for more details about the project e-mail us
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· home · preamble · aims and methods · the place · the people · endorsements · projects · |
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the project organisers |
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| ==The founders and course leaders are international experts in a variety of fields, from theatre to music, from multimedia to visual arts, from on-line learning to consulting for major international organisations on the development of complex wide ranging projects. These professionals are all experienced in working with multicultural and multinational groups, with business oriented as well as purely cultural projects, working with small independent organisations as well as Universities, Governments and NGOs. They have had varied experience in research and lecturing, consulting and production, design and project development, organisation and management of cultural, performing and art-based activities. There is a core team of three directors, two associated directors and a pool of associate members, all of whom are part of an active network of specialists. history of the organisation The original idea of creating a residential cultural and artistic centre in southern Europe was instigated by Roberto Battista, who has worked in the past with most of the current members of art-tracks on a variety of projects. From as far back as 1987 with Scarabeus Theatre and since 2001 with Steve Wheeler. The convergence of interests and experience spontaneously grew first into an association of individuals, and then led to the establishment of art-tracks (London, UK, 2002). Scarabeus Theatre was instrumental in the development of the initial concept and contributed their experience as an award-winning theatre company and one of the foremost exponents of multi-disciplinary performance in Europe whose work has been recognised through public, private foundation and corporate funding and has toured extensively worldwide. Since its inception, the organisation has hosted a series of seminars and meetings about creating a new International Research centre for the Visual and Performing Arts as well as organising and taking part in a variety of event (see the projects page). The primary focus of these activities has been the research and development of strategies, towards defining and achieving the organisation’s objectives. Through the collaborative workings of the core and associate members an extensive international network of working contacts has been established. As a result, there has been considerable interest expressed in the Project. |
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| Governing structure art-tracks' Chair
Directors
Associates: Scarabeus Theatre
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Roberto Battista http://www.robat.scl.net Founder and Chair art-tracks, Director of new media / music / video Roberto Battista has more than twenty years experience as an audio-visual artist, lecturer, researcher and designer in multimedia and modern communication technologies. Having started as a musician in the 70's, his work evolved through photography and soundwork into the theatre, experimenting with installation, stage works and the writing and directing of video shorts and documentaries. With the appearance of multimedia computers he moved on to interactive design for CDROM and later the Web. He was part of the team that produced the first European full scale interactive videodisc in the mid-late 80’s. Roberto has a particular interest in the cultural heritage, environment and transfer of technological knowledge to developing countries. He has created work for several International Organisations, including the United Nations’ ILO and FAO, and produced multimedia work for clients including the European Community, Microsoft, IBM, Fiat / Agnelli Foundation, the World Bank, the Negotiation Affairs Department of the Palestinian Authority, the Interim Government of Iraq, Adam Smith International and Creative Exchange. He is currently developing the network of contacts for art-tracks while while also creating on-line documentation for several musicians and visual artists and working at the BBC Radio 3 intractive. Involved in research into remote on-line co-operation and systems for live video broadcasting on the web and light mobile multimedia communication units, he also lectures in various educational institutions. In the "spare" time Roberto also continues his own production of music and video works. |
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| Emma Gibson BSC (Hons) Applied Psychology Director of social and environmental policy With over twelve years experience in social and environmental campaigning, Emma Gibson has been instrumental in affecting real change, in areas ranging from health, women's rights, nuclear power, GM technology and renewable energy. She has worked for a number of different organisations in positions ranging from Coordinator of National Volunteer Networks, to Campaign Manager and UK Coordinator. She has made numerous appearances on local and national television, in interviews for documentaries and news broadcasts; her media work extends to newspapers, magazines and the web. Her creative approach to campaigning has seen her engage with bodies ranging from Government at the highest levels, multinational corporations and the judical process, to local community groups and concerned individuals. Her project management skills have been brought to bear on complex issues that have entailed the coordination of teams of scientists, technical and legal experts on an international scale. She currently works for Greenpeace UK. |
