Cultural Capital and Institutional Change

The ambition to become European Capital of Culture raises the question how the city can develop its various kinds of cultural capital (in a Bourdieuan sense). In particular, attention needs to be paid to the institutional dimensions of cultural capital and the ways in which cultural and educational institutions selectively in- and exclude particular forms of knowledge, skills and attitudes. How do the various performing and visual arts institutions in Maastricht shape our very understanding of what constitutes artistic practice? To what extent do institutional credentials determine access to publicly funded and/or commercially viable cultural networks? What are the actual and latent relations between the various amateur theatre groups, the professional orchestras, small-scale production companies and institutions of arts education? In what ways could one rethink these relationships and, by doing so, democratize cultural production?

Speakers:
Janicke Kernland (Moderator – Studio Kernland, Maastricht, Netherlands)
Kate Oakley (City University London, United Kingdom)
Piet Menu (Het Huis van Bourgondië, Maastricht, Netherlands)

Urban Laboratories

A European Capital of Culture clearly cannot only be a place of representation (of established cultures and traditions), it should also be a place of experimentation and innovation. From the general argument that we are now living in a knowledge society to specific policies dedicated to promoting creativity and innovation, the idea of the city as a laboratory for new social and economic forms has become central to EU, national and local strategies. But what does an experimental urban culture mean? Who are the main actors involved in these processes? What are the conditions of possibility for experimentation and innovation to take place?

Speakers:
Bas van Heur (Moderator – Maastricht University, Netherlands)
Marc Glaudemans (Stadslab, Tilburg, Netherlands)
Pascal Gielen (Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium)
Michelle Teran (Berlin, Germany)