Lessons learned in 2023
Lydia Pape, Palazzo Grassi, 2023 – I loved the fragile beauty of this work made of woven gold threads. Each perspective opens up new vistas
Jobs, jobs, jobs…
After leaving the culture Department of the State of Valais, at the end of October 2022, I gave myself what I had missed too much in recent years, TIME : first of all, meet my family and friends, necessarily left behind with a 150% job, travel to immerse myself in artistic news, take stock of what worked and what did not work, what I want and what I no longer want to do. In this context, the basic course of the U-School for Transformation was a discovery that I can only highly recommend. Then opened up to me a network of acquaintances around the world (long live the online sessions!) and skills, stimulating and invigorating.
⇒ As fascinating and addictive as a job may be, it is only one facet of our daily life, which disappears when we change jobs.
⇒ Family, friends and professional networks are invaluable resources, able to gently and firmly send you back our strengths and vulnerabilities. Pride often prevents us from asking for these feed-backs. Too bad!
⇒ When life offers you the opportunity to take time, forgotten interests and convictions emerge again. Like a deregulated pendulum that suddenly regains its center of gravity.
The sustainability of intangible heritage
During my trip to Guatemala this January, by visiting craft cooperatives of all kinds (weaving, cocoa, etc.) I understood the relevance, or even the need to weave links between intangible or material heritage, and the creative economy in order to keep these practices alive, to challenge them in the light of current needs. How to encourage social innovation projects, allowing the communities concerned to reflect on what is “heritage” and “authentic”, in an increasingly globalized context? How to articulate these ancestral practices and knowledge with current challenges in terms of sustainability and ecological transitions? What quality standards should be inserted? Many NGOs work in this field. The UNESCO website is also full of exciting resources on this subject. I am excited to explore whether opportunities could be deployed in Switzerland…
Cultural management
Several mandates have allowed me to accompany teams in the field of cultural management and, above all, to immerse myself in new themes:
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Design with a wonderful team of passionate personalities the new MAS in cultural management of continuing education from the University of Lausanne and Geneva and take responsibility for the CAS in cultural policies;
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Teach cultural policies in this new CAS and in the CAS in cultural mediation of the HETSL
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Support a public organization in setting up regional funding for culture;
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Accompany several organizations in cultural management issues (target audiences, services, governance, etc.)
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Start to accompany people on their professional path;
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Teach new business models at continuing education the ZHAW and at University of Basel;
⇒ What do I learn from these latest teachings? The most productive “insights” happen when zooming out is set up. Whether they are new models or existing organizations, challenging the cognitive bias of confirmation is decisive! I love to choose funny and constructive techniques from design to accompany this process so that awareness is smooth!
Mental health, a new challenge for arts and culture?
In December 2023, I discovered at the MAAT in LISBON the Roadmap for mental health. At the same time, I became aware that mental health is one of the major challenges to come: according to a recent Harvard study, published at the end of July 2023, one in two people will develop mental disorders at least once in their lives, and the WHO is of course actively involved in this field. In the field of art, many initiatives are being implemented in Europe, often integrated into reflections on inclusiveness. They make it possible to deploy physical, architectural, or educational measures to encourage the audiences concerned to find refuge and healing within cultural organizations. Thank you to ensa for its effective training as a mental health rescuer and I look forward to continuing by following the instructor training and thus also contribute to raising awareness among Swiss cultural circles in this field.
Last but Not least: From February 2024, I am immensely looking forward to taking up a new professional challenge! Stay tuned!
I hope sharing these insights might help !
Happy New Year to all of you