Transforma Think Tank (TTT)

Participants TTT Touring Porto

2008-03-14T14:19:00.003Z

Host:

Michael DaCosta (UK)

Founder Director of Architects of Communication (Europe).
From 1999 to 2001 Michael carried out research on the subject of Enterprise and Management of the Creative Arts for London College of Printing at the University of the Arts London focussing on the relationship between commerciality and creativity. He is a London advisory Council member of Arts & Business and a board member IXIA (UK Public Art Think Tank). Michael was host of: the World Creative Forum during the London Design Festival in 2003; the Great Artistic Metropolis, National Public Art Conference, London in November 2005; the Can Artists Make Great Places Conference (London Design Festival) 2007. He recently worked on a successful Culture 2007 application for the Portuguese Order of Architects and was a consultant on the winning Wieden and Kennedy pitch for the global Nokia advertising account (worth 200m USD) earlier this year. Michael also lectures, is a contributing editor to Art and Architecture Journal and writes for Prophecy magazine in NYC. He contributed to the forthcoming book ‘1001 buildings’ by Quarto Publishing in the UK. He participated as a panelist in the One Dot Zero and British Council Re-Imagining the City tour of South East Asia 2008."
He lives in Porto and London.

2008-03-13T17:27:00.002Z

Bronac Ferran (UK)

Bronac Ferran is a freelance writer, researcher and arts consultant who also works part-time as a Visiting Lecturer in the Industrial Design Engineering department at the Royal College of Art in London. She is involved in projects in Brasil, China and the US and is a founder member of the bricolabs initiative which has members worldwide. Her work in the UK includes contributing to the ACE funded Art and Law initiative; she is a former Director of Interdisciplinary Arts at ACE where she led a department responsible for activities and initiatives between the arts and other disciplines and served on the DCMS Creative Industries and Higher Education Advisory Group and Research and Knowledge Transfer task group as well as other policy initiatives. See www.boundaryobject.org for more information on her work.

2008-03-13T17:20:00.007Z

Daniel Pires (PT)

Daniel Pires holds a degree in Photography from the Escola Superior Artística do Porto and several professional photography qualifications. He has developed, since 1991, a continuous activity as a teacher in the area of photography, in institutions such as IPJ, KODAK, Fundação da Juventude, Escola Cooperativa Politécnica Árvore, ESAP (Escola Superior Artística do Porto), Oficinas do Convento, Maus Hábitos, BNB (Banco do Nordeste do Brasil). During this period he was also the owner of a Professional Photography Lab, where he printed the work of photographers such as Graça Sarsfield, Luis Palma, João Paulo Sotto Mayor; and he was Printer Technician at Kodak, in Portugal. In 2001 he funded Maus Hábitos, a Space of Cultural Intervention, where he works as Director, and Programmer in areas such as fine arts, photography, music, theatre, performing arts and dance. As a creative he exhibits individually and collectively and he has won in 2000 the 2nd Prize in the Creative Contest for the construction of a Lisbon Metro Station with the project ‘Não te Esqueças’.

2008-03-13T17:15:00.000Z

Liz Lydiate (UK)

Is Course Director for the full-time international MA in Enterprise and Management for the Creative Arts and the linked EU part-time MA in Enterprise and Management for the Creative Arts at the University of the Arts London. Prior to joining UAL she was Reader in Design Management for the Surrey Institute of Art and Design (now University College for the Creative Arts), where she established successful BA Hons and MA programmes in Design Management. She acts as Director of Professional Practice Training for the Design Business Association, and has research interests in the self-image of the artist, tertiary level curriculum development for professional practice, and CPD for the creative industry sector internationally.

2008-03-13T17:14:00.000Z

Luís Firmo (PT)

Artistic Director of Transforma.
Luís Firmo is a Cultural and Arts Manager and Curator and holds a Degree in Product Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon (FBA-UL) and a Sculpture qualification from AR.CO. He holds a Post-Graduation in Arts Management from the Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA), Fundação CCB-FLAD, and a Post-Graduation in Curatorial Studies from FBA-UL-Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He develops a continuous activity as creative, as teacher and as manager and curator in contemporary arts. He is a Co-Founder Member and Chairman of Transforma AC, where he is currently responsible for the Artistic Direction and Programming.

2008-03-13T17:11:00.001Z

Luís Serpa (PT)

Through O MUSEU TEMPORÁRIO, a cultural engineering project, Luís Serpa has established himself as a Cultural Projects Manager (Programmer), offering the services of Curatorship, Public Relations and Strategic Planning for Institutions and Companies in programmes of contemporary culture and corporate identity.
Working in the area of the Sociology of Culture, he is the driving force behind the Agency for the Development of Creative Industries, a platform of Cultural Events organised in the areas of Architecture, Visual Arts and Antiques, Audiovisual Media – Television and Radio, Performing Arts and Entertainment, Film and Video, Graphic Design and Product, Writing and Publication, Fashion, Music, Educational Software and Leisure, Advertising and Gastronomy.

2008-03-13T17:05:00.002Z

Luís Tavares Pereira (PT)

Luís Tavares Pereira born in Lisbon, 1966, is Vice-President of the Architects’ Association at Porto (OASRN), and founding partner of architectural studio [A] ainda arquitectura, currently involved in a series of cultural projects in Tbilisi, Georgia. Graduated from the architecture school of University of Porto (FAUP, 1991), M.Arch (Princeton University, 1996). He was curator of “Toll Free” exhibition, Faro, 2007, and co-curator of the Guest Countries exhibition, for the 1st Lisbon Architecture Triennale, 2007 (TAL’07), where he also curated the international conference “The Heart of the city”. He was co-curator of “Metaflux: two generations in portuguese recent architecture” for the Venice Biennale, 2004; the multimedia project “Records of a Transformation” on the urban transformation of Porto 2001, the “Museus de Arte (Art Museums)” international conference, Serralves/OASRN, 2005, and of the Prototypo Architecture Seminar “Performing the city”, an international seminar held in Porto, 2001. At OASRN he co-curated the “Reunião de Obra/Site Meeting” exhibition series, the “In Transit” lecture series, or the “Road to Wonderland” Young Portuguese Architects lecture series. He was also co-responsible for the “I love Távora” series, and instituting the Travel Grant “Fernando Távora” after the famous Portuguese architect recently deceased.

