Page 125 - Results 2015: AC/E Programme for the Internationalization of Spanish Culture

PERFoRMInG ARTSArtiClE125/return, I get to know and experience the main problems across the di erent European countries and to exchange ideas on nding solutions that may bene t all those contries directly or indirectly,” she adds.“I think it is very important for the people working in the eld of the arts in public spaces to have the opportunity to exchange ideas, information, technical knowledge and, in general, to get their heads together on the future of street art in Europe,” says Howells. She sees the contact channels among professionals as fundamental tothe sector’s development because, as she says, there are more points in common at international level than di erences. “ ere is a great artistic diversity in street art across the European countries but we do share a common philosophy and we face mainly the same kinds of problems.”One of those common problems, according to Howells, is the privatisation of public spaces, one of the sector’s chief worries. Another priority is nancing. “Both artists and programme creators nd it increasingly di cult to obtain the right level of nancing for high quality productions and festivals,” she says. “ e situation varies in Europe from one country to another and it is very di cult to generalise on the subject,” she points out. In Germany and Italy, for instance, there is not type of support at all, while France has a much more favourable set up. “Nevertheless, I belive there is a great number of new initiatives and ideas that have arisen in the past ve years,” adds IFAPS’ president.Economics aside, the event —just like street art itself— has a strong social element that centres around two distinct areas. e rst is training courses because, as Howellssays, “if we do not create opportunities for young artists and companies to learn and experiment, then we cannot guarantee the future of street art.” And that future is important because street art can work as a motor of social integration.”“Every day we hear talk about refugeesand immigrants coming to Europe,” says Howells: “In Germany, a total of 800,000 immigrants are expected to arrive this year. And there lies a big integration challenge,” One of the solutions to improve integration, she reckons, lies in artistic events and festivals in public spaces, as they “have great potential for creating identity and a senseof citizanship. Our work in common is an important way of integrating people of di erent cultural and social origin.” e members of the Circostrada network —a body made up of nine European street art associations and one of the organiserof this event— promise to make the conclusions of the event reach politicians and institutions throughout Europe. For Howells, the future role of those members should be to “carry on stimulating thought through high quality artistic creations in urban spaces,” and, at a professional level, “to use interconnections throughout the world of art to create a European identity which, as a common identity, will preserve the diversity of our di erent cultural origins.”