What It Was
Incorporating the first national conference of Regional Cultural Consortiums England
Thank You
Thank you to the many delegates from across Europe and as far afield as the USA , South Africa and Russia who attended Catalyst.
Your voices, informed and animated by a rich programme of speeches, presentations, workshops and of course the opinions of other delegates, made the conference an extraordinary event. There were very few people that chose to be quiet and neutral. Your contributions were welcome and extraordinarily valuable.
Catalyst was intended to contribute to the dialogue around cultural policy in Europe. Its constituency was deliberately broad. So was the programme. We included politics and policy at government and government agency level alongside the opinions of cultural institutions, arts organisations and practitioners.
A good number of delegates found the first day too packed with information, not surprising perhaps given that for many UK delegates much knowledge about Europe was relatively new. We had good reports from the mediated and recorded meetings where delegates shared opinions and experiences openly.
Friday's afternoon with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra conductor, Ben Zander, was a remarkable experience by any account. Ben moved through a carefully crafted presentation to examine the right and duty of every citizen to value themselves - to be entitled to the richness of life.
Ben then worked with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in a workshop that aimed to deconstruct and demystify classical music through a unique insight into the relationship between the conductor and the orchestra. Emotions were stirred on several levels as delegates were brought together with teachers, students and others in a transnational performance of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations.
Saturday brought delegates back together for key note speeches and a series of workshops. Although a disappointing turnout as colleagues left to return home, the dialogue and networking was still rich and positive throughout.
Our overall view of the event is very positive indeed, and the debate valuable, relevant and worthwhile. Inevitably there was the difficulty, found in any conference, that the host country was heard more loudly than some delegates were comfortable with. Plus some parts of the programme did not suit all delegates.
The afternoon with Ben Zander and the orchestra was particularly controversial, leading to many polarised opinions. Some welcomed the motivation towards self discovery, feeling positively challenged by Ben's words and music. For others, this methodology was too closely aligned to the emotionally manipulative techniques of oppressive regimes that were a painful part of delegates' own recent cultural heritage. Where intense emotional reactions were involved, the choice to 'take it or leave it' was not always available to all.
We didn't get to grips with the sheer complexity of how people from different cultures understand and share ideas. We may have moved forward towards sharing a clearer understanding of the concept of entitlement for example, but the distance moved was fairly small. It was a reminder about the great time and energy still needed to give clear and open platforms to these ideas.
The success of conferences can often be measured by the number of links made between individuals, and we did see a huge number of connections being made at Catalyst. Many introduced through Catalyst will grow over the years, making connections in turn with others. The greatest legacy would be for these discussions on entitlement, rights and responsibilities, to continue through your own networks, organisations, conferences, and eventually policies and practice.
Feedback channels are now open here - feel free to add your views. Many of the speakers presentations and the reports from meetings have been placed on the site, and we will continue to add to the knowledge bank if it is utilised and useful to you. The conference report documenting much of the experiences and discussion from the delegates will be published in the Autumn.
Many, many thanks to you as delegates, speakers, contributors and stakeholders for a great event, and for the valuable profile your contribution has brought to the entitlement debate.
Message of Support From Tessa Jowell
"In July the Government took up the Presidency of the European Union. This provides a wonderful opportunity for the UK to contribute creatively to the ongoing dialogue about the future of a continent that shares so much common history and culture.
I am sure that Catalyst will be one of the highlights of the Presidency and I am happy to lend it my support.
The three day programme will allow delegates to forge both intellectual and practical links making Catalyst a special event. Its twin themes are cultural learning and cultural entitlement. These are about the right of every citizen to value their own cultures; to have access to the widest possible range of varied cultures; and to be active participants in and contributors to a shared culture.
It is fitting that the conference is set in Manchester and Liverpool - two cities of great diversity which mirror their trading history and connections to the rest of Europe and the wider world.
Congratulations to everyone involved in organising the event. I am sure it will be a huge success."