IFACCA members, affiliates and guests from 16 countries in Europe will attend the 12th IFACCA European Chapter meeting, hosted by the Arts Council Norway, in Oslo on 9-11 September.

IFACCA is pleased to release D'Art No. 45: International Perspectives on Artist Residencies.

Members of the IFACCA network have been asked to share their knowledge on international legal instruments affecting the international mobility of artists, artworks, cultural goods and services for a research project initiated by UNESCO. The questionnaire is now also available in French and Spanish.

IFACCA is delighted to release its research report on artists' international mobility programs. Researched and written by UK-based consultant, Judith Staines, with input from IETM, IFACCA and 25 respondents covering every continent, the 35-page report documents the many types of artists' mobility initiatives implemented around the world. It provides an analysis of these initiatives, including some general guidelines for good practice as well as information on definitions, evaluations and a detailed list of resources.

IFACCA has received a query from Mary Ann DeVlieg, Network Coordinator of the Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM), for information on artists' mobility programs. Ms DeVlieg is looking for information on programs that aim to encourage the movement of artists across national borders. IETM has developed a bibliography of recent European Commission communications, studies and documents on artists' mobility. A link to this bibliography is provided in the attachment here with other online resources on artists' mobility collated by the IFACCA secretariat. CONTEXT As the references and resources attached to this question indicate, artists' mobility is an issue of considerable and increasing interest to national and international arts support agencies in our 'globalised' context. With the aid of new communications technology and cheaper travel, artists are collaborating more easily across national borders. Research indicates, however, artists themselves encounter a variety of obstacles when moving between countries. Examples of hindrances are: financial barriers administrative and institutional barriers, such as obtaining visas, and navigating legal and institutional rules and regulations in other countries loss of protection of rights, social security and professional support access to relevant information about working in other countries. A number of recent meetings have focused, at least in part, on how to encourage and facilitate artists' mobility: Following the Second World Summit on the Arts and Culture in November 2003, IFACCA and the Asia-Europe Foundation held the first Asia-Europe Arts Promotion Agencies Network (ASEARTS) conference. The theme for the conference was the international mobility of artists between Asia and Europe (Link). The Networking for the Arts in Europe meeting in Cork, Ireland, in May 2004 hosted by the Arts Council of Ireland, aimed to explore how the national level arts development bodies and departments across Europe might work together to improve conditions for artists' mobility, circulation of artistic works and transnational artistic collaboration. (Link). The World Cultural Forum in So Paulo, Brazil, in July 2004, provided a platform for reflecting on and discussing global issues of arts and culture and policy, and to offer new forms of international cooperation (Link). The Sharing Cultures conference organised by the European Cultural Foundation, Rotterdam, in July 2004, discussed new initiatives for cultural cooperation in Europe. (Link). The full paper on Policy Recommendations for Mobility, drafted by IETM, can be found on http://www.ietm.org What do we mean by artists' mobility? We are seeking information on programs that arts agencies and other organisations have developed to facilitate the movement of artists across national borders. Examples of such programs might be: Funding programs to provide money to artists to travel abroad to work, research, train or gain experience, such as mobility funds, travel grants, and 'go see' grants. Published guides with information to help artists work abroad. Touring guides and programs that help artists and arts groups tour to other countries. Touring guides and programs that help overseas artists tour in your country. International artist exchange programs. International artist residencies. Websites that help artists find information and contacts in other countries. In order to focus our search, we are putting a lower priority on information about programs that promote the exchange of art products, or programs that help artist emigrate permanently. QUESTION We would be very grateful for any materials, weblinks, or other resources that could help us with the following: Details of policies and programs about artists' mobility and artists' exchanges Evaluations of such policies and programs Guidelines and resource materials for artists' exchange programs and residencies Research on artists' mobility Websites, bibliographies and databases on artists' international mobility Please email information to [email protected] by Friday 15 October 2004.