Rotterdam Dialogues: The Periphery Complex

Witte de With invites you to attend a three-day symposium exploring three hot topics faced by contemporary arts institutions: new money, new audiences and new locations. Key figures from the local, national and international art world will share their thoughts and experiences, in dialogue with one another and with the public.

Thurs 8 Feb

New money

1.30 pm

Case study by Isabel Carlos (independent curator, Lisbon and curator of 2004 Sydney Biennale) on the shift from public to private funding in contemporary art. Carlos will address the pros & cons of both systems based on her experience on different sides of the world.

2.30 pm

Dialogue between Brian Butler (Director, Artspace, Auckland) andCharles Esche (Director, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven) about the current funding debates in The Netherlands and beyond.

3.45 pm

Panel discussion exploring the economic pressures on programming: financial security versus artistic freedom?
Moderated by Olav Velthuis (economist, art historian and Volkskrant journalist) featuring Maria Lind (Director, Iaspis, Stockholm), Suhail Malik (Senior Lecturer, Goldsmiths College, London), Jaime Stapleton(Associate Research Fellow, Birkbeck College, London) and Hans Abbing (Professor of Art Sociology, University of Amsterdam).

Fri 9 Feb

New audiences

1.30 pm

Case study by Tobias Berger (Director, Para/Site Art Space , Hong Kong) examining the changing audiences for art institutions in Europe and
in Asia.

2.30 pm

Dialogue between Tirdad Zolghadr (independent curator, Berlin) andRachida Azough (Artistic Director, Kosmopolis, House for Cultural Dialogue, Rotterdam) exploring differing approaches to using “culture” as a tool for mediating between “cultures”.

3.45 pm

Panel discussion on the relationship between an art institution and its public(s): what do we want from our audience?
Featuring Gitta Luiten (Director, Mondriaan Foundation), Niru Ratnam(co-director, STORE gallery, London, and initiator of Arts Council England’s Inspire curatorial program), Nina Möntmann (independent curator and writer, Hamburg), Simon Rees (curator, CAC Vilnius).
Moderated by Tirdad Zolghadr (independent curator, Berlin).

Sat 10 Feb

New locations

1.30 pm

Dialogue between Laurent Le Bon (Director, Centre Pompidou-Metz) and Ruud Visschedijk (Director, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam) concerning the relocating of a cultural institution and the effect this has on its program and identity.
Moderated by Marc Spiegler (journalist and art critic, Zurich).

2.30 pm

We are sorry to announce that Claire Doherty was obliged to cancel her presentation due to bad health. We are delighted that Dirk Snauwaert has stepped in to provide a case-study in her absence.
Case study by Dirk Snauwaert (directeur, Wiels center for contemporary art, Brussels), presenting the institution-under-construction and exploring its need to be housed in a building.

3.45 pm

Panel discussion on the question of de-centralisation and gentrification: why is it still a matter of location, location, location?
Moderated by Marc Spiegler featuring Nikolaus Hirsch (architect, Frankfurt), Adrienne Goehler (publicist and independent curator, Berlin), Dirk Snauwaert (Director, Wiels contemporary art centre, Brussels), Wouter Vanstiphout (architectural historian and member of Crimson collective, Rotterdam).

9.00 pm

Fairplay surprise p(ART)y
To mark the end of the symposium, Witte de With and WORM will present a Rotterdam underground night of film shorts, music and dance.
Location: WORM, Achterhaven 148 Rotterdam
+31(0)10-4767832 www.wormweb.nl

Names and dates are subject to change.
Due to the large number of international guests, all discussions will take place in English.

Admission

Entry to Rotterdam Dialogues is euro: 10 per day or euro : 20 for all 3 days.
Students and Art Rotterdam ticket holders receive a 50% reduction.
A ticket from Rotterdam Dialogues gives the holder a 5 euro discount on entry to Art Rotterdam on 8-9-10 Feb, and free entry to WORM on Sat 10.