In the light of feedback, the proposed live seminar on 14 October will be replaced by an online seminar on a date in late Nov / early Dec, at a reduced cost. For more info, please email geoffrey@euclid.info.

The seminar will offer information and a discussion platform to improve arts & culture links and partnerships between the UK and Europe & the EU.

RENEW your knowledge – of the latest EU structures, policies and programmes, and how these are being used by the culture & creative sector in Europe

RENEW your understanding – of how your own culture & creative organisation can work better in Europe and be better connected

RENEW your involvement – in the debate about how best the UK culture and creative sector can engage in Europe and with the EU

This seminar builds on research undertaken by Euclid (former UK Cultural Contact Point for the EU) for The Mighty Creatives (TMC) in 2023-24, and is presented with the agreement of TMC.

The seminar will be presented by Geoffrey Brown (Director of Euclid), Julie Ward (former Member of the European Parliament), Keith Hackett (freelance consultant who worked on the TMC research) and Dr Nick Owen MBE, Director of The Mighty Creatives. Full biographies are included below.

DATE

• TBC: between 25 November & 6 December

The seminar is likely to run from 1pm to 3pm

PROGRAMME

13.00 – general introduction – Geoffrey Brown
13.05 – scene-setting: Europe & the EU – Julie Ward
13.20 – practical information on specific opportunities for arts & culture – Geoffrey Brown
13.55 – thinking laterally – some thoughts from Keith Hackett
14.05 – the experience of a UK arts organisation – Dr Nick Owen MBE
14.20 – Q&A with all speakers
15.00 – end

COST & BOOKINGS

£25 (no VAT) – click on the date on the left (this will appear when the date is confirmed) to book your place. Please note that, although the option of “Google Pay” comes up, you can pay with any credit or debit card.

BIOGRAPHIES

GEOFFREY BROWN

Geoffrey is Director of EUCLID (www.euclid.info), founded in 1993.  Euclid is one of the UK’s leading research consultancies in respect of opportunities from, and relations with, the European Union.

EUCLID services have included research, conferences, seminars & webinars, online materials & resources, direct consultancy, and news & advice via social media. EUCLID clients are from the broad arts, culture, heritage and creative industries, and have included organisations in the media, digital & education sectors.

Geoffrey’s EU consultancy & advisory work goes back to the 1990s when he advised the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts, who became the first cultural organisation in Europe to receive ERDF funding.   Following this work, there have been 3 stages in Geoffrey’s EU related work:

1999-2011 – Official UK Cultural Contact Point for the EU’s Creative Europe Programme

For 12 years, Euclid was contracted by the UK government to undertake this role – promoting the programme to UK arts and culture organisations, helping people with their applications, and providing some advice on the running of projects and the reporting requirements of the EU.  Euclid developed extensive information services on the full range of EU funding opportunities, across both the Structural Funds and the Trans-National Programmes.  In this period, the UK was one of the most top member states in terms of successful applications, partners and success rates.

For much of this time, we also maintained a Euclid office in Brussels.  Euclid also undertook research and consultancy projects for the European Commission, the Council of Europe, European networks, the British Council, Creative Scotland and other UK arts funding bodies and local authorities.

2011-2016 – Advisory & consultancy work on EU opportunities, with a focus on UK clients

In this period, Euclid continued to provide EU funding information and advice, much as it had done while it was the Cultural Contact Point, but independently – so in some ways it was then able to be more helpful as it was no longer contractually beholden to the EU and the UK government.  It continued to provide extensive information services on the full range of EU funding opportunities, and run seminars and other events across the UK.

Euclid is also experienced in communicating to non-expert audiences – we have delivered hundreds of seminars over many years explaining EU funding (a complex subject) – with highly positive feedback.  Euclid also developed services designed to be as “user-friendly” as possible, including information based on the question “what would you like to do?”. 

