Radio Lab

In order to enhance their visibility, to break free from their isolation and to identify opportunities for co-productions and partnerships, cultural actors need to look beyond the borders of their country. What are the risks and opportunities associated with this international approach, and can it be facilitated and boosted by professional networks? With : Atanas MAEV / Olof VAN WIDEN / Michal BRENNER / Florent MEHMETI Moderation : Barbara POCEK

With :Stéphane SEGREDO-AGUILAR / Alexandre FRAY

At times, sites and territories are obliged to bear their outstanding heritages like a burden; one that reduces them to no more than postcards. Indeed, monuments can be so overwhelming that some individuals, like author Christos Chrissopoulos, have gone so far as to dream of “the destruction of the Parthenon”! How can we challenge our most prestigious landmarks, and breathe life and activity into historic or natural sites by forcing them to interact with contemporary creation? How can this process accommodate not just those involved in the running of those sites, but also the people who live in their vicinity? With :Simon PONS-ROTBARDT / Christina LIATA / Dimitrios MICHELOGIANNIS Moderation : Mieke RENDERS

International events like the European Capital of Culture are a show of faith in the capacity of culture to revitalise our territories. A means of driving economic and touristic development, of transforming uses and of empowering citizens, culture is also – and above all – capable of giving a vital boost to territories that are experiencing hardships. How can cultural project leaders, artists, administrators, elected representatives, architects and urban planners integrate culture into our broader territorial dynamics? Several initiatives in Greece, including the “un élu, un artiste” programme and Eleusis: European Capital of Culture 2021, will share their experiences and illustrate what is at stake when we use culture as a driving force for territorial development. With : Peggy Tsolakaki / Jordi BALLESTA / Angeliki POULOU Moderation : Maud LE FLOCH

The economic crisis has led to the closure of industrial manufacturing sites and commercial spaces, and has left countless residential properties and units vacant. These sites – whether abandoned, forgotten or in transition – are changing the appearance of our cities. They have nonetheless emerged as ideal locations for the temporary and low-cost installation of cultural projects, as well as for spaces for work and creation that are more accessible to the local population. Under which conditions, including legal regulations, will the occupation of abandoned spaces be allowed to develop in Greece? How can we ensure the viability of these temporary (or even permanent) spaces that have been re-appropriated to the benefit of cultural actors? With : Natassa DOURIDA / Mathieu PRAT / Olivier LE GAL Moderation : Mieke RENDERS

For as long as Europe remains a “forced destiny” offering neither alternatives nor reinvention, it will only ever inspire indifference, anger or violent rejection. Do we still have time to question the nature and shape of the European project and, in doing so, challenge the dominant economic discourse, imagine alternative pathways and share information in different ways? How can we open spaces for creation, information and thought that straddle national boundaries? Or imbue European debate with refound vitality and motion, bringing it to life with inspiring figures, platforms, new media and networks? Led by artists, activists, journalists and academics, countless initiatives are creating spaces for resistance and reflection at both the European and international levels. With : Thomas PORCHER / Frédéric WORMS / Agnieszka WISNIESZKA / Konstantinos POULIS / Caterina DI FAZIO Moderation : Mathilde SERRELL

It is June 2018, and a boat named Aquarius is carrying 630 migrants across the Mediterranean. Floating adrift off the coast of Italy, the central government refuses to open its ports. In response, several cities such as Naples, Taranto or Palermo announce their wish to welcome the boat, in an outburst of solidarity and humanism. At the same time, several voices are rising within the European institutions to ensure that a true continent-wide welcome policy is put in place. At a time when nation-states seem to be overwhelmed by the issue of migration flows, are cities and Europe the best echelons to deal with them? With Philippe Lamberts, Gesine Schwan, Élise Phamgia and Ludovic Lamant.

European elections are fast approaching, and with them the same nagging fears as Eurosceptic parties and nationalist ideas go from strength to strength throughout the continent. However, with only eight months to go until those crucial European polls, this is no time for resignation. Reinvigorate a progressist discourse, revive the European project and remobilise the forces: these are the challenges that face us between now and May 2019. European Lab Brussels will echo the sentiments of a whole wave of citizen initiatives that have already taken up the gauntlet. Far removed from any political parties, it is activists, venues, festivals and medias such as We Are Europe who are picking up the baton, starting the countdown and launching their own mobilisation campaigns. With Eva Rovers, Alberto Alemanno, Mick Ter Reehorst, Kyrill Hartog and Angela Richter - In partnership with Are We Europe - https://www.areweeurope.com/

