talent will not be factored into the judging procedure – finalists will be judged solely on the merit of their entrepreneurial abilities in the industry.

You will find the details of the judging process in the rules of the competition.

The winner of the world finals will win the title of International Young Performing Arts Entrepreneur of the Year 2008, as well as a financial award (value approx. Ł7,500) which will be used for a professional project whose nature will be agreed with the local British Council office. The aim of the Competition is to build relations between the winning country and the UK.

The financial prize is not the only benefit. There will be a 12-day tour of the UK national performing arts sector, comprising visits, meetings, seminars, events and shows. The visit programme will be tailored to the finalists’ interests. The finalists will visit London, Edinburgh and Birmingham to meet leaders of the performing arts sector. They will also take part in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and a showcase opportunity to promote a piece of work from their country which they feel is of interest to the UK and wider international market.

Candidates must:

• be aged between 25 and 35

• be a Polish citizen; proof of citizenship must be presented upon the Organiser’s request

• already work in the performing arts sector (as defined below)

• be entrepreneurial and have shown their ability in the promotion of the performing arts in their country, particularly in a commercial context

• through their character, drive and abilities, demonstrate their potential to be a future leader of the sector in their country

• be fluent in English

• be able to travel to the UK in August 2008 (if they win the Polish stage of the Competition).

IYPAE candidates must already be active professionally in the local performing arts sector, i.e.:

• Producers of theatre, dance, music or live art performances

• Promoters, festival directors and marketing specialists in this area

• Managers of theatre, dance, music or live art companies

• Developers of performing arts publishing, communications or websites

• Consultants providing specialist services in any of the areas outlined