In this period, Euclid continued to undertake research projects – clients / projects included:

• Detailed analysis of the European Structural and Investment Funds strategies of the 39 LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) in England to assess their relevance to the arts, culture, heritage and creative industries.
• An International Audit for Creative Scotland
• Arts in/from Wales: International Impact: Euclid contributed to an evaluation study led by Arad Consulting, based in Cardiff and Brussels, which assessed the impact on, and benefits to, Wales from its investment in the Venice Biennale and the Artes Mundi visual arts prize.
• A Review of Developments in selected European and International Cities for the Liverpool Capital of Culture Bid Team

From 2016 – Advisory & consultancy work on EU opportunities, with a focus on European clients

Since the Brexit referendum, Geoffrey’s work has been split between advice regarding funding applications to the EU and occasional research projects.

Regarding advice and guidance regarding funding applications, clients have included:

• The Mighty Creatives – 2023-24
• European March of the Living – 2023
• Limmud Europe – 2023
• Helsinki Baroque Orchestra – 2022
• Celtic Neighbours – advice on several applications over the period 2014 to 2021
• Hildesheim (DE) – Bid for EU Capital of Culture – 2021
• REMA (European Network for Early Music) – 2021

Geoffrey maintains contact with a wide range of European agencies, networks and organisations.  He has been invited to chair a number of conference sessions or to lead sessions at a number of events, including:

• 5^th European Summit of Jewish Leaders – Berlin, March 2023
• Cultural Impact Now! / ENCC / Trans Europe Halles – via Zoom / Aarhus, June 2021
• Cultural Accelerator – via Zoom / Baku, March 2021
• European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC) – Lisbon, June 2019

Regarding research projects, clients and projects have included:

• NEMO (Network of European Museum Organisations), 2019 – in-depth research to identify all projects relevant to museums, galleries and archives which had been funded by any EU funding programme in the 10 years from 2007-2016.
• UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), 2019 – extensive & in-depth research to identify the amounts of EU Structural Funds provided since 2007 to the sectors covered by the DCMS – arts, museums, heritage, tourism, sport, civil society, digital and telecoms.
• 2016-2018: A series of in-depth research projects to identify and analyse all projects in the arts, culture, heritage and creative industries that were funded by any EU funding programme from 2007-2016:
• Arts Council England
• Historic England
• Creative Scotland
• Museums Galleries Scotland
• Historic Environment Scotland
• Arts Council of Wales
• Cadw (the heritage agency for Wales)

His publications include the overview of the EU funding situation for a special 2015 pre-election issue of “Cultural Trends” and the overview for “Culture & Development: 20 years after the fall of Communism in Europe”, published after a conference co-sponsored by the Council of Europe.

In addition, from 2017-2024, Geoffrey was Director of the OffWestEnd network of independent theatres in London, and also managed the Offies awards and the annual Offies awards ceremony.

JULIE WARD

Poet, theatre-maker, award-winning social entrepreneur, former Labour MEP, freelance creative producer and arts consultant.

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
• Honorary Fellow, University of Durham Wolfson Research Institute for Health & Wellbeing

Employment History:

April – July 2024: Writer-in-Residence Southbank Primary School, Middlesbrough, for Tees Valley Museums

Dec 2023 – continuing: Freelance Evaluator for Periplum Outdoor Arts Training Pathways and Participation, Teesside

Sept 2023: Assessor for Europe Lab young professionals leadership programme,  Civil Society Forum (Berlin)

June – Aug 2023: Freelance – European rural arts mapping exercise for Spanish Ministry of Culture & Sports

May 2022 – cont: P/t Freelance Creative Producer, South Tyneside Cultural Education Partnership

Aug 2021 – Sept 2022: P/t Programme Manager & Arts Lead for ‘Commonwealth Connections’ a British Council initiative for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, contracted by Birmingham Education Partnership

Nov 2020 – March 2021: P/t Covid-19 emergency response Connect & Create Project Co-ordinator, City of Sanctuary UK – curating/managing online activities for service users, staff and volunteers

