Belgian post-graduate program APT (advanced performance training) for
performers and theoreticians contacted me because they wanted to find Turkish performers that could be matched one to one with 9 artists from Belgium. They send me a list with 9 project proposals and the interests of each of their post-graduate students. I started to make appointments and asked various people: are there in these plans one or two plans that specifically interest you? Are you available that week? Can the artist from Belgium go with you to places that have to do with your work as a performer? Before the Belgium’s came to Istanbul many already could correspond by email with their Turkish counterpart thanks to the work I did. That helped to made the introduction phase shorter so that the performers had more time to develop work together. For the Turkish artists this kind of matching was new and a bit strange because people here mostly rely on face to face communications at first meetings. For APT it was important that participants decide as far as possible what they want to learn in the 12 months that they work within the context of the program. They can choose between workshops and projects that APT organizes for them. Collaboration is very important. The Istanbul-project was a way to learn from exchange with other professionals and to develop the thinking and work of the participants. During one week each Belgium participant shares a space and work together with one Turkish artist or performer. The week started with a big meeting between Turkish and Belgium artists in Galata Perform. Many performances were visited during the week and at the end several collaborations were made.