The Bilbao Training Hotspot Performing Audience Engagement – Community and Culture of Innovation in CCIs, organized by Haceria Arteak within its project ZAWP, streamed live on 12th and 13th May.

The two-day Training Hotspot revolved around the implications of audience development in the cultural and creative sector. On that behalf, the first day focused on the existing practices of the cultural ecosystem of the Zorrotzaurre island in Bilbao, while the second day included brilliant representatives of the Basque cultural sphere.

Two days of best practices

Specifically, the 12th started with a presentation from the organizer, who firstly introduced the Masterplan of Ribera de Deausto, the neeighbourhood of which Zorrotzaurre is part. After explaining the future developments of the area, Haceria Arteak placed its organization’s model of management and event production methods within the cultural offer of Zorrotzaurre.

With the ZAWP project, Haceria Arteak created an ecosystem in which old buildings in the area are “saved” and transformed into cultural venues. One of these venues is La Terminal, also member of the Trans Europe Halles network, an old “Stamping and Boilermaking” factory converted into a venue for events, markets and urban festivals. The space also hosts artist residencies. La Terminal has been presented by María Ruíz de Gopegui, urban planner & climate adaptation specialist at Arquitecture & Desing Specialist – CCIF and by Arantza Coote, responsible at Utopia Market. New brand & Young Designers Market at La Terminal – CCIF. Next, Inés Delgado Gracia introduced her space for circus arts Zirkozaurre and their way of operating and involving audiences.

Instead, Day 2 hosted presentations by:

  • Laura Díez on Karraskan, which encouraged our beneficiaries to use their self-mapping and strategic analyses tool for cultural agents;
  • Lander Balza on Kultursistema and Roberto Gómez de la Iglesia on Conexiones Improbables, who introduced the participants to the Open Innovation methodology (C2+i);
  • Macarena Cuenca Amigo on Becoming an audience-centred organisation and ADESTE+, helping the Field A representatives to understand the real implications of developing an audience approach and why it is fundamental.

Overall, the Bilbao Hotspot has been an interesting trip through the Basque cultural sector’s practices on audience development, a crucial element for the competitiveness of organizations in the performing arts field. In fact, if existing or soon-to-be CCIs do not take the importance of audience into account, they will never be able to build connections with the public and guarantee their organization’s economic and social sustainability. To do so, it is also important to strive for innovating forms of audience development, in order to stay updated with the constant evolvement of society. And we believe that Performing Audience Engagement – Community and Culture of Innovation in CCIs has been a strong starting point.

And now, what’s the plan?

Coming next is the pilot action phase! During this period, the beneficiaries will elaborate their creative ideas, sparked during the training sessions, and produce innovative management models and artistic interventions. These actions will be the final results of  the TrainArt journey.

Furthermore, given the gradual improvement of the pandemic situation at European level, the TrainArt partnership is planning on scheduling the presentation of pilot actions OFFLINE!

These, together with the on-site visits and creative workshops that were cancelled due to the sudden switch to the online format, would finally take place in the countries involved in the project: Spain, Serbia, Ireland, Sweden and Italy.

So, exciting news are about to come!

If you didn’t do it yet, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and we will keep you updated on every development.