Project_

ACT IN_OUT is a joint initiative of Fabryka Sztuki in Łódź, Sláturhúsið Art Center in Egilsstaðir, National Dance Theatre Carte Blanche in Bergen and Visjoner Theatre in Oslo. ACT IN_OUT events took place in 2022 and 2023 and were divided into three sections: theatre coordinated by Ola Shaya music led by Basia Neugebauer and artistic residencies organized by Rafał Kołacki. Coordinator on the Icelandic side was Wiola Ujazdowska.

Thanks to ACT IN_OUT 22 concerts, six artistic residencies and creation of two brand new theatre spectacles took place. Participants of the project visited three3 countries – Poland, Iceland and Norway.

Summary of the project’s achievements were four online seminars held in November 2023. Coordinators and artists had a chance to share their experiences with each other and any guest willing to undertake such grand initiative in the future.

On 20 November, during “Artistic residencies – do they have a purpose?” seminar, Wiola Ujazdowska, Rafał Kołacki, Joanna Skowrońska and Krzysztof Topolski shared their experiences and reflections about working in brand new place, aiming to be inspired by its specific climate - and about creative potential of such practices.

On 21 November, during “Lights and shadows of international projects realisation on an example of theatre-musical events” seminar, Annabelle Bonnéry, Erik Hillstadt, Tomasz Rodowicz and Ola Shaya told their tale of working with Norwegian theatres and artists of many cultures and nationalities on two grand critically -acclaimed spectacles.

On 27 November representative of Iceland Music studio, Sigtryggur Baldursson, decoded titular “phenomenon of Icelandic music”. Homeland of Björk, múm, Of Monsters and Men and fantastic musicians taking part in ACT IN_OUT became main star of the online meeting.

Initiators of ACT IN_OUT also met with representatives of various cultural institutions to discuss the project from the organizators’ perspective, highlighting all the problems they encountered and proposing solutions making conducting the project of such scale a smoother process in the future.

ACT IN_OUT was about cultural and creative exchange between artists – but not only artists. It was a chance for the coordinators in cultural institutes from Poland, Iceland and Norway to see how similar centres are governed in different countries. Varying structures, amount of conducted events, different means to promote them, different balance between professional work and private life – it all came into play during the project, making ACT IN_OUT intense, enriching and gratifying experience for all participants and members of the audience that got to enjoy the fruit of ACT IN_OUT labour – some of which you can experience in ARCHIVE.