Selected [A] ainda arquitectura projects include the Creative Industries Pavilion for SerralvesMuseum, Porto; conversion of the Ferraz-Bravo17th Century house for luxury Hotel, Porto (with Promontório Architects); Private residence, at Louro, included in 2G Dossier “Portugal 2000-2005: 25 buildings of the 21st Century”; the travelling exhibition that opened at the 2004 Venice Biennale “Metaflux”, later presented in Lisbon and São Paulo, Brazil; the “Collector’s house” exhibition for the ExperimentaDesign 2001, Lisbon Design Biennale, include in Prototypo #008.
In 2002, [A] ainda arquitectura was one of 5 portuguese studios selected by Álvaro Siza, to present their work at the III Spanish and Portuguese Architecture Meeting, at Salamanca, Spain.

2008-03-13T17:04:00.001Z

Michael Flood (UK)

He has a 30-year track record in inter-disciplinary arts in Britain and Europe, and has held senior positions in several of the UK’s most innovative arts venues, including 7 years as Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Britain’s leading contemporary arts institution. Since 1997, his London-based arts consultancy Strategies for Art and Space, has worked extensively with governments, cultural institutions and European agencies on the development of cultural policy, analysis and research with particular expertise in: European arts and cultural policy; Architectural issues and space utilisation in cultural buildings; Organisation and infrastructure; Analysis, strategy, research and evaluation; Contemporary arts programming and production.
In addition to his work as a consultant and producer, he holds or have held the following honorary positions: 2004-present – Member of the Board of Directors of the European Forum for Arts and Heritage (EFAH); 2003-present – Member of the Board of Directors of the The Thames Festival, London; 1996-2001 – President of the Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM), Europe’s largest membership organisation for professionals in the contemporary performing arts with over 450 members in 42 countries; 1997-2001 – Chairman of the The Lux Centre, London, the UK’s first centre for independent film and digital media.

2008-03-13T16:35:00.003Z

Nuno Grande (PT)

Nuno Grande was born in 1966. Obtained his degree in Architecture at the Universidade do Porto in 1992. Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Architecture of the Universidade de Coimbra (DARQ/FCTUC) since 1993. Guest Lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture of Oporto in 2006, at the Contemporary Urbanism course. Presently preparing his PhD at the University of Coimbra, on the relationship between Culture, City and Architecture. He was responsible for the Cultural Program on Architecture and City, in Porto 2001, European Capital of Culture and shared responsibility for Culture in the Architectural Order, North Section, (OASRN) from 1999 to 2004. He is author or editor of the following essays: “O Verdadeiro Mapa do Universo: uma leitura diacrónica da cidade portuguesa” (Edarq, 2002) on the evolution of Portuguese Cities; “Arquitectura & Não” (Caleidoscópio, 2005), a selection of his own texts; and Cidade-Sofia, Cidades Universitárias em debate” (Edarq,2005), a compilation of different expert approaches on European University Cities. He is member of the Portuguese Section of the Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art (AICA) and of the Editorial Board of Jornal dos Arquitectos, the official magazine of the Portuguese Order of Architects. He writes occasionally for architectural publications published in Portugal and Spain. He uses his own architectural design studio as a complement of his academic and critical work and as a professional co-authorship platform with other studios.

2008-03-13T16:09:00.003Z

Renata Catambas (PT)

Currently finishing the Painting course in FBAUL. She integrates the editorial board of Marte (publication directed by students from FBAUL - research space, on the current artistic creation), which is now designing the 3th number, where the subject “performance” has been discussed. Programming and production of the cycle of conferences PERFORMANCE: estudos, Culturgest - Lisbon, 2006. Some of her works are: exercicío, with Lúcia Prancha, Alkantara – International Festival of Performative Arts, 2006; trio mutiplicado, from Tiago Guedes, interpretation; como eu e tu cycle, Teatro Camões, 2006; exercício sobre verdade, with Yann Gibert and Ana Moreira, project Inter.faces07 – NEC, 2007.

2008-03-13T16:00:00.001Z

Tiago Miranda (PT)

Executive Director of Transforma.
Previously he was administrating an international transdisciplinary arts centre and before that he was Marketing Coordinator of the Engineering Division of Novabase, the largest listed Portuguese IT consultancy firm.
He led a logistic Shows team in Lisbon Expo'98 World Exhibition and developed several productions of theatre and audiovisual projects.
He studied Economics in Lisbon (ISEG-UTL) and History of the Arts in AR.CO.

TTT Touring Porto at CASA DA MÚSICA

2008-03-12T13:05:00.019Z

The TTT Porto will take place at Casa da Música, a project conceived by the architect and urbanist Rem Koolhaas.

TTT Touring Porto is supported by:

and

Is Creativity the sine qua non of a Creative City? - TTT 2006-2007 DRAFT COPY

2008-03-11T14:20:00.010Z

TTT_Touring Porto 2008

2008-02-22T18:58:00.002Z

TTT_Touring Porto 2008 provisional timetable:

14th March

1. Morning 1 TTT session: Participant presentations
2. Lunch
3. Afternoon 1 TTT session: Initial thoughts
4. Dinner+Performance

15th March

1. Morning 2 TTT session: Final findings
2. VIP Lunch
3. Key note presentation + Formal close of TTT Porto 2008

TTT_Touring

2008-02-22T18:49:00.002Z

The first session of the new 'touring' version of Transforma Think Tank (TTT) will take place from March 14th-15th 2008 in Porto, Portugal.

