The countries of the Mediterranean basin are experiencing a tense social, political and cultural context, marked by economic difficulties, religious or social tensions, identity conflicts and the health crisis. In this context, culture is the best vehicle for dialogue, tolerance and respect within our societies and between different communities. The Covid19 crisis, whilst provoking the closure of borders and the halt of cultural activities in Europe and the Mediterranean, seriously questions the role of culture and education today and forces us to rethink its modes of transmission and accessibility. The 6 cultural institutions of the partnership from 6 Euro-Mediterranean countries (Italy, France, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Turkey) with varied and complementary profiles (centres of higher education, research centres and festivals), have together identified the urgent needs of the cultural sector in the Euro-Mediterranean area: - To maintain the dialogue between the countries of the Mediterranean basin. - To empower cultural structures and artists in their action for social inclusion. - To strengthen the skills of the operators of the cultural and creative sectors. Inspired by the experience developed by the members of the partnership in these last months of crisis, “Medinea On Air” is an innovative, virtual and non-virtual programme of activities that takes advantage of digital technology as a tool for dialogue, inclusion and creation. It targets young Mediterranean artists under 30 years of age, who are specifically instrumentalists, conductors in the field of written classical music, and improvising musicians and composers in the field of music from oral transmission (traditional music, jazz, etc.). The online training programme has been designed to meet the needs of young Mediterranean artists who intend to develop a professional career as a musician in an orchestra or ensemble. This training, open to all musical aesthetics, is structured and organised in thematic cycles made up of several modules. These include instrumental technique, digital technology as a tool for promotion and creation, the different musical aesthetics in the Mediterranean, preparation for auditions, and extra-artistic knowledge (entrepreneurial, social, human). The modules will take the form of live public master classes accessible to all upon free registration, and will involve 342 selected participants, in direct interaction with the speakers. A series of face-to-face learning activities planned from 2022 onwards will complement the online training by providing everything that digital technology cannot provide: human and intercultural encounters between young artists and with the public; professional encounters with artists, pedagogues and partners; engagement in a collective and immersive creation process, etc. During the 4 Medinea sessions scheduled in Valletta (Malta), Aix-en-Provence (France), Nuoro (Italy) and Ljubljana (Slovenia), the 48 young musician-improvisers will experiment with collective composition techniques, together, with the aim of creating a joint musical production that reveals individual singularities. The symphonic session of the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra in Aix-en-Provence will be an opportunity for the 90 young musicians selected to experience orchestral life in the stimulating setting of the Festival d'Aix. They will benefit from the coaching of experienced artists in order to understand the great pieces of the symphonic repertoire presented to the public during restitution concerts. The young people will also be trained in the field to implement outreach actions through meetings with diverse audiences organised in collaboration with local structures, and will benefit from workshops and meetings with artists and professionals from the cultural world. In addition to creating spaces for dialogue between the different stakeholders of the project and thus developing the feeling of belonging to a common space - the Mediterranean basin - Medinea On Air enables its beneficiaries, young artists and members of the partnership, to acquire strong technical skills but also the human skills essential to the consolidation of a cultural and creative sectors heavily impacted by the pandemic. This programme will form part of the Medinea network, bringing together 30 cultural institutions based in 17 countries of the Mediterranean basin. By participating, young people join the Medinea community of emerging and professional artists, becoming part of an international collaborative dynamic over the long term, thus creating a musical and social legacy across the Mediterranean.
By facilitating intercultural dialogue, we wanted to: - Cultivate a unifying dynamic within the Euro-Mediterranean area, aimed at encouraging the sharing of knowledge and the exchange of good practice. - Develop a sense of belonging to a common space in the Mediterranean, thereby fostering opportunities for closer ties and stronger links between communities. In dealing with social inclusion, we wanted to: - Work to make programmes more accessible. - Encourage the circulation of artistic forms, ideas, artists and professionals in the Euro-Mediterranean area. - Develop mediation, educational and awareness-raising initiatives. - Raise awareness among young artists and professionals of issues relating to social inclusion, and in particular: . Sharing values, a common territory and cultural heritage . Diversity and non-discrimination . Gender equality. In order to strengthen the skills of our target groups, we wanted to: - Develop very high-level artistic AND non-artistic training (entrepreneurial, social, human) to promote job opportunities in a highly competitive and internationalised sector. - Take advantage of digital tools and demonstrate innovation by inventing new forms of learning and dialogue between young artists and professionals.
The design of the programme was based on the identification of the needs of the cultural sector in the Mediterranean basin in the particular international post-pandemic context. Need 1: Maintain and stimulate dialogue between cultural sector institutions in Mediterranean countries, particularly at a time when: . Activities and mobility opportunities were hampered by health risks, border closures and visa difficulties. . There was a tendency for nations to withdraw into their own identities, even though they belonged to a common geographical and cultural space. Need 2: Reinforce the role of cultural structures and artists in promoting social inclusion. The accessibility of musical productions, and the development of mediation, educational and awareness-raising actions, which can target so-called "remote" audiences, must continue to call for great creativity and strong collective involvement. In the same way as inclusion, it is essential to combat the gender imbalance in recruitment, among both beneficiaries and professionals. Need 3: Strengthen the skills of those involved in the sector to promote the professional integration of young artists and establish the conditions necessary for the sustainable development of creative approaches in the Mediterranean.