2021 brings a new set of challenges to artists and companies who work internationally, with new rules regarding the recently announced UK-EU Trade and Cooperation agreement. These rules will have an impact on those booking international artists and those taking their work outside of the UK.

EDN organises a series of webinars on the impacts of Brexit on the mobility flows in the dance field between the UK and Europe. The online session will focus on the new administrative processes that the European venues and festivals have to perform when welcoming UK-based dance professionals.

The webinar, facilitated by expert Marie Fol, will highlight relevant sources of information in different European contexts as well as collect questions and testimonies from the field in order to publish updated and reliable documentation.

The first webinar took place on 23 June 2021, the second will take place on Friday 10 September 2021. A third webinar will be propose during the Fall, more information will be shared on these opportunities to engage.

The first webinar took place on 23 June 2021, 10.30-12.00 CEST. The online session focused on the new administrative processes that the European venues and festivals have to perform when welcoming UK-based dance professionals. Special guest was Sebastian Hoffman from Touring Artists.

Watch the first webinar here

Download presentations:

• introduction
• presentation by Marie Fol
• presentation by Touring Artists

As borders reopen and international artistic exchange can take place physically this summer, the aftermaths of Brexit will become more apparent to the dance professionals on both sides of the Channel. This is the reason why EDN and Arts Infopoint UK invited us to take part in a second Post-Brexit Mobility webinar, which focused on stories from the ground.

The second webinar gave dance professionals the opportunity to exchange on ways to go from Europe to the UK – first through a short presentation of EU-to-UK mobility routes by Arts Infopoint UK, followed by a discussion from UK-based artists, producers and presenters planning to host European artists. Exchanging tips and challenges, as well as giving space for further conversation with the audience, this webinar was meant to learn from each other and
listen to stories from the ground.

Watch the second webinar here.

These two webinars will be followed by a last event on 20 October. After looking at the administrative ways to handle new borders, EDN believes it is time to reflect on how to continue exchange and collaboration throughout Europe.

While professionals have to face new ways to think about work permits or visas, how can networks, funders and policymakers facilitate exchange in contemporary dance? How do we keep a vibrant sector that knows to support the best European talent there is? What can professionals expect from their representatives at national and European levels to ensure continued collaboration between the UK and European countries?

Programme (in CET)

10.30 – Welcome & context of meeting | Marie Fol, chair
10:40 – Artist address | Sung Im Her, choreographer & dance artist
10.50 – International exchange in pandemic times: Crowd residency | Francis Christeller, project coordinator and Katrin Sohns, director Goethe-Institut London
11:15 – Moderated discussion: post-Brexit mobility in contemporary dance | Katrin Sohns, director Goethe-Institut London, Eddie Nixon, director The Place, John Ashford, director Aerowaves, Virve Sutinen, director Tanz im August / Big Pulse Dance Alliance, Louise Costelloe, programme manager, Dance Ireland
11:45 – Q&A with audience members | Marie Fol
11:55 – Wrap up

All online sessions will be recorded for documentation purposes.

EDN partners with the Arts Infopoint UK for this series of three webinars. They aim at providing a better understanding of the recent changes and at raising the awareness of the roles and responsibilities of dance professionals and their hosts. The goal is to ensure there will be a continuity of artistic cross-border relationships.

Arts Infopoint UK is a partnership between Wales Arts International/Arts Council of Wales, Creative Scotland, Arts Council England and Arts Council Northern Ireland.