Steve Wheeler BA Hons Fine Art, PGHDip Slade School of Fine Art, PGCE Director of visual and literary Arts For the past twenty five years, Steve Wheeler has been creating and exhibiting work. The scope of his output ranges from drawings, prints, paintings and sculpture, to site specific installations and projects on a city wide or even global scale. Whilst being primarily London based since the mid- 1980’s, he has shown his work in numerous regional galleries in the UK, as well as internationally in Eire, Holland, Germany, Austria and the USA. As a curator and exhibition organiser, Wheeler has a track record for innovation in utilising venues that have included private houses, shops, factories, warehouses and abandoned synagogues. He has also helped to set up and run artists studio complexes. From 1990 to 1996 he founded and ran Ampersand, a national arts patronage scheme that brought visual artists and the public together , with a series of five exhibitions concluding in a large international show in Dublin. In the early 1980’s, he became involved with giving experimental music and poetry performances and edited UN-magazine. His involvement with writing has continued through articles and essays, through to more recent billboard commissions for London Underground. Other collaborative projects have seen him crossing the boundaries between music and the visual arts: the 1998 ROOT project was a Lo recordings / C[too] colaboration which was exhibited and launched at the Chisenhale Gallery, London. Based on an idea by Jon Tye, the re-workings of bits of noise by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, produced an album that puts Wheeler’s sound composition alongside the likes of Bowie, Blur and Massive attack. He continues to teach, lecture and provide support and training to practicing artists. |
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the partnership with Scarabeus theatre http://www.scarabeus.co.uk art-tracks was founded in partnership with Scarabeus Theatre, a London based, UK registered charity created and directed by Daniela Essart and Søren Nielsen. They are an award-winning theatre company and one of the foremost exponents of multi-disciplinary performance in Europe. Their work has been recognised through public, private foundation and corporate funding and has toured extensively worldwide. |
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| Daniela Essart BA Hons Theatre and Film Studies, MA Performing Arts Director of theatre / charity / funding Daniela has extensive and broad based experience within the world of theatre and performing arts. Having trained with internationally renowned practitioners in fields as diverse as Commedia dell’Arte, Butoh dance and Ashtanga Yoga, she has gone on to develop her own unique approach to teaching and performing. She is the Manager and Artistic Director of Scarabeus Theatre Company, which she co-founded with Søren Nielsen in 1988. From their early work such as Arboreal - living trees, performed on the South Coast of Scotland, they have extended their site-specific approach to working, with noted performances throughout Europe and beyond. Large scale, multidisciplinary and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, Daniela’s Direction has led to commissions ranging from the Natural History Museum in London, Torshavn Hospital Faroe Islands, and the British Council in Trinidad, to the Arts Council England, Jerwood and Gulbenkian Foundations and the PRS Foundation for New Music. She has also been responsible for developing arts management skills, registered charity status and UK/European arts funding. Over the last 15 years she has taught physical and visual theatre, Commedia dell’Arte, lectured on site specific performance, multidisciplinary events and Arts production and management at various institutions including South Bank University, Circus Space - BA Theatre Practice (Circus), Rose Bruford College of Drama, School of Science of Acting in London; the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester; Rupert Stanley College in Belfast, Concordia University in Montreal, Canada and University of the West Indies St.Augustine in Port of Spain, Trinidad. (1988-2002) She is currently working on forthcoming projects for Scarabeus. |
Søren Nielsen Director of performance / technical / health and safety As a multi-talented performer, Søren has developed skills that span from dance, acrobatics, trapeze, to clowning, circus and most notably, stilt walking. Having gained experience in Denmark, France and the UK working in travelling theatre and circus, as both performer, set and prop maker, he went on to co-found the award-winning Scarabeus Theatre with Daniela Essart in 1988. As Technical Director, he is responsible for managing all of the technical planning for Scarabeus projects, including event costing and creating budgets for Scarabeus activities. He is the representative for Scarabeus technical and Health and Safety requirements, conducting site visits and maintaining links with venues and promoters, compiling risk assessments and overseeing the work of the production team and other personnel. He is also responsible for sourcing, purchasing, hiring and maintaining all equipment including the company vehicle. Søren is a qualified trainer and instructor who has taught at various institutions in the UK, Canada and Trinidad. Søren continues to perform, teach, stage manage and otherwise make artistic visions an achievable reality. |
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Several other artists, performers, professional and academics have expressed interest in the project and will join as time-sharers, external collaborators, guest lecturers and part-time partners.
Among these are writers, publishers, choreographers, musicians, painters, dancers, actors from Europe and the US. (see endorsements)
