Beyond the Now is delighted to have joined the project A Fair New Idea!? Working Sustainabily Internationally, funded by the Flanders Arts Institute. Selected by jury from a strong field of international applicants, Beyond the Now is one of the eleven organisations or individual artists participating in the year-long initiative. Details of the selected proposals and those of all applicants may be found here.
The first meeting took place on Thursday 29th April and the second on Monday 31st May – with the plan that participants will meet periodically over the next twelve months to explore points of connection between their proposals and develop collaborative initiatives. The project has set itself two key themes to explore as a starting point: first, to focus on balancing the need to work internationally with a need to care for the planet and the creation of more meaningful relations in the artistic ecosystem; second, to address and mitigate the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources between and within countries and regions.
The artists and curators, grassroots projects, large and small organisations, networks and collectives who are part of A Fair New Idea!? represent diverse experiences and forms of cultural and political engagement. Beyond the Now welcomes this opportunity to develop new practical approaches toward cross-border solidarity, creative exchange, racial and social justice in and beyond Europe.
Most importantly, A Fair New Idea!? Is conceived as a durational project that makes possible an emerging dialogue between individuals and organisations, as well as opportunities to trial or prototype new ways of working. As an innovative approach to the commissioning process, it is very well-suited to the dialogic investigation into the social and cultural conditions revealed by the pandemic that lies at the heart of Beyond the Now.
In our most recent meeting on 31st May, we decided to collectively explore 3 interconnected themes: ‘Inequality in international cooperation’; ‘Sustainability’; and ‘Rethinking international communities’.
We look forward to sharing insights and collaborations from the project in future seasons. Many thanks to the Flanders Arts Institute for including us in this initiative!
