The result of globalisation is that the romantic idea of cultural origins or local roots has more or less lost every meaning. Authenticity doesn’t refer to provenance any more, but rather to a succesfull arrival of a cultural practice in a new surrounding, ideally with an own, obstinate touch. It is in that sense that locality becomes interesting : to produce international artistic work that creates an interactive relationship with and questions a local context or to stimulate local artists to overcome the little box thinking by trying out new formats. Belluard Bollwerk International is an arts festival that since 1983 takes place every year at the beginning of the summer in Fribourg. It has a history of having its own vision on actual art and society and producing and showing work of local and international artists in a convivial context. Hard to pin down the disciplines we are producing or presenting. Word says we are 'in between'. Which is at the same time complex, challenging and exciting. Works go from more sort of 'classical' formats like theatre, performance, dance, concerts, to more 'unconventional' projects like acupuncture of a building, a human library or artists that are digging a hole in the middle of the city during 10 days.
www.belluard.ch

A lecture organised by The Postgraduate Programme in Curating, ZHdK.