The arts and culture sector in Europe are a recognized contributor to addressing some of society’s most pressing issues. The sector’s infrastructure includes artistic organisations, networks, research and training providers, both formal and informal. Artists and culture professionals are encouraged (or do not have a choice) to internationalise their careers in order to increase their long-term (financial) sustainability. Sometimes public and private bodies support their capacity to work abroad, by supporting their mobility, organizing info sessions, or circulating resources, etc. However, these strategies, aiming at increasing financial growth for artists and cultural professionals', are seldom well-translated into structured action plans, information and training programmes, or mentoring/tailor-made coaching.Covid-19 has dealt a massive blow to the sector, the financial fallout of which will have repercussions for many years to come. International mobility, as a central component of the professional trajectory of artists and culture professionals, is heavily impacted. Learning Trajectories aims at providing innovative methodologies on how to operate internationally, develop key skills and strengthen networks, also contributing to the recovery /survival of the culture sector in Europe.Goals:- Design three practical guides based on the testing/implementation of an innovative curated prospection programme to help trainers/mentors of internationalisation schemes to significantly upgrade the quality of their training supporting artists & culture professionals to develop their career abroad- Provide ourselves with opportunities to share/exchange best practices, engage in professional development for all staff members (management/interns/volunteers), and add a more dynamic/timely professional setting where we can address the challenges ahead, in our own contexts and on a European level- Develop new working methodologies to encourage international prospection as a solid strategy to be embedded in mentoring schemes (very much lacking at a European level), while working together to increase the A&C sector’s capacity/ability to operate internationally, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.Beneficiaries:Beyond the internal professional development of the partner organisations, focus is on the performing arts sector:- Teams within the partner organisations- Trainers/mentors of intermediary organisations providing expertise to cultural managers, producers and artists who seek to operate internationally but that are still lacking the tools and methodologies to do so; They will ultimately be the main beneficiaries of the outputs and results of this project- Cultural managers/producers and artists seeking to develop their capacity and ability to operate in a European or international context with limited experiences or with a need to strategize their approach in a better or different way- European networks and platforms who support the international capacity and ability to operate in a European or international context with limited experiences or with a need to strategize their approach in a better or different wayOutcomes:- Improved quality of internationalisation programmes in existence through a number of intellectual outputs that will be made available and widely disseminated (physical events, digital channels)- Innovative approaches and methodologies for curated prospection trips to further the internationalisation of artists/cultural professionals- Upgraded quality of capacity-building initiatives for arts and culture professionals to ensure the sustainability/continued development of the sectorOutputs:- Organisational and individual professional development of the partner organisations, their staff, volunteers and interns. 24 people will participate in the project.- Two LTTs: Curated prospection programmes to test the methodology in real time- The dissemination of our IOs to our primary and secondary beneficiaries (our partner organisations, trainers/mentors of intermediary organisations, cultural managers, producers and artists who seek to operate internationally, networks and platforms). - Intellectual Output 1 Internationalisation: A guide on how to establish a market profile- Intellectual Output 2 Internationalisation: A guide on how to mentor artists and culture professionals- Intellectual Output 3 Internationalisation: A guide on how to prepare a prospection trip- 4 multiplying events, in each partner country, for the dissemination of the three guides. 260 people will attend the MEs.Impact: We expect to equip our target groups with new tools/guides/contacts/skills in their pursuit of working internationally, especially post-Covid-19.Long-term:contribute to tackling the challenges faced by the vulnerable sector, while providing useful tools to internationalise one’s practice in a more international but complex context.

SHIFT – Shared Initiatives for Training In today’s rapidly changing world, it is a great challenge to create a path for sustainable societies working together to face the global challenges such as climate change, gender equality or inclusion of minorities. Arts and culture have a recognised role in shaping societies and have the potential to significantly contribute to a better and more sustainable future for all, as demanded by the UN with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/). European cultural networks have an acknowledged structuring effect on their specific field within the arts and culture sector, as they often have been created for that very reason. Specific training for cultural leaders is needed in order to face the above mentioned challenges and to implement necessary changes. Personal and professional development as well as knowledge based training on particular subjects is crucial. University programmes in cultural management only offer very limited specific training in cultural leadership and hardly any VET programmes exist when it comes to knowledge about and the implementation of SDGs in the field of culture. Thus, the enormous potential of transnational cultural networks towards a more sustainable future is not fully used and therefore new training models are needed.AIM: The project SHIFT aims at shifting towards better trained cultural leaders, specifically those of transnational cultural networks, with regards to SDGs. Cultural leaders shall be enabled to implement changes where needed and to pass on their knowledge gained through the project to leaders and staff of members of their network and to the broader cultural sector.OBJECTIVES:Three out of the 17 SDGs, which are the most relevant for the cultural sector in Europe at the moment, have been selected as a starting point to activate and increase the sector’s awareness of the sustainable goals. In order to use in the most optimal way the resources and capacities of the networks and to enable the target group to learn about these, the focus will be put on the following SDGs, other SDGs might be addressed in future initiative: ●SDG 13: Climate Action ●SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities ●SDG 5: Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women In order to achieve the aim of the SHIFT project it is necessary ●To improve the personal and professional development of leading staff within cultural networks and beyond to enable them to face challenges and adapt changes when needed, including the evaluation of planned activities;●To increase the knowledge about the three SDGs mentioned above and to improve the capacity of leading staff for their implementation.TARGET GROUPS:●Direct Beneficiaries of the project activities, within the consortium on partners:○Leaders / directors / coordinators ○Board / working group / commission / committee members ○Fellows / members of youth groups ○Junior staff members with the potential to develop into leadership positions○Senior staff members leading one or more projects or activities within the network●Indirect Beneficiaries:○staff of members of the networks in the partner consortium○staff of other networks and organisations in the sector Indirect benefits will be achieved through multiplying events, through communication about the project development and through the dissemination of project results.EXPECTED Results●Production of Output 1, Online Manual “Cultural Leadership”●Production of Output 2, Online Manual “Environmental Sustainability”, referring to UN SDG no. 13●Production of Output 3, Online Manual “Gender and Power-relations”, referring to UN SDG no. 5●Production of Output 4 Guidelines “Reducing Inequality and contributing to more inclusive societies”, referring to UN SDG no. 10All outputs will be tested in a TRAINING ACTIVITY, that will allow leading team members from the network of the partner consortium to improve their skills and that can also serve as model for future generations.PARTNER CONSORTIUM:The EMC has gathered 8 transnational cultural networks from diverse fields of culture to achieve the above mentioned aims, implement the proposed activities and produce the outputs SHIFT:TEH – Cultural LeadershipFACE – Cultural LeadershipELIA – Environmental SustainabilityIETM – Gender and Power-relationsECA-EC – Inclusion EMCY – Inclusion OTM – Cultural Leadership (Evaluation)IMC – Cultural Leadership (Digital Tools)EMC – Cultural Leadership (International Cooperation)The chosen networks are highly influential as they all work to increase the capacity of the members and to formulate policy recommendations. They are to a great extend recognised by political decision makers (on EU level, but also on local and national level). With their members, which often are networks themselves, they reach out to a large number of organisations in culture and can serve as multiplyers.