STRONGER PERIPHERIES: BUILDING A SOUTHERN COALITION IN PERFORMING ARTS

Stronger Peripheries: Building a Southern Coalition in Performing Arts is a multifaceted exploration of the performing arts scenes in Southern Europe, offering a rich and thought-provoking experience. This book is both an artistic and academic reflection on the Stronger Peripheries project, which sought to strengthen arts and culture in Southern European countries by focusing on participatory artistic approaches and capacity-building within local communities.

The publication is designed to engage readers through a diverse array of texts, artistic insights, poetic meditations, visual essays and academic reflections. It delves into key concepts such as art, participation, power relations, post-colonialism and the complexities of Southern European art worlds. The book opens with an overview of the Stronger Peripheries project, followed by an exploration of its core themes, such as community engagement and the intersection of art and social issues.

The central sections showcase 14 distinct artistic productions that emerged from collaborations between project partners, artists, and communities, emphasizing contemporary challenges in art and society. A section on “Southern Art Worlds” provides cultural, social and political reflections on the diversity of artistic practices across the region, while "Alternative Gazes from the South" invites readers to reconsider societal structures and imagine new futures.

The final chapters offer actionable recommendations for individuals and communities engaged in arts-based participatory processes, along with two toolkits co-developed throughout the project to enhance understanding of Southern audiences and improve artistic engagement.

This book serves as both a comprehensive catalogue and a call for reflection and action, offering readers an immersive journey into the vibrant and diverse artistic landscapes of the southern peripheries of Europe. It was created as part of the project Stronger Peripheries funded by the European Commission through the Creative Europe program.

The book is available to download here.