June 2014 – Jan 2020: MEP for NW England. Member of Committees for Culture & Education (CULT), Women’s Rights & Gender Equality (FEMM), Regional Development (REGI). Vice Chair & Gender Mainstreaming Co-ordinator for CULT 2019/20. Co-founder & Vice President of Child Rights Intergroup & Co-Chair of Anti-racism & Diversity Intergroup. Member of Intergroups for Disability, LGBT+, Youth, Anti-poverty, Common Goods & Public Services, Trade Unions, Creative & Cultural Industries. Link MEP for UNCRDP. MEP Mental Health Ambassador. Steering Group Member of European Internet Forum. Member of Delegation for Relations with Bosnia Herzegovina & Kosovo, and ACP-EU (African Pacific & Caribbean-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly

1986 – 2014:  Co-founding director of social enterprise, Jack Drum Arts in Co Durham, during which time I also undertook numerous freelance contracts across the UK, eg. residencies/consultancies in community/health/education settings such as Sunderland City of Reading, Hull & East Riding NHS Children’s Services, Co Durham primary schools Children & the Arts Foundation 3 year programme, 7 Stories National Centre for the Children’s Book, Inspiring Practitioner for Leeds Artforms SEN artist training programme, County Durham schools DfES ICT Test Bed project, Investing in Children participatory action research project with children with disabilities

1986:  Director of Nottingham Fringe Festival

1984 – 1986:  Director of Northern Shape, regional arts and disability agency

1984:  Co-director of Coventry Festival

1980 – 1983:  Community Drama Worker, Contact Theatre, Manchester

1979: Freelance, e.g. facilitator for Community Arts NW, BBC local radio presenter

1978/9:  Community Arts Worker, Mid-Pennine Arts, Burnley

Relevant Education & Qualifications:

• 2012: Superact in conjunction with Netherlands Prison Assoc., Rotterdam. Teaching Certificate for BTEC “Supporting Employability & Personal Effectiveness” – Grundtvig (Erasmus+)
• 2009-12: Newcastle University. Masters in Education & International Development (2:1)
• 2004 – 2006: Bishop Auckland College, Co Durham. British Sign Language Stages 1-2
• 1997: University of Hertfordshire DATE (Disability, Arts, Training & Employment) University Certificate.

Continuing Professional Development:

• 2023: Open Space practitioners gathering, Lindow, Mark, (MitOst, Berlin)
• 2023: Evaluation (Centre for Cultural Value, Leeds University)
• 2023: Decision Science (National Arts Fundraising School, London)
• 2020: Horizontal School – creative online facilitation (MitOst, Berlin)
• 2014: Community Reporting, People’s Voice Media, Manchester
• 2012: Arts for Peace-building Study Visit, Belfast (Platform for Intercultural Europe)
• 2011-12: Tandem Cultural Management Exchange programme, Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey (European Cultural Foundation)
• 2010: North East Cultural Leadership programme (CultureWorks)
• 2008: European Theatre Writing for Young Audiences (tutors Pauline Mol & Ben Harrison)
• Other CPD: First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, Safeguarding, Sexual Harassment at Work, Diversity & Equality, Safer recruiting

Fellowships & Travel Bursaries:

• 2011: Grundtvig-Erasmus, Diversity & Social Cohesion, Elan Interculturel (Paris)
• 2010: UNESCO invitation to speak at World Conference on Arts Education (Seoul)
• 2010: ACE grant & Santander bursary to develop inclusive arts in education projects in Belém (Brazil)
• 2009: ACE grant to research theatre in education (Hungary)
• 2008: ACE grant to participate in Performing the World international theatre & social change conference (NY)
• 2006: ACE grant to undertake preparation for Contacting the World youth arts exchange (New Zealand)
• 1995: Winston Churchill Fellowship to research arts & health in education (Australia, USA, Canada)
• 1995: Commonwealth Relations Trust/TUC fellowship to research community education (Australia)
• 1986-1995: Various Northern Arts Travel Bursaries (Canada, USA & Australia) to study variously oral history/storytelling, life-writing, inter-generational learning, special needs projects and arts in health

Voluntary Positions:

