Partners

130111_FORUMSTADTPARK_sw

Statement


Max Höfler (Forum Stadtpark) about CROWD

Als Schriftsteller und Organisator von Lesungen bin ich immer auf der Suche nach neuen (experimentellen) Positionen, die neben dem Verwenden von neuen Formen auch das Politische in ihre Werke aufnehmen. Da sich diese Positionen zumeist am Rande des Literaturbetriebs bewegen, ist es schwer einen internationalen Überblick über diese Szene zu bekommen. Ich glaube, dass CROWD mir nicht nur einen solchen Überblick verschaffen, sondern dass ich hierdurch auch mit vielen neuen AutorInnen in Kontakt treten werden kann. Durch CROWD kann sich diese Szene international verbinden und so ein äußerst reger und produktiver Austausch zustande kommen.

As an author and organizer of readings myself, I am always on the lookout for new (experimental) literary positions that incorporate not only a new approach to writing itself but take a political stance as well. With those positions mostly operating on the outskirts of the literature scene, it has always been hard for me to get to a comprehensive international overview. In my opinion, CROWD will not only provide such an overview but also help me to get in touch with a wide variety of new authors. Moreover, CROWD will help connect people within the scene and facilitate intensive and fruitful exchange within.

Nora Theiss (Forum Stadtpark) about CROWD

To me CROWD is a project that stands for rich diversity but focuses on common grounds. I hope that CROWD is spreading as it reaches an audience that ususally neither attends readings or book presentations nor poetry slams or literary discussions. I see a growing network, which offers lots of opportunities for developing a strong community spirit not only amongst writers, but amongst all people – crossing borders – terminating limitations – widening up horizons.

NVL_logo_2013-01-01

Statement


Laura Serkosalo (Head of NVL) about CROWD: 

Haluan olla mukana luomassa uutta kirjallisuuden ruohonjuuritason eurooppalaista verkostoa. Haluan kuulla, mitä eri puolilla Eurooppaa on tekeillä, saada hyviä esiintyjiä festivaalillemme ja löytää uusia kirjoittajia lehteemme. Haluan olla mukana luomassa uutta tapaa välittää tietoa meidän palveluistamme, kuten kirjailijoiden ja kääntäjien residenssistä niistä mahdollisesti kiinnostuneille tekijöille sekä tapahtumistamme Helsinkiin matkaa suunnitteleville, kauempaakin tuleville.

I want to be in the CROWD to create a new grassroot level European network of literature. I want to hear what’s going on in different corners of Europe, to find great performers to our festival and to find new writers to our magazine. I want to be in the CROWD to create a new way to deliver information about our services such as the writers’ and translators’ residence for those interested in them as well as about our events for those planning a trip to Helsinki – maybe from distances.


Ideogramma_Logo

Statement


Lily Michaelidis (Head of IDEOGRAMMA) about CROWD:

Το πλήθος είναι η αφορμή      ͠      να φωνάξουμε δυνατά
Είμαστε Εδώ!

Το λεωφορείο είναι το μέσο
να διασχίσουμε ανθρώπινα πρόσωπα
ορίζοντες, ήλιους και φεγγάρια
να περπατήσουμε ξυπόλητοι
σε δρόμους άγνωστους
να ξυπνήσουμε τις αισθήσεις
και το λήθαργο της εποχής
να σφίξουμε τα χέρια ενός παιδιού
μιας γριάς ξεχασμένης
ή ενός εργάτη στο περιθώριο του χρόνου
να αγκαλιάσουμε, ν’ αγκαλιαστούμε
να φωνάξουμε, Εδώ Είμαστε!

Όλα αυτά είναι ένας καλός λόγος
να ξυπνήσουμε το μέλλον μας…

CROWD is the cause    ͠       to call out loud
We are Here!

The bus is the means
to cross human faces
horizons, suns and moons
to walk barefoot in unknown streets
to awaken the senses and lethargy of our time
to shake hands with a child
with a forgotten old lady
or with a worker at the fringe of time
to embrace    ͠      to be embraced
to shout, Here We Are!

All that – is a good reason
to awaken our future…

Nora Hadjisotiriou (Head of IDEOGRAMMA) about CROWD

As you set out with CROWD
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery…
you’ll find rare things on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body…

CROWD will give you this marvellous journey.
Without it you would not have set out…

paraphrasing from Constantinos Kafavy’s poem ‘Ithaka’


logo-4c

Statement


Tom Bresemann (co-coordinator and Member of Board Lettrétage) about CROWD:

Die CROWD ist für mich das Gegenteil von Generaldirektion. Die CROWD ist für mich der Text, an dem wir alle schreiben. Die CROWD ist auf der Suche nach einem ansprechbaren Du: Europa? Wo die Türen offen stehen, will die CROWD Licht hinein lassen. Wo die Türen geschlossen sind, will die CROWD nach passenden Schlüsseln suchen. Die CROWD hat keine Antworten, dafür jede Menge Fragen. Wer sind wir? Wer wollen wir sein? Was können wir füreinander tun. Wie können wir aufhören, übereinander zu reden, und endlich beginnen, miteinander zu sprechen? Was heißt das eigentlich: Literatur? Wozu überhaupt Antworten? Die CROWD ist unterwegs, da lass dich ruhig nieder.