The theme of this TTT Porto 2008 session is "How can we connect creative spaces to creative cities and their creative inhabitants?" Each participant in the group is cordially invited to make a concise ten minute presentation on the above topic. The group will then discuss the theme in more detail over the course of one and a half days.

TTT is a platform for informal discussion on a micro level about the past, present and future role of creativity as a catalyst for socio-economic trends. On a macro level the EU has noted the need for more investment in innovation and knowledge transfer. This was stressed at the Lisbon summit in 2000.

TTT is co-produced by Transforma, a leading Portuguese cultural association, and Michael DaCosta. Transforma operates in the creative 'space' between the city, its citizens (local community) and a city's cultural spaces. It is especially interested in hybrid creativity...The TTT events are about thinking and acting in this 'creative space', with its other stakeholders but from the perspective of the creative community, and the potential for Transforma to prompt said hybrid creativity.

TTT was first launched in 2006. It is a reflection on creativity by YOU the stakeholders of the creative sector: academics, media owners, brand owners, policy makers, local community members, policy makers and of course creative practitioners across all disciplines.

SATELLITTTE_Barcelona

2008-02-22T18:41:00.003Z

TTT has now a new variant called SATELLITTTE.
It will take place anywhere where Transforma is present for meetings etc.
It can be a picnic in the city. It can be a little performance dinner. It’s a light thing.
The first one is happening right now, in Barcelona.
For more information and updating see the new site.

Participants TTT 2007

2008-01-07T17:50:00.005Z

Host:

Michael DaCosta (UK)

Founder Director of Architects of Communication (Europe).
From 1999 to 2001 Michael carried out research on the subject of Enterprise and Management of the Creative Arts for London College of Printing at the University of the Arts London focussing on the relationship between commerciality and creativity. He is a London advisory Council member of Arts & Business and a board member IXIA (UK Public Art Think Tank). Michael was host of: the World Creative Forum during the London Design Festival in 2003; the Great Artistic Metropolis, National Public Art Conference, London in November 2005; the Can Artists Make Great Places Conference (London Design Festival) 2007. He recently worked on a successful Culture 2007 application for the Portuguese Order of Architects and was a consultant on the winning Wieden and Kennedy pitch for the global Nokia advertising account (worth 200m USD) earlier this year. Michael also lectures, is a contributing editor to Art and Architecture Journal and writes for Prophecy magazine in NYC. He contributed to the forthcoming book ‘1001 buildings’ by Quarto Publishing in the UK. He participated as a panelist in the One Dot Zero and British Council Re-Imagining the City tour of South East Asia 2008." He lives in Porto and London.

2008-01-07T17:49:00.001Z

Ana Umbelino (PT)

She holds a Master degree in Sciences of Education, specialized in Adult Education, and a degree in Psychology, both from the Faculty of Psychology and Education of the University of Lisbon (FPCEUL) and she is doing the Doctorate in History of Education also from FPCEUL, in partnership with the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon.
At this moment, she works as Culture Deputy of Torres Vedras’ Town Hall, responsible for Culture, Social Affairs, Health and Habitation, Youth and Tourism. In 2006 she was Assistant to the President of Torres Vedras’ Town Hall. During this period she coordinated the Social Affairs, Health and Habitation Department. She’s a board member of Western Region Development Agency - ADRO, where she worked from January 2002 to the end of 2005, at the Centre for Recognizing, Validating and Certifying Competencies, recently renamed Centre for New Opportunities by the Ministry of Education. While she was involved with Adult Education/Formation, she participated as a speaker/educator in several seminars, conferences and educational actions directed to technicians, invited by the old National Adult Education and Training Agency (ANEFA) – Ministry of Education and Labour and Solidarity, by the General Administration of Vocational Training of the Ministry of Education and by the National Centre for the Training of Trainers of the Employment and Vocational Training Institute. During the 2003/2004 school year, working simultaneously at ADRO, she was a teacher of the Post-Graduation in Clinical and Health Psychology from ISLA – High Institute of Languages and Administration – Leiria.

2008-01-07T17:48:00.002Z

Bronac Ferran (UK)

She was Director of Interdisciplinary Arts at Arts Council England (ACE) where she led a team responsible for areas of practice which connect the arts to other disciplines including art, science and technology. She is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, where she studied English Language and Literature before helping set up an experimental theatre company in her home town, Belfast. Key projects at ACE have included organising the CODE conference at Cambridge University in 2001; commissioning a DVD series Pioneers in Art & Science, a CD ROM Ways of Working about artists working in business contexts and a forthcoming programmes of research into art and shopping, and art and the brain, with academic partners in England and abroad. Bronac was also involved in setting up the Art & Science Fellowships initiative which ACE runs jointly with the Arts and Humanities Research Board. She is on the UK's Government's Creative Industries and Higher Education Forum; also a board member of Creative Commons UK; a reviewer for Leonardo Electronic Almanac and has been a Visiting Associate at Darwin College, Cambridge.

2008-01-07T17:48:00.001Z

Catarina Vaz Pinto (PT)

Former Secretary of Culture; Consultant in Quaternaire Portugal, S.A. in the area of cultural development; Executive Director of the Post-Graduation in Cultural Management in the Cities from INDEG/ISCTE; Executive Coordinator of the Gulbenkian Creativity and Artistic Creation Programme; Law Graduation (UCP), Post-Graduation in European Studies.

2008-01-07T17:47:00.000Z

Fred Manson (US/UK)

Former Director of Regeneration and Environment at the London Borough of Southwark (1994-2001). At Southwark he oversaw economic development, planning, property management, environmental management, regeneration, leisure and community services.
He is a member of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment design review panel. He was a design advisor to the GLA Architecture and Urbanism Unit from 2003 to 2005. From 2004 he has been an associate Director of the Heatherwick studio. In 2000 he was awarded an honorary OBE.

