Present: Avi Sooful (Chair), Paul-Henri Souvenir Assako Assako, Ruth Belinga, Patrique deGraft-Yankson, Osuanyi Essel, Mary Claire Akinyi Kidenda, Constanze Kirchner, Lize Kriel, Runette Kruger, Suki Mwendwa, Jane Otieno, Nicola Pauli, Bernadette Van Haute, Ernst Wagner
Apologies: Ebenezer Acquah, Juste Constant Onana Amougui, Stefan Eisenhofer, Zhang Ming
1. Agenda and Minutes of the last meeting
Both were accepted
2. Report back on the Summer School at Fuldatal by panel members
All representatives from the different countries congratulated the Augsburg team who organised the Summer School. It was a wonderful experience for all members. The discussions and presentations were thought provoking and an interesting encounter with other colleagues and information shared. Sharing projects and ideas and methodologies across countries was very productive. There were exciting topics and much that was learnt about the different perspectives adopted in each of the projects. Documenta fifteen was very interesting in relation to what was presented at the Summer School. Unfortunately, time was (too) short (as usual).
3. Report back from the residency
Avi had an online meeting with the participants. Incredible what the group achieved within ten days. The documentation of the exhibition visualized by the artists will be available online on the EVC website. The participants offered their appreciation to EVC and suggested a follow up residency but with more time, e.g. 1-3 months. The colleagues from Brazil are working on possibilities for a residency in their country and this could be a possible project in future. A new exhibition on the topic “Transcultural Meeting” is planned as an online exhibition and the participants will be all those who participated in the residency at Karnitz, Germany.
4. Funding
Runette’s idea to have a special meeting on funding possibilities together with an expert is welcomed. Members who are interested are requested to forward their expression of interest in attending this presentation by October 5 to Ernst (who will coordinate the date). Each country should be represented as it will be beneficial to us all.
Liz: There is an interesting call by the Thyssen foundation for funding and we are requested to consider this for funding specific projects.
5. Invitation to cooperate by Attwell Mamvuto, University of Zimbabwe & Magdeline Mannathoko, University of Botswana
EVC was invited to contribute to a book that will be published and the panel members were presented with the invitation. Liz was in Botswana recently but didn’t meet with Magdeline Mannathoko. In her opinion the University is very good, and they have a new focus on art education. Avi suggested that the presentations from Fuldatal be written up as chapters for this book. Members who could not come to Kassel can write new abstracts based on the topics available in the invitation. Presenters and members are asked to write and submit their 400–500-word abstracts to Ernst by the 8th October 2022.
6. Potential new EVC-hubs
Stakeholders from other continents show interest and would like to cooperate with EVC. They are welcome to participate in EVC projects. However, the Expert Panel should be maintained in its current size and composition.
7. Plans made in Kassel in August
Presentations and (if possible) the texts of the lectures in Fuldatal will be sent to Ernst for uploading on the website.
Interpretations of a work from the documenta 15, based on the Cape Town Model to be published on the website, is requested. (A first chapter by Jane is already online.)
“Gender Matters” is confirmed as the guiding theme for EVC in 2023/24. Activities planned:
- Joint virtual exhibition (10 – 15 art works created by students at the participating universities). Each partner decides about the curator and the project brief that will be followed in their specific country. Proposals re format, target groups, dates, processes in respect the local situation shall be sent by end of October to Ernst.
- Publication: see item 5 (Invitation to cooperate)
- Avi: Conference September 2023 (South Africa) is in process of preparation. The theme is (A)gender Matters. Funding tracks available in South Africa (heritage, education (schools & higher education), visual arts). Persons to head these tracks are identified. Ad-hoc meetings with the French embassy (interested in the topic of restitution) and with ABSA’s senior curator offers positive feedback.
8. Educator's conference at Augsburg University
This conference is in October 2022 and targets the German educational situation. Avi is invited to represent EVC at the conference. In parallel the colleagues from Ghana are coming for a workshop on textbooks that are in process of developing for art educators in Ghana and in Germany.
9. Any other business
Re: acknowledgement of publications in South Africa requires a letter from the publisher. An official letter from Waxmann Publishers was requested by Lize.
Suki highlighted the World Summit on Arts Education on the island of Madeira / Portugal from 1 to 3 March 2023 as a valuable platform for EVC. Topic: Heritage and Sustainability - Sustainable Islands of Culture and Arts Education. It would be good to have a presence of EVC at this hybrid conference. Suki will send the call to Ernst who in turn will share this with the Panel.