• Board Member, Newcastle Circus Arts 
• Board Member, Vice Chair & Chair Environmental Sub-Committee: Festival of Thrift
• Board Member & Treasurer: Culture Action Europe
• Board Member & Co-chair: Civil Society Forum (formerly EU-Russia CSF)
• Board Member: Remembering Srebrenica NW & NE
• Critical Friend: Action for Children’s Arts
• Co-chair: Purposeful Policies Working Group of Our Shared World Education SDG 4.7 Coalition (convened by OXFAM Education Team)
• Co-chair: World Urban Pavilion, (project of Urban Economy Forum)
• Co-ordinator: Culture Declares Emergency  
• Adviser: Youth IGF (Internet Governance Forum)
• Adviser: Cultural Learning Alliance
• Adviser: Fight For Humanity
• Adviser: Roma Women’s Education project
• Adviser: White Ribbon Ukraine
• Trustee: Reckless Sleepers (international performance)
• Volunteer Delegate: United for Intercultural Action
• National Committee: Another Europe Is Possible
• Patron: Dance Syndrome (disability-led dance co)
• Patron: Europia Arts Collective (migrant artists organisation)
• Editorial Board: Chartist Magazine

Ordinary Membership of the following organisations:

• National Association of Writers in Education
• Axisweb 
• National Drama
• Fawcett Society
• European Movement

Awards:

• North East Woman Social Entrepreneur of the Year, 2003
• Mental Health Europe ‘Stand-Out MEP’, 2017

EXAMPLES OF PUBLISHED ARTICLES

I write regularly for the Bylines networks, e.g.

Also for Chartist magazine, e.g.

Other published work includes:

European Music Council – Music & Migration – https://www.emc-imc.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/Sounds11WEB.pdf

Harvard Educational Review – Expanding Our Vision for Arts in Education, article, Spring 2013 – https://dramadale.co.uk/harvard-educational-review/

Open Democracy – ‘Transformative Democracy’ 2016 – https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/transformation/transformative-democracy-bringing-outside-world-in/

KEITH HACKETT

Keith Hackett is a consultant who has worked as a sole trader since 1986. He specialises in employment-related research, strategic planning and project financing with cultural organisations and enterprises, higher education institutions, community organisations, governmental bodies and industry consortia, across Europe.

His previous clients have included:

• European Commission
• The Council of Europe
• various UK Government departments
• various UK local authorities
• Moving Image Development Agency
• Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
• Arts Council England.

Alongside his consultancy work, he writes and undertakes seminars and consultations on topics including growth in new employment sectors and social and commercial enterprise. He has also been involved in the testing of new models of enterprise and financing, and new social instruments for the European Commission. His role has often combined a mix of strategic advice, policy development, finance and fundraising and change management – carried out in a manner where he both leads and enables the participants through the process. In the main he has worked by invitation, with smaller, community-based projects or in the development of specific policy initiatives.

He is committed to making his civic contribution, and has undertaken considerable voluntary and political activity over the past 40 years. This has included being variously, elected representatives in his trades union (now UNITE), as a Liverpool City Councillor between 1987 and 1995, and on various Boards and organisations, including the Merseyside Tourism Board. He is currently Chair of Park Palace Ponies, a Liverpool-based social enterprise, and he is a member of the British Equestrian Federation’s National Equality Advisory Committee.

Dr NICK OWEN MBE

Awarded an MBE for services to arts-based businesses in 2012, Nick is a creative business leader who is passionate about producing inspiring and engaging arts and cultural practice for children and young people both nationally and internationally.   As a keen internationalist, he has a track record of developing and delivering many international partnerships across the EU and beyond and is currently exploring the opportunities for the Leicester charity, The Mighty Creatives (TMC), to establish a subsidiary within the EU. Most recently TMC has been shortlisted for the Children and Young Now Arts and Culture Awards 2024; this was preceded in 2023 by TMC being awarded Best Service Delivery Innovation category at the Third Sector Awards.   Further information available at www.drnickoplus.com