2008-01-07T17:46:00.000Z

Henry Lydiate (UK)

Is a legal and business consultant specialising in the creative arts. An experienced lawyer, manager, educationalist, strategist and change specialist, with a life-long commitment to the arts and to the support of creative practitioners and organisations through innovation, people development and co-creation. Over twenty-five years experience of international legal and business consultancy work in the creative arts, alongside work undertaken in other content-led industries such as sport, the legal professions, higher education, and public administration. Extensive experience as a public speaker, lecturer and trainer; published writer and journalist with broad experience of media liaison. Sustained commitment to supporting creative arts practice that has been recognised nationally and internationally, most recently by appointment as Visiting Professor to the newly designated University of the Arts, London (formerly The London Institute). He is the founder director of the Henry Lydiate Partnership and since 1976 has written a monthly column on legal issues for artists in Art Monthly magazine.

2008-01-07T17:45:00.002Z

2008-01-07T17:45:00.001Z

Scott Burnham (US)

Scott Burnham's work exploring creative catalysts, urban culture and open innovation has appeared in numerous cities throughout Europe, North America and China. He is the former Creative Director for the Urbis Centre for Urban Culture in Manchester, UK, where he directed "Ill Communication", one of Europe's largest overviews of street art; 'SuperCity', a multi-disciplinary collaboration with architect Will Alsop to re-think the future of the urban environment, "At Home", with designer Peter Saville, "The China Show" exploring contemporary Chinese creativity, and “Urban Oasis” with The Office for Subversive Architecture.
He has also created and directed projects for London's National Theatre, The Royal Society for British Sculpture, the cities of Barcelona and Prague, and Jude Kelly's METAL organisation in London.
A frequent lecturer and writer on creative catalysts and cultural innovation, recent keynote lectures have been delivered to organisations in the UK, Portugal, Austria, Italy, United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, where he addressed the International Conference on European Policy. His work and commentary has been featured on BBC television, The Today Programme, BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service, Sky News, Spain TV1, Design Week, Grafik, The Guardian, Icon magazine, and The BBC Culture Show. He is a contributing author to the book "Visualising the City" (Routledge 2007), numerous periodicals, and maintains a series of international projects, consultations, and writing and lecturing appearances.
He has recently been appointed as Creative Director for the 2009 Montreal Biennale.

2008-01-07T17:43:00.001Z

Observers:

Cláudia Galhós (PT)

She was born in Lisbon, in 1972. Currently she writes on dance, performative arts and new circus for the weekly paper Expresso. She was editor of "Artes de Palco", weekly supplement of the program "Magazine", 2: RTP channel (from 2004 to 2006), and journalist of Diário Económico; theatre, dances and plastic arts editor of NetParque (the culture portal of Parque das Nações, former-Expo'98); dance critic at the newspaper Público and specialist on the same area at Jornal de Letras. From 2001 to 2003, she had a weekly program of interviews at Voxx radio, entitled «À Conversa sobre Artes».
Started in the area of fiction in 2001, with "Sensualistas", the first book of the Rock Trilogy, and after it "Story of Summer", in 2002 (book selected by the Instituto Português do Livro e da Biblioteca to be promoted in the Frankfurt Book Fair on the following year), both edited by Oficina do Livro. "O Tempo das Cerejas", romance that ends the trilogy, was edited in July 2007.
She has several short stories published in collections, in Portugal and abroad, and texts on theatre and dance in foreign publications, some presented in international conferences (for example, «Património da Inovação», at the «Contemporary 05» festival, that took place from 30 May to 7 June, 2005, in Prato, Italy; or the conference «Unidades de Sensação e a Continuidade como Ruptura», about the Portuguese performative arts, in Serralves, Porto, on 8 June, 2006; or, more recently, on June, 2007, at the Centro Coreográfico Galego).
She is, since March 2005, observer/consultant of Iris (a network of programmers from Italy, France, Spain and Portugal). Still in this area, she has recently published the book «Corpo de Cordas – 10 anos de Companhia Paulo Ribeiro», a biographical story about a life connected with dance, edited by Assírio & Alvim (February 2006), and she is now working on a book that follows the creative processes of Portuguese theatre companies.

2008-01-07T17:41:00.000Z

Renata Catambas (PT)

Currently finishing the Painting course in FBAUL. She integrates the editorial board of Marte (publication directed by students from FBAUL - research space, on the current artistic creation), which is now designing the 3th number, where the subject “performance” has been discussed. Programming and production of the cycle of conferences PERFORMANCE: estudos, Culturgest - Lisbon, 2006. Some of her works are: exercicío, with Lúcia Prancha, Alkantara – International Festival of Performative Arts, 2006; trio mutiplicado, from Tiago Guedes, interpretation; como eu e tu cycle, Teatro Camões, 2006; exercício sobre verdade, with Yann Gibert and Ana Moreira, project Inter.faces07 – NEC, 2007.

2008-01-07T17:39:00.000Z

Organisers:

Luís Firmo (PT)

Artistic Director of Transforma.
Luís Firmo is a Cultural and Arts Manager and Curator and holds a Degree in Product Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon (FBAUL) and a Sculpture qualification from AR.CO. He holds a Post-Graduation in Arts Management from the Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA), Fundação CCB-FLAD, and a Post-Graduation in Curatorial Studies from FBAUL-Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He develops a continuous activity as creative, as teacher and as manager and curator in contemporary arts. He is a Co-Founder Member and Chairman of Transforma AC, where he is currently responsible for the Artistic Direction and Programming.

2008-01-07T17:32:00.001Z

2008-01-07T17:24:00.003Z

TTT Timetable

Transforma Think Tank is especially targeted at creative practitioners, art policy makers especially performance, combined arts, public art, urbanism sector, brand owners especially property developers, art commissioners, specialist media, creative industries in general, students.

