From 2021 onwards, we've built relations with partnerorganisations abroad and tried to understand what can be the fundament of a relation of reciprocal learning. Relevance, rhythms and relations appear to be fundamental notions and conditions.

February 2025, we organised a two-day focus meeting - 'Relevance, rhythms, relations in global exchange' - to share insights, and contextualise our experience in the context of existing know-how and exchange-platforms. How can creative producers position themselves in global exchange, and what future conditions are conditional?

At the first day of the meeting we listened to the experiences and learnings of the organisers and participants of our three projects: 'Research and exchange programme', 'Transforming narratives' and 'Power of water'. All these projects are developed to build an infrastructure of mutual exchange beyond national borders. Using these projects as examples, we examined future needs and possible steps forward for creative producers to position themselves in global exchange.

How to build reciprocal relations with creative producers in various contexts of the world?

What is needed to exchange learnings and knowledge?

And what do the concepts 'relevance' 'rhythms' and 'relations' have to do with it?

At the second day of the meeting students, colleagues and speakers, engaged in working sessions to explore what is needed to build an infrastructure for international exchange for, by and with creative producers. For this session South-African-based cultural producer Russel Hlongwane, inspired and facilitated us.