Om – Taking The Initiative

Om

Prosjektet Taking the Initiative (Ta initiativet) er et vågalt eksperiment som har til hensikt å se med nye øyne på hvilke verdier som kreativitet kan skape hos innbyggerne og lokalsamfunn.

Siden 2019 har det vært et samarbeid mellom Byrådsavdeling for kultur, mangfold og likestilling i Bergen kommune og Lisa Baxter (The Experience Business, UK). Det ble etablert for å utforske hvordan kultur kunne spille en viktigere rolle i å skape blomstrende samfunn på et hyperlokalt nivå.

Denne nettsiden er et enkelt «hjem» for arbeidet vårt. Den vil vokse i tråd med våre eksperimenter. Her ønsker vi å dele vår tenkning, prosesser, læring og innvirkning for alle som er interessert i prosjektet og prosessen.

Bli med innenfor og si hei!

Les mer nedenfor.

Om blomstrende lokalsamfunn

Med blomstrende mener vi å øke livskvaliteten, bygge sterkere samfunn, skape bedre fremtid og realisere folks sanne potensial.

Vår tilnærming er å bruke kunst og kultur som midler, ikke bare som et resultat, og fremheve en tro på kunst og kulturens potensialet til å:

frigjøre og realisere individuell og kollektiv kreativitet,
Få på overflaten det nye som ikke tidligere er tenkt på eller artikulert, og dermed endre på oppfatninger.
utløse nye måter å tenke, gjøre, delta, samarbeide og bidra på,
skalere summen av uttrykk og aktualisere dette på et individ- og kollektivt nivå,
opprettholde en positiv, kan-gjøre tankegang,
galvanisere handling og skape følelse av prestasjon, forbindelse og stolthet,
og bringe folk sammen på måter som er åpen, storhjertet og oppløftende.

Vår tilnærming er eksperimentell og åpen. Vi ønsker at prosessen skal drives av grasrot-selvbestemmelse og kollektiv samhandling på måter som fundamentalt balanserer makten mellom det borgerlige og sivile samfunn.

“ I’ve seen first-hand how social art is a force for positive change amongst communities, but also how those communities can lose out badly when commissioning organisations deliver inadequate or badly planned strategies that side-line the community with the creative process instead of inviting them to be central players.”

Bergen Salon's Participant

Our Team

I am currently the Director General of the Department of Culture, Diversity and Equality at the City of Bergen. My educational background is from NHH Norwegian School of Economics with an emphasis on marketing, communication and organizational development. I’ve also worked as an independent consultant and project manager and a former partner of Unison, a culture and event production company.

Harm Christian ToldenDirector General, CITY OF BERGEN

My educational background is in art, film and media studies from the University of Bergen and University of Copenhagen. I have worked for several years in Bergen as an cultural entrepreneur, publisher and art intermediary. As a project leader in the City of Bergen, I am working with methods in how to create a more diverse audience participation in the cultural life, and how to address and engage new citizens in the cultural offerings.

Siri BreisteinProject leader, Audience development, City of Bergen

I work in the culture agency and am in charge of cultural activities for all age groups with main focus of children and youth. I cooperate with all voluntary organisations to achieve activities for all. My focus is also on marginal areas where the City`s work is minimal. I am more focused on new ways of thinking and innovative ways of doing things.

Vincent Mrimbadirector of the ministry of culture, city of bergen

I am founder of The Experience Business, a company of one dedicated to reimagining the interplay of audiences, communities, institutions, artists and creativity for the benefit of all. I design experiential processes that shift mindsets and introduce new practices that positively challenge ‘the way things are done’. It requires trust from all those who choose to work with me, and I am grateful for every single one of them, including my colleagues on this team. My roles within this programme are architect, ideas catalyst, provocateur, advisor and keeper of the flame. You can contact me on lisa@theexperiencebusiness.co.uk

Lisa BaxterProject Designer

My background is in multidisciplinary design for arts, culture and places. I believe that cultivating creativity within the community is an extremely important part of how we innovate as a society moving forward. My role within this programme is to be an active listener, manage the learning outcomes and reflect back to the team throughout the process with critical analysis, as well as design the site alongside the reports we publish. I am a performer and I write as a hobby, all of which contributes to my creative practice.

Lucy Harperevaluator & designer

My work focuses on sector development of social art practice and other forms of creative social engagement in cultural production. I put my energy behind building support and exchange systems for communities, creative practitioners, art workers, and scholars working in and invested in cultural democracy. I’m Artistic Director of Applied Live Art Studio (ALAS) a social art practice studio and run Camus Live Art Consulting, providing strategy, evaluation, and corporate design for participatory arts organisations. I also co-founded Social Art Network, a UK wide association of creative professionals dedicated to socially-engaged work and am Development Associate for Axisweb, an artist members charity. www.appliedliveart.com

R.M. Sánchez-CamusArtist Mentor

I am Head of the Fyllingsdalen and Laksevåg culture unit at Bergen Kommune. My role within the municipality involves managing two youth centers and a culture venue in Loddefjord and Olsvik. My educational background is in media studies, cultural studies, history and music pedagogy. I've worked for several years as a concert promoter an A&R manager.

Benjamin HogstadCultural leader in Loddefjord and Olsvik