Day 1 (2nd Friday)

09h30_Welcome coffee
10h00 > 11h15 _TTT2 welcome + working schedule (Michael DaCosta) followed by Guided Tour of city by Luís Firmo president of Transforma
11h15 > 11h30 _ Coffee-Break
11h30 > 13h30 _ guests TTT2 presentations*
13h45 > 15h00 _ Lunch
15h30 > 17h30 _TTT2 Workshop 0
17h45 > 18h00 _ Coffee-Break
18h00 > 19h30 _ TTT2 Workshop 1 + discussing workshop Themes /Thinking Space
21h30 > Transforma_B arts programme, free attendance**

Day 2 (3rd Saturday)

09h00_Welcome coffee
09h15 > 11h00_TTT2 Workshop 2
11h00 > 11h15_Coffee-Break
11h15 > 13h15 _ TTT2 Workshop 3 + Group Summaries / Main FindingsEnd of Transforma Think Tank
13h30 > 15h00_Exclusive VIP Lunch and key note speech introduced by TTT2 facilitator Michael DaCosta.

Transforma Think Tank post lunch key note speeches made by:Fred MANSON and Henry LYDIATE

* TTT presentations: 20 slides max each participant, 30 seconds per slide = ten minute presentation each person.
** Programme to be presented during the meeting.

Photos of TTT 2007

photos©Scott Burnham

2008-01-07T17:14:00.000Z

Transforma Think Tank (TTT) 2007

2nd and 3rd November 2007Transforma, Torres Vedras, Portugal

Transforma Think Tank explores the role of creative production within the development of the competitive edge of any given city, region or country and the potential importance of leadership, and commerciality within the cultural sector, considering Transforma and Torres Vedras as case studies.

In October 2006 the first ever Transforma Think Tank (TTT) took place in Torres Vedras Portugal. The theme was leadership. The group at this inaugural TTT comprised of creatives, policy-makers, academics, institutions, legal experts, media owners and journalists. The event was hosted and produced by Michael DaCosta, the founder director of marketing strategy consultants Architects of Communication and Transforma-AC, the leading Portuguese hybrid creativity association.

TTT has been set up as a fluid platform for discussion about defining creativity and its past, present and future role within society. The main ambition of TTT is to stimulate exchange on a micro level between the various creative sector stakeholders such as academics, policy-makers, brand owners and media owners and of course creatives across all disciplines. On a macro level the European Union (EU) has long noted the need for more investment in innovation. This preoccupation was highlighted at the Lisbon summit in 2000 where transfer of knowledge was cited as being a key driver of the EU economy:

“The prominence given to the concept of a genuinely creative economy reinvigorated industrial and cultural policy in the UK around a few very specific forms of intellectual property…this was true not only in Britain but far beyond. The European Union’s Lisbon Agenda was constructed upon the idea of promoting a knowledge economy which, in turn, owed much to early thinking that lay behind the development of the UK’s creative economy”[1]
At the moment there is no pan EU definition or benchmark of the creative or cultural industries. However, by 2010 this situation may change. That is the due date for completion of research into the creative economy by the Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development studies (AMIDSt). Their investigation is entitled Accommodating Creative Knowledge – Competitiveness of European Metropolitan Regions within the Enlarged Union (ACRE)…Their mission is as follows.
“The central research question we will address is: what are the conditions for creating or stimulating ‘creative knowledge regions’ in the context of the extended European Union? We will compare the recent socio-economic development trends and strategies in several metropolitan regions across Europe to get more insight in the extent to which creativity, innovation and knowledge are indeed the keys to a successful long-term…” [2]

The TTT 2006 final findings:

The TTT group developed and proposed pragmatic steps that Transforma could implement in the short, medium and long term:
§ Research second city networks which other organisations and cities operating within a similar context
§ Look for organisations with similar issues to their own especially those that might be interested in collaboration
§ Investigate possible connections with local industry in Torres Vedras: “Sustainable creativity for everyone”
§ Launch Torres Vedras as the “Davos of creativity”. Just in time for the new airport if it is located in the region
§ Research the potential for partnerships with property developers who are building leisure projects in the region including chain or boutique hotels
§ Research the creative sector and take ownership of that research
§ Launching, updating and maintaining a web site\ blog
§ Comprehensive documentation of all TTT events
§ Major international conference to launch Torres Vedras World Creative Forum

[1] Management and Creativity – Chris Bilton (Blackwell Publishing) 2007
[2] The UK defines the creative industries as “...those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through generation and exploitation of intellectual property”[2] For those unsatisfied with that definition, Justin O ‘Connor defines the Cultural Industries as (…) “those activities which deal primarily in symbolic goods (…). This definition then includes what have been called the ‘classical cultural industries’ – broadcast media, film, publishing, recorded music, design, architecture, new media - and the ‘traditional arts’- visual art, crafts, theatre, music theatre, concerts and performance, literature, museums and galleries” (O’Connor, 1999).

The theme for TTT 2007 is...

2007-10-26T13:36:00.000+01:00

...Locus Operandi or "Where do we do, what we do?" : An intense one and half day reflection on creativity by YOU the stakeholders of the creative sector: academics, media owners, brand owners, policy makers, local community members, policy makers and of course creative practitioners across all disciplines.

Transforma Think Tank 2007...

2007-10-25T19:39:00.000+01:00

...is on the 2nd and 3rd Nov 2007.

This years' edition of Transforma Think Tank will take place during the TRANSFORMA B Arts Creativity and the City.

Os artistas são os artesãos da sociedade de informação

2006-10-29T16:13:00.001Z

Transforma Think Tank explora o futuro das indústrias criatiavas

(published in Jornal de Negócios 20 Oct 2006)
Dora Ribeiro
doraribeiro@mediafin.pt

Em Portugal não se nota, mas basta ouvir alguns interlocutores internacionais para se perceber que dois mundos aparentemente distantes encontram-se num movimento de acelerada convergência. Estou a falar de cultura e negócios. E a nova tendência é de fusão. Em que cada uma das áreas reinventa-se a si própria, quando em confronto com a outra.

