Name of your organisation: Pro Rodopi Art Centre (PRAC)
Website of your organisation: www.prac.biz
How is your organisation funded?
PRAC is run by Pro Rodopi Foundation, legal non-profit body established in 2000. PRAC is funded on project basis (e.g. no annual sunsidy or annual secured budget). For each project money are raised from different funding organizations. Main part of the budget comes from international foundations (like European cultural foundation, KulturKontakt, Pro Helvetia etc), national state authorities (like Ministry of Culture, National Culture Fund) etc. Small part comes from private sponsors. As PRAC is focused on international co-production of its project, part of the funding comes from the international partners and their supporters. PRAC intensively worked so far with organizations from Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Kazahstan, Mongolia etc.
Explain what your organisation is about (to somebody who does not know about it).
PRAC has been initiated in 2004 as the first independent art residency centre for performing (and video in the future) arts in Bulgaria.
In short
Pro Rodopi Art Centre is a revolutionary project for Bulgarian cultural infrastructure.
It is an independent cultural centre, first of that kind in a rural area in the country. It is a crossroad of ideas from South- East, Central, North and West Europe. It is a result of experience, needs and visions of artistis and cultural facilitators from Bulgaria with a connection to artists and organisations in Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands that are already forming an informal network. Aim To facilitate wide spectrum of process (performances, workshops, presentations, conferences, debates) in field of performing and video arts, and its impact on artistic, social, cultural, geographical and individual identity of human being. Crucial qualities of the Pro Rodopi Arts Centre are openness, local and intenational co-operation; will and ability to change and adjust its directions according to its local and global environment. The founders prefer to see these premises as starting points of the work rather then as goals to achieve.Situated:
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in village of Bostina (150 inhabitants) in the rural area of Central Rhodopes Mountain
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10 km northeast from of Smolyan, the main city of the region
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50 km north of Aegean sea
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100 km south of Plovdiv
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250 km northeast of Thessaloniki
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250 km southeast of Sofia
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350 km northwest of Istanbul
PRAC is:
- the first independent performing art residency centre in Bulgaria
- completely independent and private initiative of a group of young active artists with good connections to the local and national authorities, and with well establshed own international network;
- a new and more effective model for running a cultural institution in Bulgaria – more of high quality professional projects with much less bureaucracy and administration;
- organising art projects from the bottom up;
- establishing constant conditions for local, national and international artists to develop their work in connection with the local area;
- home of an international independent performing arts group – Arepo Group;
- connecting high professional creative contemporary art and local’s everyday life;
- developing its activities within an informal network of international art organisations and art practitioners;
Describe how your organisation is engaged in international cooperation and exchange.
PRAC has been initiated as a place for international artistic and cultural exchange. In the core concept of the centre is facilitating the need of the independent artists from Bulgaria of collaboratiing in an international context and widening the horizon and perspectives for professional development. Since the beginning, PRAC has developed so far 3 artistic projects in residence, though the buildings of the new PRAC are not ready yet. 2 of the projects has been international physical theatre coproductions (Anatomy of Extreme – Bulgaria/Slovenia/Switzerland/Sweden; Delta – Bulgaria/Slovakia/Slovenia/Austria). The 3rd one – Chick with a Trick – was a puppet production orientated to local public mainly – children – but done in such a way so it could communicate to audiences in different nationalities. The 3 productions has over 100 performances in countires like Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Czech rep, Norway, Romania, Albania, and with a big upcoming tour to USA in September 2007 and Pakistan in November 2007. Providing an international experience and exchange for Bulgarian and international artists is the main focus in the work of PRAC. The international scope of PRAC has been recognized by the several important international funding bodies which supported the projects of PRAC since the beginning (European Cultural Foundation/Amsterdam, KulturKontakt/Vienna, Pro Helvetia/Zurich & Sofia, Trust for mutual Understanding/New York, Ministries of Culture of Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia; Cities of Ljubljana, Zilina, Smolyan etc).
Describe how your art space relates to the local community. If you are about to open an art space, explain how you related to the local community in your previous experiences.
PRAC has two main directions inits work: one toward international art residencies and co-production, and another one toward local community and groups like orphants, children in risk, seniors, women etc. One of the projects of PRAC – Chick with a Trick – was created specially for children and it was supported by Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria, and the Smolyan Drama Theatre. The production had more than 50 performances only in the area of Bostina and Smolyan district, some of them performed for free for special groups like children in risk and orphants, and even seniors in special hospises etc. PRAC is meant to be developed in a close connection to the local environment including local people (through presentation of the work for locals, meetings with visiting artists, special events like workshops, thematic evenings for people in the village etc). Creating the work in the rural environment is important fact not only for visiting artists but also for locals who does not have much opportunities to experience international art, and to meet international people. Actually the nternational art residency in the rural area of Bostina and Smolyan district has also a social impact on the life overthere due to the new opportunities which the fact offers to locals.
What are the major internal and external challenges your organisation is facing?
Major internal challenge PRAC is facing is the fact that due to lack of regular annual support so far, the Centre can not afford to hire enough people to work and take care of the project implementations. The existence of PRAC till now and the realisation of the project has been possible due to the personal dedication of its founders and lots of volunteer work. The major external challenge is the bad infrastructure of the region – bad roads, bad telecommunications and internet access. Though the local authorities – municipality of Smolyan does not finance directly the Centre, the Mayor is fond of PRAC and its activities and provides help with necessary letters of support, and sometimes offers for free some of municipality buildings for PRAC activities.
What are the main achievements and strengths of your organisation? Pro Rodopi Foundation (the legal body behind PRAC) exists since 2000. Untill the establishmen of PRAC in 2004, it maintained over 15 local and international cultural projects not only in Bulgaria, but in countries like Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sweden, Slovenia, Germany, Romania etc. The gross budget for the first 5 years was over EUR 150 000. Since 2004 PRAC has realised 3 major projects – production and touring of 3 theatre performances: Anatomy of Extreme (2004; 10 artists from 4 countries – Bulgaria, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, 3 months rehearsal period/residency in Bostina; so far 25 performances in 5 countries – Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway), Chick with a Trick (2005; 5 artists from Bulgaria; 2 months rehearsal period/residency in Bostina; so far 80 performances in 5 countries – Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Slovenia, Norway and plans for tours to The Netherlands and Pakistan by end of 2007) and Delta (10 artists from 3 countries – Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia; 2 months rehearsal period in Bostina; so far 15 performances in 5 countries – Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Rep, Austria, Slovenia and plans for tour of 17 performances to USA by end of 2007). Ross budget of PRAC for the 3 years is over EUR 150 000.
