ACT I Art, connections and transformation, proposed by the Art Encounters Foundation in partnership with 8 European entities, will take place between May and December in Timișoara, in the vibrant context of the European Capital of Culture 2023. The project was born from the need to raise the international profile of the city, to create new partnerships with other European cultures, to achieve the artistic excellence that a newly inaugurated ECoC city must access, as well as instilling courage, confidence and originality in all citizens towards a lasting commitment towards the future of the city. ACT – Art, connections and transformation / Art, connections and transformation focuses on a European constellation of cultural partnerships with Niki(DE), Neuer Berliner Kunstverein(DE), Invisible Dust(UK), Praksis(NO), HISK(BE) , Harlan Levey(BE), ETH – AI Center(CZ), IAM Infinity Art Museum(Metaverse) & Very Good Looking World(UK) and knowledge exchanges that enrich the local artistic context and participants' skills, developing new audiences.
The objectives of this broad program start from the basic mission of the foundation to create an open platform for contemporary art in close connection with Timișoara and the European art scene, integrating the public as an active and vocal participant, as part of a permanent exchange of knowledge. To increase the visibility of contemporary art, it is absolutely necessary to widen the existing institutional network and facilitate the physical and mental mobility of our collaborators, encouraging reflection and continuous learning. The transfer of best practices is equally essential, bringing to Timișoara reference cultural personalities, exceptional artistic products and long-term strategies of collaboration, transformation and dialogue that will remain as a legacy of this special year.
The project is part of the national cultural programme "Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in 2023" and is funded through the European Echoes Timișoara 2023 programme, implemented by the Center for Projects Timișoara, with funds allocated from the state budget, through the budget of the Ministry of Culture.