O primeiro e mais óbvio sinal desse encontro é a linguagem. NoTransforma Think Tank, que se reuniu entre 20 e 21 de Outubro, emTorresVedras, aconteceu isso mesmo. AndrewCarmichael, DingemanKuilman e ScottBurnham- algumas das personalidades internacionais convidadas pela associação deTorres Vedras - escolheram cuidadosamente os refrãos. “Modelos de negócio,inovação,modelo organizacional, jogos de poder, parcerias, sustentabilidade, ‘governance’".

Vista de longe, a conversa bem poderia parecer inteiramente empresarial. Mas não era. O objectivo era gerar ideias para que a associação Transforma prossiga o seu objectivo de influenciar culturalmente o seu meio, abrindo simultaneamente as portas ao mundo global. Para isso, disseram diversos convidados, é necessário aprofundar os vínculos e as parcerias locais e internacionais. Num processo outra vez mimético ao que se passa no mundo dos negócios.

Há, como se sabe, novas e variadas razões para a aproximação entre os dois mundos. Na economia globalizada, a informação é a matéria-prima bruta. O valor reside no conhecimento: identidade, conteúdo, estilo, ideias, planos, histórias, conceitos, “design”, moda. Fragmentos de significado que as pessoas podem compreender, usar, valorizar e amar. Tudo obras dos artesãos da nova economia: os empreendedores das indústrias culturais.

Pela importância desse sector, defende o organizador do encontro Michael da Costa, o País deveria apostar em transformar-se num “niche player” com a ajuda das indústrias criativas, que estariam presentes “em cada política e relacionadas à comunicação interna e externa do Portugal moderno”. “Os governos falam apenas de tecnologia, mas o valor real está na inovação simbólica”, reforçou também o director da Fundação Premsela de Amesterdão. Que recordou o facto de que as empresas mais antigas do mundo são aquelas com uma “forte identidade, e que demonstraram abertura para o mundo e capacidade de adaptação organizacional e de mentalidade”. Uma receita que, na opinião do holandês, deve servir igualmente para os empreendimentos culturais.

Scott Burnham, um norte--americano que esteve a trabalhar como director criativo do Urbis, em Manchester, advogou também a favor da liderança cultural como uma rede autónoma de interesses. “As ideias fortes têm uma natureza viral”, fogem ao controle e só assim ganham relevância. Para Andrew Carmichael, que se ocupa da renovação urbanística de um bairro londrino (Lewisham) através das indústrias criativas, são necessários modelos económicos sustentáveis para que a criatividade seja igualmente sustentável e capture a imaginação das comunidades.

Carlos Soares Miguel, presidente da Câmarade Torres Vedras, também esteve presente no Transforma Think Tank (foto do grupo tirada em frente à sede da associação). Na sua intervenção, defendeu que a média dimensão do seu concelho (72 mil habitantes) se reflecte negativamente no apoio financeiro que a cultura ali recebe. “Tem sido uma ajuda esporádica e não continuada no tempo.” A falta de tradição e o reduzido retorno do investimento repercute-se depois num menor envolvimento da comunidade. Para o presidente, a saída para uma associação como a Transforma (que tem recebido ajuda financeira da autarquia) é “ganhar notoriedade”, captar públicos na região e afirmar-se no âmbito nacional. Embora reconheça, contudo, a dificuldade de fundir o interesse das comunidades locais e o dos “media”. “Acho que deve ser um movimento de dentro para fora”, advogou.

CRIATIVIDADE AJUDA A VENDER IMÓVEIS
Um novo distrito em Amesterdão (Zuidas) está a ser construído com base no princípio de que a cultura acrescenta valor ao projecto imobiliário. Ou seja, valoriza financeiramente os terrenos e os imóveis. Por isso, a ING Real State e a Câmara de Amesterdão associaram-se à Fundação Premsela, de divulgação do “design” holandês, para desenvolver a Plataforma 21. Com abertura prevista para 2009, o “anti-museu” pretende direccionar o seu foco para os temas da contemporaneidade e do futuro. O objectivo é criar espaços dinâmicos para uma variedade de projectos e actividades de “design” e moda que inquiram e tragam novas visões sobre o mundo que nos cerca. “Os profissionais não têm o monopólio da criação”, diz Dingeman Kuilman, o director da fundação, por isso mesmo haverá também lugar para iniciativas de amadores. Um ponto de encontro para a criatividade e para novos negócios.

Arte e criatividade como armas de competitividade

2006-10-24T15:53:00.000+01:00

“Think tank” internacional reúne-se em Torres Vedras

(published in Jornal de Negócios 20 Oct 2006)
Dora Ribeiro
doraribeiro@mediafin.pt

Uma auto-estrada pode servir de inspiração criativa. Além do tema davelocidade, tão presente nas nossas vidas, a imagem evoca também os diferentes espaços e realidades sociais e económicas dentro de uma região ou país. Centros e periferias. Talvez por isso a associação Transforma, que promove arte contemporânea a partir de Torres Vedras, escolheu chamarA8 a uma série de eventos que estão a decorrer por sua iniciativa até 25 de Novembro, como objectivo de ganhar mais visibilidade e relevância nacional.

