EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CULTURAL CENTRES

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EUROPEAN NETWORK OF CULTURAL CENTRES
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Historical Background

• 1994 Founded in Turnhout/ Belgium as result of
  an initiative by the Belgian network
• 1999 According to the Belgian law, established
  as an International Non-Profit Association of
  cultural centres
• 2005 Revitalization of ENCC focussing on the
  creation of a network of national associations of
  cultural centres within Europe
• 2006 and 2007 Financial support from the EU

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ENCCs aims

• To constitute a professional network service for
  cultural centres in Europe
• To articulate the interests and to strengthen the
  voice of the cultural centres on a European level
  
• To promote intercultural communication and
  partnerships
• To present a platform for an international
  exchange of experiences, professionals and young
  activists
• To provide funding opportunities for cultural
  centres and their networks
• To stimulate the social, cultural and artistic
  life in Europe

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Criteria of Membership

• There are two kinds/types of member status
• National associations, which represent the
  cultural centres of their country
• Individual cultural centres that are establishing
  a national or regional network
• ENCC members should meet most of the following
  criteria
• To offer a multidisciplinary programme and
  actively develop and support diverse cultural and
  artistic activities
• To be non-profit nongovernmental contemporary
  politically independent integrating minorities
  involving all age-groups working on local,
  regional, national and international level

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ENCC Members

• ENCC has currently 10 national member
  associations in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
  Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia,
  Poland and Hungary, and another 7 associated
  members in Croatia, Italy, Norway, Poland,
  Romania and Slovenia
• ENCC involves approx. 1800 cultural centres in
  15 European countries

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The Network
National Associations
Individual Associated Members
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General work programme

• Enhancing and vitalizing the debate on cultural
  identity, cultural diversity and intercultural
  dialogue and exchange between the European
  cultural centres
• Promoting the ENCC and expanding its membership
  to strengthen advocacy and lobby work for the
  interests of the independent cultural scene
• Expanding and professionalizing the Europe-wide
  services for members and partners

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Main activities in 2006

• Shortcut Europe 2006 How to deal with different
  cultures?, Berlin/ Germany
• 1st European Project Fair Cultural centres
  between European integration and cultural
  diversity in Vienna/ Austria
• Contact visits to Czech Republic, Estonia,
  Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
• Study Building Bridges. Networking perspectives
  of cultural centres in an enlarged Europe

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Main activities in 2007

• Shortcut Europe 2007 European Cultural Centres
  in the Experience Economy in Copenhagen, Denmark
  on 8-11 May 2007
• 2nd ENCC European Project Fair Bringing cultures
  together - Approximation through exchange in
  Riga, Latvia on 3-5 October 2007
• Contact visits to Slovenia, Slovakia and the new
  EU member states Bulgaria and Romania
• ENCC networking meeting in Brussels in December
  2007

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Main activities in 2007

• Participation to various conferences e.g. UNESCO
  conference Cultural Diversity Europes Wealth.
  Bringing the UNESCO Convention to Life in Essen,
  Germany on 26-28 April 2007 4th Federal
  Congress on Cultural Policy in Berlin, Germany
  on 7/8 June 2007
• Final establishment of the network website
• Regular e-mail newsletter

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Work programme 2008

• Europe-wide Staff Exchange Programme Bridge
  between European Cultural Centres (BECC)
• Shortcut Europe 2008 Cultural Vitality Mapping
  Europe in Pécs, Hungary on 22-24 May 2008
• 3rd ENCC European Project Fair 2008 and beyond
  European Cultural Centres live Intercultural
  Dialogue in Brussels on 1-3 October 2008

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Work programme 2008

• Pre-conference Shortcut Europe 2010 Cultural and
  social exclusion
• Trainings on EU funding programmes and project
  development in Estonia and Bulgaria
• Further establishment and editorial management of
  the network website
• Regular e-mail newsletter

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Strategy 2008 - 2010

• Annual Shortcut Europe
• Annual European Project Fair
• Regular Staff Exchange Programme
• Regular EU Funding Trainings
• Website with many different services
• Regular Newsletter
• Increased Membership
• Increased Advocacy for Members

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Database for Cultural Centres

• This internet based tool allows cultural centres
  to find partners with similar affinities or
  projects from all over Europe
• Direct link
• http//database.encc.eu/index.php

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Contact

• www.encc.eu
• office_at_encc.eu