Presentations by independent organisations and curators involved with international cross-border initiatives, residencies and exhibitions.Amanda Crabtree is co-director (with Bruno Dupont) of artconnexion. The independent non-profit organisation was founded in 1994; it is now one of France's leading independent project spaces, setting up exhibitions and residencies on an international scale. Working in partnership with the private and public sectors, artconnexion also delivers outstanding visual arts projects for the public realm. Based at 9, rue du Cirque, Lille it serves as a project space, meeting place and location for artists' residencies.
Aurélien Delbecq is Head of Communication, La Malterie, Lille. This non-profit organisation is housed in a former industrial building in the district of Wazemmes; it provides artists' studios and acts as an artists' resource centre. The organisation offers a residency programme and frequently presents exhibitions, music events and performance. The idea of experimentation is central to La Malterie's vision and position as an artistic laboratory where artists can work togther and collaborate. The organisation was founded in 1994 by artists and is still led by a board of artists and creative people.
Benoît Warzée is Director of Espace 36 in Saint-Omer, an art association which was established in 2001. It is a place for creating and disseminating contemporary art with the focus on building public awareness. The primary objectives are to support artists' practice in their research and production, to make this process accessible to the public and to create sociocultural links with the residents of the surrounding areas. Espace 36 has delivered numerous cross-border projects, notably with partners in Finland and South East England. The organisation is currently leading on a new initiative with Claremont Studios CIC for 2012/13.
Christine Gist is an artist and curator who has worked in a cross-border context since the early 90s, initiating some of the first artists' exchange exhibitions between the South East and Nord-Pas de Calais (Rendezvous I & II). As curator for Kent Institute of Art & Design (now University for the Creative Arts) from 1989-2000, she worked primarily with artists, curators and the public and private sector in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. She currently works on collaborative projects with mainland Europe partners to create opportunities for artists from both sides of the Channel to experience new ways of presenting their practice cross-culturally. Following on from INTERFACE, new projects are being explored with Dordrecht (twinned with Hastings) and Dunkerque.