Uma das actividades principais do Laboratório A8 é o “think tank” internacional que decorre, hoje e amanhã, na sua sede em Torres Vedras, e que reunirá, entre outros convidados, o advogado Daniel Alegria dos Reis, o arquitecto e crítico Pedro Gadanho, Daniel Pires, director dos espaço cultural do Porto MausHábitos, Andrew Carmichael, director da Agência Criativa Lewisham, Liz Lydiate, directora do Masters in Enterprise Management of the Creative Arts do London College of Communication, Scott Burnham, director criativo do centro de cultura urbana Urbis (emManchester) e Dingeman Kuilman, director da Premsela Foundation, emAmesterdão. O que pretende aTransforma? A associação, apesar de estar localizada numa periferia, quer ter uma palavra e um papel na indústria criativa portuguesa. Qual ainda não sabe ao certo. E, por isso mesmo, decidiu juntar líderes culturais de vários quadrantes para pensarem sobre o rumo a tomar. “Depois de cinco anos de actividade, a Transforma precisa de uma refundação”, explica Luís Firmo, o presidente da associação. “Temos de criar uma nova prática organizacional e artística”.

O objectivo é assumir-se como um parceiro (local, nacional e internacional) que seja capaz de contribuir para a transformação dos espaços sociais. “Queremos explorar o papel da criatividade dentro do contexto da competitividade das cidades e debater o papel da liderança e dos aspectos comerciais no sector cultural”, escreve Michael DaCosta, o organizador do evento. Se o desenvolvimentode uma vantagem competitiva das cidades está a tornar-se crucial em termos sociais e económicos,“Transforma e Torres Vedras podem liderar a nova tendência das indústrias culturais no País, abandonando a mentalidade do subsídio e avançando para uma visão de indústrias criativas e de investimento”, defende. “Uma forte liderança cultural é fundamental para o futuro de um Portugal moderno”, argumenta.

Como o próprio PlanoTecnológico do actual Governo reconhece (embora nada proponha em concreto), a criatividade está a “tornar-se um‘input’ cada vez mais importante no processo produtivo de todos os bens e serviços”. Além das áreas clássicas e das indústrias tradicionalmente a elas associadas (ver caixa acima), as chamadas indústrias criativas sãohoje reconhecidas como catalisadores de outros sectores económicos e abrem novas fronteiras de diálogo entre arte, ciência e negócio.

E, acima de tudo, essas indústrias provocam um efeito positivo na qualidade de vida das sociedades.“Queremos ser um motor de transformação do panorama local e nacional”, resume Luís Firmo.

Presenting Media Partner

2006-10-20T21:00:00.000+01:00

Jornal de Negócios is Media Partner for (TTT) Transforma Think Tank. Dora Ribeiro is the journalist covering our event. You can access the online newspaper here.

Presenting key note speaker (2)

2006-10-19T01:37:00.000+01:00

Scott BURNHAM

Scott Burnham is a leading figure exploring creativity in an urban context and its applications in contemporary culture. He specialises in tracking the latest activities and developments in urban intervention and guerrilla design, working with an extensive network of practitioners and innovators to create new initiatives.

A frequent speaker on emerging urban activity, recent talks include “Open Source Urban: Embracing Urban Intervention as a Design Process”, delivered to the Cityscape Conference on Urban Design in London, 2005 and “The VJ of the Everyday: Physically Remixing the Urban Visual” at the University of Manchester (talk to be published in the forthcoming book Visualizing the City (Routledge, 2006).

In 2003, Burnham was appointed as Creative Director for Urbis, The Centre for Urban Culture, in Manchester, UK. Projects under his direction at Urbis include ‘Ill Communication’, one of Europe’s largest exhibitions of street art created by 10 of the world’s most acclaimed graffiti artists, and ‘SuperCity’, a multi-disciplinary collaboration with Will Alsop to completely re-think the future of the urban environment. ‘SuperCity’ was the featured cultural project for Britain’s Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Urban Summit in 2005.

Presenting key note speaker (1)

2006-10-17T01:21:00.000+01:00

Dingeman KUILMAN
Managing Director of the Premsela Foundation, which promotes the growth of Dutch design at large with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Culture.

He is trained as a graphic designer at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and has worked closely with graphic designer Anthon Beeke. In 1994 he joined Philips Design, where he became responsible for Philips Electronics' visual communication worldwide. After four years he joined the Dutch branch of BBDO, where he focused on marketing and brand consultancy. He also manages Platform 21, an international stage for developments in design and fashion, including amateur initiatives.

TTT timetable

2006-10-12T13:14:00.000+01:00

20th and 21st October 2006
Transforma AC in Torres Vedras, Portugal
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Transforma Think Tank is especially adressed to creative practitioners, art policy makers especially performance, combined arts, public art, urbanism sector, brand owners especially property developers, art commissioners, specialist media, creative industries in general, students.
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Day 1 (20th Friday)

09h00_Welcome coffee (Transforma)

09h30 _TTT welcome + working schedule (Michael DACOSTA)
TTT presentations 20 slides max each participant, 30 seconds per slide = ten minute presentation

09h40 > 11h15 _ guests TTT presentations (20 slides max, 30 seconds per slide )

11h15 > 11h30 _ Coffee-Break

11h30 > 13h00 _ guests TTT presentations (20 slides max, 30 seconds per slide )

13h30 > 15h00 _ Lunch followed by Guided Tour of city by Luis Firmo president of Transforma

15h30 > 17h30 _TTT Workshop 0

18h00 > 19h30 _ Transforma presentation + Discussing workshop Themes /Thinking Space

22h00 _Performance EUROVISION by Teatro Praga (pt)
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Day 2 (21st Saturday)

09h00_Welcome coffee (Transforma)

09h15 > 11h00_TTT Workshop 1

11h00 > 11h15_Coffee-Break

11h15 > 13h15 _ TTT Workshop 2 + Group Summaries/ Main Findings

End of Transforma Think Tank

13h30 > 15h00_Exclusive VIP Lunch and key note speech introduced by Transforma Think Tank facilitator Michael DACOSTA

Transforma Think Tank post lunch key note speeches made by:

Dingeman KUILMAN (Premsela Foundation)
and Scott BURNHAM (Urbis Museum)

Presenting facilitator

2006-10-11T18:52:00.000+01:00

Michael DACOSTA
Founder Director of Architects of Communication (Europe)

From 1999 to 2001 Michael carried out research on the subject of Enterprise and Management of the Creative Arts for London College of Printing at the University of the Arts London (formerly known as the London Institute) focussing on the relationship between commerciality and creativity. This included a presentation to the Prime Minister's cultural policy unit, a presentation to Lord Puttnam, a governor of the University for the Arts London, and a presentation to economics guru Professor John Bates at the London Business School.