CROWD is to me the exact opposite of directorate-general. CROWD is to me the text which we all compose and write. CROWD is looking for an adressable other: Europe? Where the doors are open it is the CROWD who admits light. Where the doors are closed it is the CROWD who searches for fitting keys. There are no answers, but the questions are piling up. Who are we? Who do we want to be? What can we do for each other? How can we stop speaking about each other and change to talk with each other? What does that actually mean, “literature”? Who needs  answers anyway? The CROWD is on the move – please make yourself at home.

Katharina Deloglu (co-coordinator and Member of Board Lettrétage) about CROWD:

Die CROWD ist für mich:

  • das Infragestellen von literarischer Kanonbildung und Autoritätsansprüchen und, infolgedessen, das Ausprobieren alternativer, grassroot-basierter Modelle, die demokratische Entscheidungsprozesse und künstlerische Qualität gemeinsam ermöglichen
  • die Suche nach einer gemeinsamen Sprache – international, intersektoral, zwischenmenschlich
  • die ehrliche Bemühung um Augenhöhe, vorurteilsfreien Dialog und produktives Streiten im internationalen Team; die Chance zu europäischer Solidarität
  • der zweijährige Auftakt zur langfristigen, gesamteuropäischen Zusammenarbeit: europaweit recherchieren, zuhören und auswerten; Rahmenbedingungen (Projekte, Programme, Aktionen) schaffen und beobachten, wie andere sie für sich nutzen. Verwaltungsstrukturen und Rahmenbedingungen immer wieder neu denken und ausprobieren.

oder kürzer: Vision ohne Mission // Ästhetik ohne Programm // Schlüssel ohne Schlüsselloch

For me, CROWD is:

  • Calling into question literary canonization and claims to authority and, consequently, trying out alternative, grassroots models that allow for democratic decision-making and artistic quality at the same time
  • Searching for a common language that transcends national and sectoral boundaries and brings people into dialogue with each other
  • an honest attempt to create a level playing field for impartial dialogue and productive arguing in an international team; an opportunity for European solidarity
  • the two-year prelude to long-term, pan-European cooperation: researching across Europe, listening and assessing; establishing a framework (projects, programmes, activities) and observing how others make use of it for their purposes. Continually rethinking and experimenting with administrative structures and framework conditions.

Or more to the point: Vision without a mission // aesthetics without a programme // key without a keyhole

Statement

Szépírók Társasága (The Belletrist Association) is a professional, interest protection and service provision organisation that has been founded by writers who respect the works of and are spiritually close to each other. Objective of the Association:

  • to ensure public appearance as well as representation on every possible forum for all interests, opinions and standings that have been drawn up by the Association’s general assembly, a work team or other bodies authorised by the general assembly;
  • to assist in the solution of financial problems of its members and to this end cooperate with other organisations that set the same objectives;
  • to construct an information network in Hungarian and in foreign languages;
  • to popularise world literature as well as classic literary works in Hungarian;
  • to introduce the representatives of the contemporary Hungarian literature in libraries, cultural and educational institutions;

Statement

Association KROKODIL (Serbian Acronym for: Literary Regional Gathering That Alleviates Boredom and Lethargy) is dedicated to the production of literary, cultural and sociopolitical programs and projects with the aim of developing literary audiences and those that are interested in culture as such, promotion of the culture of dialogue, reconciliation and reconstruction of the broken links particularly in the region of the Western Balkans but also in deepening of the mutual understanding and the acceptance of differences in the European context and elsewhere.

CROWD would like to thank…

Berit Wahlers (Ex-Intern), Laura Bertram (Ex-Intern), Melanie Arns (Ex-Intern), Thessy Garganese (minutes Berlin conference 2015), Sebastian Himstedt (PR), Richard Duraj (Live-Blog Berlin conference 2015), Katharina Hörnes (Ex-Intern), Diethard Kaiser (Ex-Intern), Peter Dietze (Web-Admin), Judith Felizita Säger (Ex-Intern), Carla Hegerl (Ex-Intern), Jakub Neugebauer (Ex-Intern), Eva Philippi (Intern), Andreas Schmiedecker (Intern), Christian Siefkes (open Source Programmer), Detlev Hardegen (Stiftung Rosenbaum), Laura Seifert (Kulturförderpunkt Berlin), Beate Aikens (Creative Helpdesk Bonn), Sabiner Bornemann (Creative Helpdesk Bonn), Annika Schneeweiß (Kulturförderpunkt Berlin), Fr Gehring (Kulturkreis der Dt. Wirtschaft), Udo Marin (Verband Berliner Kaufleute und Industrieller), Catherine Hales (translations), Ursula Musil (architect), Constantinos Yiorkadjis (Mayor of Nicosia city), Panayiotis Papadopoulos (President Platers Local Authorities), Theo Charalambous (Director General, Altius Boutique Hotel, Nicosia), Marios Solomou, (Director MatrixMedia, press cutting service), Vicky Alexandratou (Media services), Annie Michaelides (architect), Demetra Egglezou (lecturer, European University Cyprus), Vicky Constantinou (IT support and photographer), Michalis Olymbios (director, SynergiaMedia), Costas Cacoyannis (composer and director Parakentro Culture Centre, Lemithou), Krokodil Festival (Ana Pejovic, Vladimir Arsenijevic), Vesna Bjedov, CCW Stainach (Dorothee Steinbauer), Pavelhaus (Elisabeth Arlt),Patrick Wurzwallner, Johannes Schrettle

CReating Other Ways of Dissemination