Report from the 2008 “Behind-the-Scenes”The 2008 IFEA Europe “Behind-the-Scenes” took place in Borlänge, Sweden, at the end of June. For the attending IFEA members, it became a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience, as IFEA Board member Maria Anderberg of “Kulturproduktionen” guided the group, quite literately, through the gorgeous Swedish landscape for meetings both with the dedicated idealist behind the “Peace & Love” Festival and the organisers of the nearby “Tällberg Forum”. The Peace and Love festival is an idealistic project featuring workshops and exhibitions, alternative theatre and eight downtown stages with all sorts of rock/pop/metal music, and has in a few years grown to be Sweden’s largest festival of its nature, attracting thousands of young people who by looks and attitudes are clearly the modern day Woodstock generation, driven by a desire to bring - as the name of the festival implies - peace and love each other and the world. The logistics behind this city center festival were amazing, as was - or is - the festival’s concern for the environment, and for ensuring a peaceful and friendly relationship with the permanent residents of Borlänge’s downtown area. How many other festivals do you know who actually offer older downtown residents a free weekend in the countryside, in case they don’t want to stay in town in midst of all the concerts?

Visiting the Tällberg Forum was a contrasting experience. Situated on a beautiful hillside at the eastern shore of the Siljan Lake, Tällberg has become host to an annual summer gathering of hundreds of politicians, scientists, and leaders in international industries and organisations. The means might be different, but the goals are, essentially, the same as those of the festival in Borlänge on fifty-some kilometers away; to advance fruitful and peaceful dialogue and cooperation - or, if you will, to bring peace and love to the world.

One may wonder if the music festival or the dialogue event is the most successful in achieving this goal. Lots may result from a currently non-existing cooperation between the two events. But both a amazing events in their own right, and I am sure that they both make the world is a better place.

For the members of IFEA Europe, visiting both events was most inspiring. Thank you, Maria!

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TV channel France 24 has published a short list of ten recommended festivals both in France and abroad. Links on their list go to TV news reports about these festivals on their website.

The lucky festivals are:

• Garden festival of Chaumont-sur-Loire, France

• Forde’s Folk Music Fest, Norway

• Festival of Avignon, France

• Musilac festival, France
  

• Arles Photography Festival, France

• Jordan Festival, Jordan

• Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland

• The Jazz in Marciac Festival, France

• Saint-Céré Festival, France

• The Vezelay Festival, France

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Brighton Dome and Festival Limited announced the resignation of its Chief Executive, Nick Dodds after seven years in the role.

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China Now, the UK’s biggest-ever celebration of contemporary Chinese culture, is set to launch in February 2008. The festival will see about 1,000 cultural events happening around the country in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in July, with Councils around Britain working alongside local Chinese communities organising events in celebration of the Chinese New Year on 7 February. A firework display at London’s O2 centre is planned for early February, followed by China Art Now, a group of major exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art, set to open later in the month.

Read the article in The Guardian

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virtualfestivals.com reports about a student who dressed up as Spiderman and scaled a 30 foot speaker gantry during T In The Park and got fined £150. Full Story

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On Wednesday 19 September, the winners of the IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards were announced at the 2007 IFEA World Convention, in Atlanta (USA).

Congratulations go to IFEA Europe members in the Netherlands and Slovenia:

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When FED, the association for Festivals & Events in Denmark, was founded at the end of 2005, the initiative was taken by IFEA members Lars Blicher-Hansen (Visit Denmark) and Allan Xenius Grige (Copenhagen Art & Culture Consult), who were at the time also members the “Event Denmark” task force. 

“Event Denmark” was created in 2003 jointly by the Danish Ministry of Culture and the Danish Ministry of Economy and Commerce and was charged with developing the festival and event market in Denmark.

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Dear Colleague,  

Mediterrània, Fira d’espectacles d’arrel tradicional is a multi-disciplinary market for new creations inspired by and based on tradition and is held in the city of Manresa on the first weekend in November. 

The Fair is a meeting point between Catalonia and other territories from around the Mediterranean. In this tenth edition, we will be giving special emphasis on gaining closer acquaintance with the culture of the Mediterranean islands. If you come, you’ll discover a professional market with:

• A meeting point for a variety of creative disciplines and professionals related to the world of shows, with a wide programme of live performances complemented with round-table discussions and conferences.
• An exhibition and contracting point facilitating the spread of new artistic creation.
• A bridge for the internationalization of the sector, with the participation and presence of companies and programmers from other regions and countries.
• A exhibition area, with stands manned by professionals within the sector. 
   

The last edition hosted 93 shows, 18 stages, 85 groups and companies and 422 programmers. 167 journalists were accredited and over 75,000 spectators attended the events programmed in covered venues.  Manresa, a city of 65,000 inhabitants 60 km (37.5 miles) from Barcelona, will once more be the centre of culture on November 1- 4 2007, just after Womex in Seville. 

Our invitation includes:

hotel & breakfast, transportation from/to the airport, creditation fee, etc.^*

_{^*= subject to availability} 

Should you be interested in MEDITERRÀNIA, please contact us by visiting www.firamediterrania.cat  and fill in your registration as a programmer.

Through our web you can also check the varied offer of shows and other activities. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Very best wishes,

Teresa Baltar
International Programmers Officer

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BENICASSIM, Spain - Thousands of British music fans have flocked to Spain’s Benicassim music festival, drawn as much by the nearby beach as by the alternative pop rock and electronica acts.

» Read the full article at ABS-CBN
» BBC Photogallery of Benicassim

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