GEN Z – you guessed it: short for ‘Generation Z’ – is questioning the reality experienced by young people born after 1995. By collaborating with schools and associations, and by interrogating the youth of Europe anywhere from playgrounds to living places, social adventurers Antoine Neufmars, Salvatore Calcagno and Emilie Flamant have looked countless young people in the eye and listened to their thoughts. These raw materials have now been stitched together in a patchwork-style manifestation: photos, video passages and sound extracts all punctuate the telling of the story of generation Z, the creator and actor of tomorrow’s world. - Salvatore Calcagno, Garçon Garçon, BE Emilie Flamant, Garçon Garçon, BE Antoine Neufmars, Garçon Garçon, FR - In partnership with Garçon Garçon - http://garon-garon-dmwx.squarespace.com/

“Architecture is the physiognomy of nations.” When French writer Astolphe de Custine penned these words in the nineteenth century – the century of nations – Europe was still but an idea. Two centuries down the line, and the construction of Europe has accelerated: having become a political space, it is armed with its own shared institutions and symbols. And even a ‘European district’ located in Brussels, struggling to embody the ideal of a democratic, supranational Europe. In Eurotopie, the Traumnovelle collective explore this particular dimension of the European project and suggest that we redefine the architecture of this political space, in order to simultaneously reinforce our sense of belonging and inject it with fresh democratic zeal. With Dennis Pohl, An Fonteyne, Cédric Libert and Lieven De Boeck

“I don’t know a rapper in Brussels who lives off his music.” Back in 2011, as part of Martin Vachiery’s documentary Yo ? Non, peut-être !, rapper Scylla – the man behind ‘Bx Vibes’ – painted a bleak picture of the Brussels hip-hop scene. Seven years later, from the sensational Ipséité by Damso to the explosion of Caballero and JeanJass, not to mention Roméo Elvis and his hit ‘Brussels Arrive’, the scene has suddenly landed in the spotlight. All of a sudden, questions about the money made by its leading figures are no longer phrased in the same terms. The impact of this upturn in fortunes has been considerable for everyone on the scene, from artists (whether established or emerging) to those involved on the ground. With a little expert help from Belgian media platform Check, we wonder what will become of this scene and what opportunities and risks have been created by this unprecedented hype. - Martin Vachiery, Check, BE ICO, Artist, BE Phil "Fourmi" (Philone), Zulu Nation, BE Jeanne Mouffe, Check, BE Benoit

What if the “small steps” approach so dear to Jean Monnet had all started with the creation of a media? Like language or currency, the media can be an effective tool in the construction of collective awareness and identity. Yet European editorial projects are still few and far between. Yet given that initiatives like VoxEurop, Political Critique, Are We Europe and Café Babel do exist, is it not time to encourage the birth and growth of other platforms? How can the development of these new transnational media contribute to the invention of a new European citizenship? - Matthieu Amaré, Cafébabel, FR Marta Cillero, European Alternatives, ES Quentin Ariès, Contexte, BE Catherine André, VoxEurop, FR

For the first time, two creative European gatherings are joining forces at European Lab Brussels. On the one hand, STARTS Talks, a series of discussions built around the presentations of projects combining science, technology and art. On the other hand, Meet & Greet, the Lyon-based meetings that give creative entrepreneurs, economic actors and members of the public the opportunity to share ideas, projects and collaborations. Taking advantage of the surroundings of the Bozar Lab at Nuits Sonores and European Lab Brussels, these two platforms are teaming up to showcase four new projects: two from Lyon and two from the STARTS Prize (a European Commission initiative). - Amélie Fesquet Saniel, AADN, FR Thomas Van Glabeke, Amsterdams' 3D Printed Steel Bridge, BE Alexandre Polvora, Making Sense - Citizen Sensing Toolkit, PT Simon Parlange, Mirage Festival, FR - In partnership with OnlyLyon and la Métropole de Lyon.

An hour-long debate, hosted and moderated by The Word’s Emi Vergels in the context of the European Lab Brussels, exploring the capital-city’s resurgent club scene past, and what its future looks like. With The Word’s 10 year anniversary taking place simultaneously, we’re interested in seeing how the capital’s nightlife scene has evolved in the last decade, its current state and issues it faces, and what the future holds. - Tom Brus, C12 / Deep in House, BE Nicolas Hemeleers, 24hBrussels, CityTools, BE Emmanuel Angeli, Cultural collaborator and advisor, BE Katerina Serulus, Researcher, BE Moderation: Emi Vergels, The Word, BE - In partnership with The Word Magazine - http://thewordmagazine.com/

La Chinerie a proposé dans le cadre d’European Lab un « world café », un format innovant et collectif en vue de dialoguer autour d'un axe de réflexion : la réinvention de la diffusion de la culture. Plusieurs tables de travail ont travaillé sur différentes problématiques : • Les enjeux du décloisonnement des publics • Quelle(s) action(s) pour réunir les différents acteurs de la culture en Europe ? • Comment réinventer notre modèle de consommation musicale ? • Par quel moyen inscrire des initiatives digitales dans le monde physique ?

