The Third DECONFINING Partner Forum
- Date: Thursday, 17 October 2024
- Time: 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM (CET)
- Location: Online via Zoom → click HERE to register
*Simultaneous translation will be available in both English and French (EN ↔ FR) to ensure smooth communication for all participants.
The Partner Forum of the Deconfining project is an annual gathering of project participants from both continents, including the project partners and collaborating African organisations. It is dedicated to the exchange of experiences, showcasing best practices from partners, as well as fostering informal team building and networking opportunities.
Facilitating Cross-Continental Mobility
Infrastructure and institutional frameworks for cooperation are crucial in sustaining international networks of artists and cultural practitioners. These frameworks enable networking and community building, which, in turn, strengthen cultural collaboration.
After two years of the large-scale EU project Deconfining – Arts, Cultures & Policies in Europe & Africa, the partner institutions and organisations across both continents have gained valuable insights into how these infrastructures should be designed and organised most effectively. One recurring challenge is the issue of facilitating cross-continental mobility—both on a communicative level and, more importantly, through cross-border travel.
At DECONFINING, we call for increased mobility of African artists by easing visa restrictions and simplifying procedures. Unfortunately, we are currently often confronted with the opposite: increasingly stringent policies that hinder artistic mobility, with significant consequences for artistic co-production and intercontinental touring.
The 3rd Partner Forum explores this topic from various perspectives and asks how we can improve the current situation for travelling artists. These discussions are contextualised by recent artistic co-productions and debates initiated by project partners as part of the DECONFINING project.
↓ Find the whole program below ↓

DECONFINING Partner Forum Agenda
- Please note that the programme and times are according to Central European Time.
- 10:00 - 11:00 AM (CET) Introduction: conversation about the current (cultural) political situation for intercontinental cooperation
- OPENING WORDS: Samba Yonga (Women’s History Museum of Zambia) and Dr. Thomas Engel (International Theatre Institute (ITI) Germany)
- Impulse & conversation: The priorities of the work of the Committee for Culture and Education of the European Union • Nela Riehl (Chair of Committee on Culture and Education, Member of the European Parliament)
- 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CET) Policy pillar: Political framework for intercontinental touring and co-creation across continents
- 11:00 - 11:20 AM Reflections on The 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, with special reference to Article 16 • Dr. Anna Masłoń-Oracz (Warsaw School of Economics, Rector Plenipotentiary for Africa, Member of Intergovernmental Reflection Group the 2005 Convention)
- 11:20 - 11:40 AM Outlook to upcoming changes of Visa processes (ETAs, changes of Schengen Visa 2028) • Felix Sodemann (ITI Germany)
- 11:40 AM - 12:00 PM The training visa and its difficulties, Perspectives from Sénégal • Amadou Fall Ba (Centre de Formation Impact Sénégal)
- 12:00 - 12:30 PM (CET) Breakout sessions: Connecting the artists
- 12:30 - 1:00 PM (CET) Lunch break
- 1:00 - 2:30 PM (CET) Artistic Pillar: Tandem project showcase & artistic collaboration
- 1:00 - 1:15 PM Debate: The conference Woman and Water – Perspectives from the African and European cultural scenes • Goethe Institut Madrid & Vydia Tamby, Cultural Advisor to the Mayor of Dakar
- 1:15 - 1:30 PM The Creative Collaboration_the performance: Open the Door • Rūta Malaškevičienė, National Kaunas Drama Theater, Lithuania)
- 1:30 - 1:45 PM Co-Creation: Resonance • Gábor Márton Csaba, Pro Progressione, Budapest & Taonga Tembo, Barefeet Theatre, Lusaka
- 1:45 - 2:00 PM Co-Creation: De(con)fining • Bødo 2024 & Ségou’ Art - Festival sur le Niger
- 2:00 - 2:15 PM REFLECTIONS AND AN OPEN DEBATE moderated by Malin Nagel (ITI Germany)
- CLOSING WORDS • Sara Božanić, Institute for Transmedia Design
We look forward to connecting with you!
Let’s talk about deconfining: hello@deconfining.eu