DAI Confluence 6 ~ June 19 till 27, 2025
Dear DAI-students, dear COOP-tutors + COOP-guests,
The world is willfully put on fire and we are finding ourselves struggling how to not be 'bystanders in denial', while we, at the same time are also trying to go on living our lives as students, artists and cultural workers. This is the troubled and troubling backdrop to the upcoming COOP's annual wrap up in the form of the COOP SUMMIT - envisioned as a generous intra-action between students, tutors, guests, and "the public". The conditions under which we will work may this time feel (even) more challenging in terms of our sense of safety: it is a fact that on the island of Cyprus we are physically closer to the actual region where violence is raging then in most other parts of Europe. That said: the Dutch as well as other European foreign affairs departments have not altered their travel advises for the island of Cyprus: all are completely positive (Dutch Ministry even gives green light, which is a better condition than we had for Morocco last year when it was yellow (orange and red are the next levels - with red as the no go ~under no condition~ indicator)). DAI is in touch with the Dutch Embassy and should the situation unexpectedly change the DAI-crew will, it goes without words, inform you all and if formally required assist everybody with return travels or otherwise. We have been informed that the Cypriot governement is occassionally testing its alarm-via-mobile phone system ( the same happens, by the way, regularly in the Netherlands). On Cyprus this includes the phones of the great number of tourists currently dwelling on the island.
Important to mention are the weather conditions: it is going to be VERY WARM ~ so please take care of yourselves and of others ~ including the humans of the institution. You are strongly advised to return to the BULLETIN to find updates and advices on a daily basis. Scroll over this page to have a close and attentive look at the list of names of tutors, guests, crew + local collaborators, all present to contribute to your study and well-being.
In case of issues/ problems directly relating to your wellbeing you are asked to liaise with Kaste.
In case of issues/problems directly relating to COOP's modus operandi + planning of each day, including photo-shoots, you are asked to liaise with Flip ( or Peter if it concerns technical issues).
In case of major issues that cannot be answered by Flip or Kaste you are asked to directly liaise with Gabriëlle.
For the 7 upcoming days we will gratefully re-connect with organisations whose support has been INVALUABLE along the way: SPEL, Nimac and Thkio Ppalies in particular. A brief written introduction on Nicosia's cultural and socio-political landscape is to appear here in the coming two days.
The first four days of our stay will be entirely dedicated to intensive, collaborative preparations for COOP SUMMIT 2025 ~ leading up to our three-day assemblage of happenings on the 24th, 25th and 26th of June.
In two days we will send out invitations to the COOP SUMMIT via mail and Instagram. The day to day section of this BULLETIN already leads you to each COOP's distinct invite. These pages will also soon be send to you via mail so that you can share them with whoever you want.
Cheers & speak soon,
Gabriëlle
CONFLUENCE #6 ~ FROM DAY TO DAY
PLEASE RETURN ON A DAILY BASIS FOR UPDATES
THURSDAY June 19
Today: arrival of the students, tutors and guests in Nicosia
FRIDAY June 20
COOP prep program June 20, 2025
SATURDAY June 21
COOP prep program June 21, 2025
SUNDAY June 22
COOP prep program June 22, 2025
MONDAY June 23
COOP prep program June 23, 2025
TUESDAY June 24
COOP SUMMIT program June 24, 2025
WEDNESDAY June 25
COOP SUMMIT program June 25, 2025
THURSDAY June 26
COOP SUMMIT program June 26, 2025
FRIDAY June 27
PRACTICAL
Overview LOCATIONS: Accommodation/Classes/Venues
Tutors and Guests present in Nicosia:
We are most appreciative of all dear tutors and guests
Noor Abuarafeh, Manuela García Aldana, Dea Antonsen, Marwa Arsanios, Frédérique Bergholtz, Chiara Cartuccia, Marina Christodoulidou, Angelo Custodio, Jurga Daubaraitė, Alessandra Ferrini, Leon Filter, Fisherwomxn, Samira Ghoualmia, Aziza Harmel, Egija Inzule, Mokia Dinnyuy Manjoh, Snejanka Mihaylova, Harun Morrison, Emiddio Vasquez, Leire Vergara and Jonas Žukauskas.
who are joining us for the conclusion of our 2024 -2025 COOP study group trajectory, all the way to Nicosia.
COOP's leader, present on the ground, is Flip Driest.
DOCUMENTATION TEAM ON THE GROUND:
Student reporters: Ivor Glavaš, Masha Domracheva.
Invited local reporters during COOP SUMMIT 2025: Constantinos Taliotis, Louli Michaelidou, Sophie Fetokaki
Alaa Abu Asad will join for the entire period as portrait and documentary photographer (more info per day).
SPECIAL GUEST:
Our special guest on the 25th and 26th is Hicham Khalidi, director of the Jan van Eyck in Maastricht. Hicham joins us as the expert representative of the official audit committee, charged with the accreditation assessment 2025 of the DAI. We warmly welcome him into our midst, fully trusting his interest in the experimental and thus challenging nature of projects in an art educational context with collaborative artistic research as their aim.
DAI crew present in Nicosia:
*Framework and partnerships: artistic director and head of program: Gabriëlle Schleijpen
*COOP's education leader: Philippa (Flip) Driest
*Hospitality manager: Kastė Šeškevičiūtė , this time in collaboration with Peter Eramian.
*Senior production leader technical & spatial infrastructure & study support: Peter Sattler
*Culinary care & education from dusk till dawn by our roaming 'chef de cuisine' Sophia Zbinovsky Braddel in close collaboration with roaming Rowan Beasley, this time assisted by Holly Taylor.
Back Office (not in Nicosia):
*Senior co-ordinator roaming finances & logistics, emergency response certificate holder: Jacq van der Spek * house style and communication design Lauren Alexander & Hanna Rullmann, * editor-in-chief Giulia Crispiani * travel agent Monique Hemmink (Hemminkways), * general assistance Georgia Stellin and *bookkeeper Corine van der Wal. Please consult our Crew-webpage for a more complete overview and more info about the division of tasks.