Artist-Run:Prague-Brussels
16. 5. 2024 at 6 pm
The conversation, which will happen as a part of a curatorial visit of Jesse van Winden in Prague organized by the Czech Centre in Brussels, aims to open up a space for sharing knowledge, experience, common issues and ways to deal with them in a day-to-day operation of artist-run spaces. It connects Prague and Brussels through two different artist-run networks, Brussels Artist-run Network and the new self-shaping Prague network under the working title Swimming Pool, and opening up to artists and art workers based in the Czech Republic.
Moderator:
- Magdaléna Michlová, cultural theorist and sociologist, co-creator of a new podcast series for UMA audioguide on work in gallery institutions
Participants:
- Jesse van Winden, Jubilee coordinator, co-initiator and organiser of Brussels Artist-run Network
- Mariana Pecháčková, curator, member and organiser of Brussels Artist-run Network
- SVĚTOVA 1, initiator of the newly emerging network of alternative art spaces, art initiatives, and non-profit art centers in the Czech Republic, Swimming Pool
- etc. galerie, founding member SP
- A.M. 180, founding member SP
- Galerie 35m2, founding member SP
- Petrohradská kolektiv, founding member SP
The Brussels Artist-run Network
The Brussels Artist-run Network started in 2020 to bring together Brussels artists and art workers, for meeting, exchanging information and for knowledge transfer, irrespective of language background (and therefore very open). The initiative was from Jubilee's current coordinator Jesse van Winden, in collaboration with Rob Ritzen of Level Five and later followed by other self-organized initiatives.
It builds a coalition to defend shared values: affordable and accessible space for work and presentation, defying real estate speculation, fighting for solidarity, informing governments about the realities of working as an artist, pressing on social policy making, etc.
The network is meeting, informing, programming and assembling in various ways. Activities include thematic conversations with artists’ interventions, tours visiting 2 to 4 different spaces, informal ‘hangout’ gatherings, and a newsletter to share public moments of self-organized initiatives - an agenda of sorts.
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool is a newly emerging network of alternative art spaces, art initiatives, and non-profit art centers in the Czech Republic working in the field of contemporary art. Its main goal is to promote the local contemporary art scene and its activities, advocate for the interest of non-profit art organizations, and create a platform for mutual assistance and communication.
The idea was first initiated by SVĚTOVA 1, a nonprofit artist-run space focusing on emerging, queer and social matters. Their exhibitions and public programmes reflect our mission of achieving full expression, maintaining sustainable processes, and acting as a refuge for those in need. They aim to become a holistic entity – an educational and research institute – run by artists for artists.
Jesse van Winden
Jesse van Winden is an arts organiser and producer based in Brussels. He works as the coordinator of Jubilee, an artist-run platform for artistic research, and editor of Caveat, Jubilee's collective research project about more sustainable and balanced ways of working in the art world. Driving force behind the informal Brussels Artist-run Network he's also involved in initiatives such as State of the Arts, a civic movement for a more solidary society, driven by artists. As an occasional curator, performer and poster-paster, he believes in the potential of art as an alternative mode of informing and transforming.
The CCA programs are possible through kind support of Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, Prague City Council, State Fund of Culture of the Czech Republic, City District Prague 7, GESTOR – The Union for the Protection of Authorship
Media support: ArtMap, jlbjlt.net, artalk.cz
