EDN has moved. It now stands for European Dance Development Network.
Moving Ground
Inspired by the shifting landscapes in dance, the enriching exchanges, consultations, and the decisive voting at the last General Assembly, EDN is delighted to announce that the network has expanded its focus. We are zooming out from dancehouses and embracing dance development organisations.
With this action, we recognise:
[𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻] we represent different kinds of organisations contributing to the development of contemporary dance in Europe. Not all of them are building-based but together we all share the same values and intentions for our sector.
[𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻] we are a network for building relationships.
[𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲] we hold space for a mutually supportive, stable ecology of contemporary dance.
[𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆] we are a meeting place for coalitions and alliances between different kinds of associations representing diverse realities and perspectives in the field.
[𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁] we accompany the sector's transformations and support striving for more equitable and diverse spaces for dance, informed by current artistic practices.
[𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁] we shall continue to ask: who is the 'we'? Who is here? And who is still missing?
Background
The dancehouse continues to assume its rightful place in the ecology of contemporary dance structures. All structures are important. They provide a ground to root in.
Contemporary dance structures are always under threat. They need to survive on moving ground. Relying heavily on financial subsidies leaves them susceptible to shifts in policy that impact decision-making and makes them vulnerable. In certain European countries and regions, the demand for expanding and constructing dance facilities has not been met with corresponding increases in financial support or policy priorities.
Beyond being mere dance venues, dancehouses are strategically placed to support the dance artform, offering a dedicated space for participation, production, and promotion of dance. The field relies on an equitable collaboration between different types of organisations that are all interdependent: large organisations need smaller ones and all structures need the freelance community.
Contemporary dance structures have to be flexible to stay attuned to the needs of a moving artform. The development of new and diverse spaces for dance is continuously informed by current artistic practices.
Common Ground
EDN continues to advocate for dedicated spaces for dance. Access to dance facilities, social and professional support structures are crucial for providing better working conditions for artists, communities and participants.
A balanced ecosystem thrives when people work together, prioritise collaboration over isolation, ensure that every voice is acknowledged and respected, and when those in positions of authority use their influence to benefit the entire community.
This is EDN in a shared movement towards more sustainable working conditions in the dance field and a more diverse, accessible, and equitable dance ecosystem: a meeting time and place for the interdependent, where centres turn to hubs, houses to spaces, doors are held open and the gatekeepers are making more keys.
Join us for the EDN publication launch: Equity in Working Conditions in Dance and register for our online conference How Can We Move? Creating Equitable Spaces in Contemporary Dance. You can sign up to our monthly newsletter where we open registrations to EDN activities. Or browse through our open access resource page.
This campaign is part of the EDNext project's theme of Equity. EDNext is co-funded by the European Union's Creative Europe Networks grant. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.