Training for the Contact Zone

Curious about what the programme Cultural Democracy in Contact Zones has in store? Explore the sessions on Friday, 3 July!

📍 14:00 – 16:00 | Where Does the Contact Zone Live?

A participatory session exploring how Contact Zone approaches resonate across different sectors, organisations, and contexts.

Facilitated by Roberto Gómez de la Iglesia (Conexiones Improbables), with contributions from:

✦ Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), a European civil society network for education, with extensive experience in EU-level civil society leadership and student advocacy.

✦ Sergio Servellon , Art historian and museum director based in Antwerp, Board Member of the Network of European Museum Organisations, and Director of FeliXart Museum, where he has reoriented the institution towards the Belgian avant-garde and abstract art.

✦ Ioana Crugel, European and International Development Lead at the Association des centres culturels de rencontre (ACCR), with over two decades of experience in European cooperation, cultural exchange, and the development of international projects.

✦ Robert Kieft, Programme Manager for European Spaces of Culture at EUNIC (EU National Institutes for Culture), with extensive experience in international cultural relations, European cultural cooperation, and EU funding for the cultural sector.

📅 2–3 July 2026
📍 Pianofabriek, Brussels (Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles)
💻 Session will be live-streamed

🔗 Full programme and registration the comment below ⤻

🔵 Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union through Erasmus+ Adult Education.

𝐔𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐂𝐙 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭
👐🏼👐🏿👐🏽👐🏾👐🏻


Multivocality, Visibility, and Participatory Art
❔ What happens after a TCZ training ends❔

👐🏼 At Etz Hayyim Synagogue in Hania, one answer is beginning to take shape through a new two-day training connected to the emerging Activity Circle ΑμεΑ και τα Χανιά / AmeA kai ta Hania – People with Disabilities, and Hania.

👐🏿 The training, led by local organization and associated partner to TCZ, Young Citizens of the World, will take place on 20th-21st June, and will bring together artists, teachers, parents, and community members who are preparing to support a collaborative cultural process with AmeA participants. Together, they will explore selected tools and ideas from the Training for the Contact Zone Curriculum, with a focus on dialogue, participation, representation, and the creation of safer spaces for unsafe conversations.

👐🏽 This synergy event marks an important step in carrying the TCZ methodology beyond the original training setting. It connects the curriculum developed by the TCZ consortium with a locally rooted process in Hania, where art and culture will become a space for visibility, cooperation, and shared reflection.

👐🏾 The training also looks ahead: the long-term goal is to support a joint exhibition in September/October 2026, presenting artworks created by young AmeA together with local artists.

🔵 Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus+ Adult Education.

In just a few weeks, we will meet in Brussels for the final TCZ conference, Cultural Democracy in Contact Zones (2–3 July 2026).

📅 Registration is open until 22 June – link in comment.

As we prepare for this final gathering, it is also a moment to look back.
In December 2025, participants from across Europe came together at the Goethe-Institut Bucharest for Contact Zones in Practice.

Together, they explored a central question of the Training for the Contact Zone project: How can we create spaces where different memories, identities and perspectives can meet, even when they are in tension with one another?

At the heart of the project is the concept of the Contact Zone: a space where different narratives encounter one another and where dialogue, mutual learning and democratic participation can emerge.

The Bucharest conference brought together the experiences of the first pilot trainings and opened discussions on difficult heritage, cultural rights, narrative justice and participation.

🔁 So what happened since then?
The conversation continued across Europe: in Chania, Porto and Budapest, participants explored how the Contact Zone approach can be applied in different cultural and heritage contexts. Together, these experiences generated insights, questions and recommendations that now converge in Brussels.

➡️ Now, in Brussels, we take the next step.
Together, we will reflect on the future of cultural democracy, explore the role of Contact Zones in cultural practice, and collectively develop the TCZ Manifesto — a document bringing together the project's key ideas, values and recommendations for dialogue, participation and inclusion.

From Bucharest to Brussels, the conversation continues.

📍 Brussels | 2–3 July 2026
📅 Register until 22 June
🔗 Link in the comment below.

What role can cultural institutions play in strengthening democracy today?

This question will open Cultural Democracy in Contact Zones, the final event of Training for the Contact Zone exploring the notion of cultural institutions as “contact zones” and discuss what cultural democracy really means in practice.

Moderated by Lars Ebert (Culture Action Europe), the discussion will bring together:

✦ Angelos Agalianos (European Commission, DG EAC), policy expert on culture, democracy, social cohesion, and intergenerational fairness.