He has been a visiting Tutor on the BA Arts and Design course at Central Saint Martins and has lectured at London College of Communication (formerly known as London College of Printing) and Goldsmiths. He intends to carry on his research to PhD level looking at the feasibility and evaluation of a globally applicable blueprint for the engagement of brands with community through the arts.

Michael is considered a key alumnus of the University for the Arts London and is a regular contributor to their magazine. London Council member of A&B (Arts & Business). Co-host of the World Creative Forum during the London Design Festival in 2003; and the Great Artistic Metropolis, National Public Art Conference, London in November 2005.

He lives in Porto and London.

Portuguese leadership in the cultural sector?

2006-10-11T14:44:00.000+01:00

Portuguese leadership in the cultural sector?

This inaugural Transforma Think Tank is intended to provoke discussion about the way ahead for the creative industries in Portugal. In Chapter 8 of the Portuguese Government’s high priority Technological Plan, Richard Florida is quoted as saying that Portugal ranks lowest in all of Europe in the creativity index league table. How can we lead the Portuguese creative industries out of this situation? What elements need to be in place in order to increase the chances for a successful renaissance of the Portuguese cultural sector?

The members of the international Transforma Think Tank come from various sectors. Why? Because…“Creativity and innovation are all about breaking away from established patterns,” As the writer William Plomer put it: ‘It is the function of creative men to perceive the relations between thoughts or things, or forms of expression that may seem utterly different and to be able to combine them into some new forms – the power to connect the unconnected.’”…[1].

My personal MA research investigated ‘When do we do what we do?’ or Tempus Operandi. In other words when do creatives do what they do? What elements appear to have to be in place in order to increase the chances for successful commercial and cultural collaboration?

For my proposed PhD research I intend to look at Locus Operandi, ‘Where do we do what we do’ as creative practitioners within an urban context and what influence or impact does our creativity or cultural production have on the various layers of our community?

For the purposes of this Think Tank I suggest we attempt to focus on Who does what we do? Who leads and who follows in the creative sector? Or Personae Operandi

Why now?

the cultural aspect to urban regeneration and the interest in instigating creative industry entrepreneurial clustering in economically depressed regions. The Creative Industries in the UK are worth 100 Billion euros a year..

the growing divide between the rich and poor in society and the seeming impotency of political structures to deal with the problem. Creativity cuts across all boundaries.

the historic lack of representation of socio-cultural diversity and in all creative industry sectors in Portugal. Mobile workforces are on the increase. The creative industries are part of that trend

the historic under-achievement by certain socio cultural echelons within the existing Portuguese education system. One cannot study creativity as a cultural or economic issue in isolation. It is a pedagogical issue too. Portugal also has no university in the top 250 world rankings.

the increasing importance of the value systems of brands for their target audience. The leaders in the cultural sector in Portugal like Transforma have quickly realised that the commercial sector needs associations with them in order to compete in a ‘noisy’ marketplace. It is no longer a question of patronage or sponsorship. It is about partnerships and relational or experiential marketing.

discussions on how to empower entrepreneurs within the creative industries sector especially those from the ethnic minorities and political attention to the powerful force of youth arts networks within local communities especially in terms of capacity building and social cohesion plus

What role can Transforma play in the promotion of leadership and commerciality in the Portuguese cultural industries?
Developing a competitive edge in comparison to other cities has become crucial in socio-economic terms. This Think Tank intends to explore
the role of creativity or culture within the development of the competitive edge of any given city and the potential importance of leadership,
and commerciality within the cultural sector.

Cultural association Transforma intends to drives these agendas in Portugal. This means that in Torres Vedras and Transforma can lead the trend from the cultural industries (and the subsidy mentality)
and towards the creative industries (and the investment mindset).

It could be argued that nurtruing strong cultural leadership is crucial to the future of Modern Portugal. Right across the cultural sector: From those running high profile institutions and business
organisations to those who are studying or just starting out. In the UK the relationship between the cultural and business sectors has been explored and structured and nurtured
by the charity Arts and Business. In the last year a cultural leadership programme has been established in the UK...

"we need to continue to invest in them, in creative talent, in our cultural infrastructure and in ensuring there is a supportive environment in which creativity
can prosper. the leaders in the creative and cultural sector, and we expect a great deal from them: not only sound management practice, but vision,
inspiration and dynamism, as well as a passion for culture and a strong commitment to promoting
its benefits to society and to the wider economy." Gordon Brown, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer.

In other words high quality cultural leadership is too important to the continued success of the cultural sector to leave to chance.

Michael DaCosta © Architects of Communication 2006 – All rights reserved
[1] Pg 209, “Design for a life” - Patrick Bateson and Paul Martin, Vintage, 1988.

Lets declare it open

2006-10-11T14:15:00.000+01:00

To start with let's give a full view to our objectives.

- To identify and analyse strategic cultural policies and development models for cultural associations/institutions;
- To learn from different and new approaches/ways to finance and produce cultural projects, especially creative experimental ones;
- To provide a platform for relevant international Case Studies;
- To establish new contacts and networks with other people interested in implementing new practices and discussing cultural polices;
- To understand the risks and opportunities of the implementation of different cultural production models: Learning from the experiences of others, either good or bad;
- To explore socio-political formulas and structures for the cultural sector, public and private partnerships;
- To investigate the importance of spaces of cultural production within the context of urban regeneration;
- To study 'creative city' trends and look at their application to Torres Vedras/Portugal;
- To develop the foundations for rigorous research and practice into these areas.