5th ENCATC International Study Tour in Barcelona with AAAE

From 9-11 October the ENCATC/AAAE International Study Tour in Barcelona will be an exceptional occasion to meet leading cultural managers and visit the most interesting arts and heritage institutions in the city. From a pedagogical point of view, ENCATC and AAAE members and their followers will have the opportunity to gain insight on best practice and case studies for how to efficiently lead cultural institutions, analyze audiences, and improve marketing and public strategies. Participants will also learn how to benefit from of networking both at national and international levels.

For those attending the 24th ENCATC Annual Conference from 5-7 October in Valencia, Barcelona is an easy train ride along the Balearic Sea coast.

Once in Barcelona the programme will begin on the evening of Sunday, 9 October with a networking dinner for participants to get settled, continue networking from the Annual Conference, and meet new participants who are just joining for this study tour. Take a moment to relax, and savour traditional local cuisine.

Being described by registered participants as “An arts manager’s dream!” the next two days will include visits for privileged access to meet and discuss with top cultural managers and directors. You’ll also meet cultural experts, practitioners, academics, researchers, and policy makers, to gain insider perspective on the cultural happenings and policy of one of Europe’s top tourist destinations.

First there will be the Palau de la Música with Joan Oller, General Manager to visit one of the most beautiful music halls in Europe that is privately owned by a foundation.

Next, participants will meet with managers Renato Della Poeta and Laura Olea of The Blueproject Foundation, a private entity with creative space in the old part of the city and is leading in international contemporary collections.

Moving to one of Barcelona’s most culturally diverse neighbourhoods, a visit is being organised to the Centre civic Convent de Sant Agustí to meet Jordi Fàbregas and Joan Pedregosa where you’ll discover how this heritage site is successfully managing a programme of local activities for residents along with major European and international projects. 

The second day will begin with a visit to Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) with Pepe Serra, one of the most innovative museum directors in Europe and the world. He is admired for breaking down barriers and is highly regarded around the globe for his innovative visions. A former director of the Picasso Museum, he has also worked internationally, including at the request of the MoMa to help it rethink its approach in New York. 

Continuing on, participants will go the Mercat de les Flors, where they’ll be welcomed by Francesc Casadesús, Director of the venue and a great European networker who is one of the most well known managers in the field of dance and praised for his open-minded approach to successfully lead major EU contemporary dance projects.

The last visit will be to Central del Circ for a meeting with Johnny Torres, Artistic Director, and Ione Hermosa Manager of the venue. The former factory invites circus programmes from across Europe to learn and share ideas and projects and foster innovation in this transformative space for creatives.

To complement the visits, lectures will be given to provide background, context, and expertise on cultural policy and audiences. Participants will learn about cultural policies of Barcelona and Catalonia in which these cultural institutions operate from Lluis Bonet, Professor at the University of Barcelona. Pepe Zapata, a partner of TekneCultura will also give a lecture on “From big data to audience analysis” which will be key for having new perspectives for understanding and growing audiences.

We look forward to sharing these experiences with you as together we embark on a wonderful discovery of another culture, experiencing how cultural institutions are managed in another country, and learning how common challenges are addressed in a different context. We will also expand our perspectives, connect theory to practice, enlarge professional networks, and raise the international visibly of member institutions. 

As this study tour just follows the 24th ENCATC Annual Conference, registration can found on the registration page for the conference: http://blogs.encatc.org/annualconference2016/#register 

Download the brochure and learn everything you need to know about the ENCATC-AAAE Study Tour in Barcelona