✦ Alexandra Xanthaki (UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights), leading scholar of indigenous rights, cultural heritage, and international human rights law.

✦ Barbara Van Lindt (KAAI Theatre), curator, dramaturg, and arts leader exploring inclusion, collective learning, and the evolving role of cultural institutions.

📅 2–3 July 2026
📍 Pianofabriek, Brussels (Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles)
💻 The session will be live-streamed
🔗 Registration link below (register, even if you will attend online!)

📋 full programme linked in the comment below ⤻

🔵 Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union through Erasmus+ Adult Education.

🏙️ TCZ SYNERGY EVENT

CUYO, Araneida Studio and Etz Hayyim Synagogue present a synergy activity within the framework of the Training for the Contact Zone (TCZ) project:

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 – 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲

📅 12.06.26: 18:30-21:30 (Workshop)
📅 13.06.26: 17:00-20:30 (Workshop)
21:00-23:00 (Open Exhibition)
📍Araneida Studio in Chania

𝐀 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐂𝐙 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦, 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲:

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝟓: 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 “𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 – (𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲) 𝐀𝐫𝐭”, 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐲.

At the end of the workshop, we will hold an open exhibition to present the works created by the participants during the workshop.

This activity is part of TCZ’s Synergy Events, connecting our project work with external partners and fostering cross-sector knowledge exchange.

Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus+ Adult Education.

🎬 TCZ SYNERGY EVENT
REPRESENTING ROMA IN FILM - Critical Perspectives and Alternative Narratives

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?

A one-day workshop at Goethe-Institut Bucharest invites film professionals, activists, students, researchers, and everyone interested in visual culture and representation to critically explore how Roma communities are portrayed in cinema.

Working with film excerpts participants will engage with perspectives from cultural and Roma studies, reflecting on how cinematic images shape narratives and public perception.

Through practical exercises, participants will revisit and rewrite scenes, developing alternative approaches to representation while opening space for critical reflection on authorship, responsibility, and the role of audiences in interpreting visual storytelling.

The workshop will be facilitated by Luiza Medeleanu and Adrian Furtună.

📍 Goethe-Institut Bucharest
📅 June 25, 2026
🕙 10:00–17:00

Registration until June 18th.🔗 Find the link in our comment below.

This activity is part of TCZ’s Synergy Events, connecting our project work with external partners and fostering cross-sector knowledge exchange.
Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus+ Adult Education.

Cultural Democracy in Contact Zones is taking shape! Take a look at a few of the sessions on the programme...

On 2–3 July 2026 in Brussels, the final conference of Training for the Contact Zone will bring together cultural practitioners, artists, teachers, social workers, and policymakers for two days of exchange on how cultural spaces can hold difference, support dialogue, and strengthen belonging.

The programme moves across policy, practice, and participation, with:

🔹 "Culture for people, people for culture," a panel exploring cultural democracy and the role of European policymaking in supporting more inclusive cultural institutions

🔹 a living archive of stories, methods, and reflections from the Contact Zone trainings

🔹 conversations with trainers and practitioners working across different local realities

🔹 a Roadmap Manifesto on how Contact Zone practices can inform future cultural policy, institutional practice, and public life

Join us and be part of the conversation shaping the future of cultural democracy in Europe.

📍 Pianofabriek, Brussels (Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles)

📅 2–3 July 2026

💻 Part of the gathering will also be accessible online – see the programme for more details.

Deadline to register: 22 June
🔗 Registration link in bio (register, even if you will attend online!)

🇪🇺 Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus+ Adult Education.

🌱 ROOTS AND ROUTES: Rethinking Participation in Work with Communities

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬?

Adi Levant, an arts professional currently working for the Etz Chayyim Synagogue in Chania, is facilitating a workshop in Istanbul, Türkiye, at the CAE BEYOND East Satellite: Between Neighbours: Crossing Voices, Crossing Borders.

Drawing on the TCZ methodology, the workshop invites cultural practitioners, activists, and policymakers to collectively reflect on participation as a relational and evolving process. Through dialogue and mapping exercises, participants will explore assumptions, motivations, and the importance of flexibility, trust-building, and shared responsibility in working with communities.

A space to rethink how our roots , needs, expectations, and assumptions shape our routes of action in cultural practice.🤝

📍This activity is part of TCZ’s synergy events, designed to connect our project work with external partners and promote cross-sector knowledge exchange.

🔵Training for the Contact Zone is co-funded by the European Union within the framework of Erasmus + Adult Education.