Re-Imagine Europe is a 4-year, audience development, capacity building and transnational mobility project that, through developing a new approach to the production of art, aims to create a community of change-makers able to respond to key critical, social and political challenges that are now facing Europe. Rising nationalism, climate change and migration are propelling European countries in divergent directions, while technological advances spur a rapid disruption of society and the economy. In light of this a new imagination is necessary. By speculating, rethinking, and prototyping possible scenarios for Europe we aim to envision a more stable, democratic and sustainable future.

In Re-Imagine Europe artists and cultural professionals adopt radical approaches to audience development: turning audiences into engaged citizens, active participants and change-makers. Using new forms of cultural exchange the project will produce, present and distribute art, create new audience development tools, provide new skills for artists and cultural organisations and activate the next generation of Europeans.

Five strategic aims have been defined:

• Activate audiences to respond to the critical, social and political challenges of climate change, migration and technological advances through the production of new artworks;
• Deepen and diversify audiences by enhancing the experience of existing audiences and extending the reach to new and different groups;
• Provide transnational working opportunities for artists and cultural organisations and facilitate exchange and dialogue with science, civil society and the general public;
• Develop the digital skills and knowledge of artists and creative professionals and increase the digital literacy of audiences empowering them to become change-makers;
• Set up a robust long-term commissioning and co-producing infrastructure for artists to facilitate the development and creation of visionary scenarios for Europe’s future.

Image: Sonic Acts Festival 2017. Photo by Pieter Kers (beeld.nu)