Accueillie à l’université Lyon 3, le 8e forum European Lab organise un Meet & Greet pour mettre en lumière les jeunes entreprises et initiatives issues des incubateurs de l’Université de Lyon et de Beelys, son pôle entreprenariat. Soutenu par la Métropole de Lyon et la Caisse d’Épargne Rhône Alpes, Meet & Greet est le rendez-vous bimensuel qui rassemble entrepreneurs créatifs, acteurs de l’économie et grand public pour partager idées, projets et collaborations. C’est aussi un temps de rencontre et de connexion pour créer de la transversalité entre les communautés créatives, digitales, culturelles et médiatiques. Projets présentés : La Source, Nuits noires, Les PhiloJIST et Dealer de cook

Objet incontournable du quotidien, l’écran cristallise de nombreuses critiques adressées à l’évolution des nouvelles technologies. Symbole de la captation des attentions et des addictions contemporaines, l’écran colonise les imaginaires. La série dystopique Black Mirror, qui explore les scénarios d’une société façonnée par les réseaux sociaux ou l’intelligence artificielle, fait de l’écran l’un des catalyseur de ce futur inquiétant. Fenêtre ouvrant sur le monde, l’écran est aussi un moyen d’interroger les mutations du monde actuel, en ce qu’il influence nos perceptions, nos désirs, nos connaissances et les formes artistiques. À travers l’étude d’extraits choisis de la série Black Mirror, le philosophe Mauro Carbone, spécialiste de la culture des écrans, partagera ses réflexions sur cet objet et sur l’intelligence artificielle aux côtés d’Amélie Cordier. Avec Amélie Cordier (Hoomano), Mauro Carbone (Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3) et Samuel Bellaud (Pop'sciences)

L’Europe n’est plus ni le centre ni « le maître à penser » du monde, et c’est tant mieux ! À rebours de la grosse fatigue démocratique et du mouvement de régression qui ont saisi nos démocraties occidentales, l’Afrique est irriguée de forces vives, jeunes, créatives, inspirantes. Les philosophies africaines, riches d’influences diverses, explorent des voix originales, défendues avec passion par Séverine Kodjo-Grandvaux. Des utopies façonnent de nouvelles représentations et formes d’actions politiques, sociales, économiques. Avec les ateliers de Dakar, co-créés par Felwine Sarr, des intellectuels et artistes du Continent et de ses diasporas réfléchissent sur le présent et les devenirs d’une « Afrique planétaire » au cœur des transformations du monde contemporain. Ni afro-pessimiste ni euphorique, cette « laeticia africana » (joie africaine) selon l’expression de Nadia Yala Kisukidi délaisse la mélancolie pour l’activité créatrice. Avec Nadia Yala Kisukidi (Université Paris 8), Felwine Sarr (Université Gaston

Beyond the definition problem posed by the name «smart city», this concept seems to be running out of steam. As we look around the world for new ways to build and invent the city of tomorrow, this catch-all terminology is more of a marketing concept than a reality that can improve the citizen’s everyday life. In a study conducted in 2014, the European Parliament estimated that 90% of European cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants could claim the qualifier of smart city. Among them, Amsterdam was in a good position, alongside Lyon in tenth place, thanks to the Confluence neighborhood and its positive energy buildings, cars and other smart meters. Long termed a pioneer in this field, the municipality of Amsterdam is today making a significant change in perspective on how to grasp the issues of territory and urbanity. It is by empowering citizens, in a bottom-up logic, that the city reinvents itself. In the north of the city, Buiksloterham is a model urban laboratory. Self-managed, resilient, collaborative

Anti-abortion laws, gagging of journalists, revisions of the past, intimidation of the opposition and dissenting voices: democracy has been turning increasingly sour in Poland ever since the ultra-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) came to power in 2015. But all too often, when the echoes of this retreat from democracy reach us, they are muffled, fragmented and quite possibly deformed. So, what’s the real story here? We shine a light on Poland, disentangling the truth through the contributions of personalities and activists from the country’s cultural and media spheres. With Grażyna Plebanek (Author), Gosya Plysa (Unsound festival), Agnieszka Wiśniewska (Political Critique) et Marie-Cécile Naves (Chronik)