The Transforming Narratives research project is developing a possible format in which international creative producers and/or artists can meet online, question each other and learn from each other's expertise in creative producing from their own contexts in a relatively short period of time.

Transforming Narratives 1.0 (2023-2024)

From December '23, a group of producers and artists from Amsterdam and artists and producers from Suriname (+/- 20 together) met on an equal basis with the aim of learning from each other.

The exchange project focused on socially engaged producers and/or artists whose goal is to contribute to the recovery of a community or community.

Restoring a community also means creating space to have the conversation about what place the community has in society. During the exchange, besides entrepreneurship, the focus was on seeing yourself and seeing the other. Seeing yourself also means being seen by the other. According to the ancient African wisdom Ubuntu "I Am, Because We Are", seeing and affirming the other, also means affirming yourself.

The reciprocity lies in that 'learning from the other' is paramount for all involved.

The programme consisted of online meetings with workshops, lectures and or pear lerning forms.

To create structure in the exchange, we used, among others, the method '5 Pillars, developed by the AHK Lectureship Social Justice and Diversity in the Arts.

Partners in Suriname were:  Forum Tolin Toli Masanga (FTTM), Villa Zapakara (previously worked with the DAS Reseach) They had a coordinating and facilitating role in Suriname.

Dutch partners were Masterplan Zuid-Oost Amsterdam and the lectorate of the Academy for Theatre and Dance. They had a coordinating and facilitating role in the Netherlands. During the project, the partners from Masterplan Zuid-Oost set up the St/Art foundation.

Quote from a creator from Suriname; "What I especially take away from the talks is the importance of a clearly defined 'why'. This helps you get back to the core of why you started".

Quote from a creator from the Netherlands: "One of the insights I take away is that it is healthy to be in contact with cultural entrepreneurs from different markets. It offers perspectives in sharpening or expanding. Your own world and outlook is enlarged".

Transforming Narratives 2.0 ( 2025-2026)

In '25-'26, we will further develop this format with our partners from Suriname, foundation St/Art to initially connect artists from the diaspora in the Netherlands with artists from Suriname and Curaçao.

During the exchange, online and also live, producers and artists from Suriname, the Netherlands and Curaçao will meet each other with the aim of setting up a sustainable international interdisciplinary knowledge and exchange network, thus contributing to a better infrastructure of the cultural field in both the Caribbean and the Netherlands.  To perpetuate the connection with Curaçao, we will now also collaborate with the Boost Caribbean Foundation from Willemstad.

This programme resulted in the focus meeting ‘Relevance, Rhythms, Relations in Global Exchange’.