The first full day in Novi Sad – how exciting!
It started with a fantastic breakfast. Erica and Toni were also sitting at my table. Erica is a young woman from Spain who wants to set up a wonderful LGBTQ+ project with her music company. Toni, from Catalonia, on the other hand, is doing a theatre project in cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina. One thing is clear: Spanish people are just such warm people that the sun can’t help but rise! And that’s exactly what it did in Novi Sad – up to sunny 28°C.
After breakfast we went to OPENS, our work centre. There we had a coaching session with Andrej Nosov, a well-known theatre maker here in Serbia. Andrej was very critical. However, he also asked the right questions. After the coaching, I first had a project-related existential crisis: Does our project fit our goal? I racked my brains over this during the lunch break. And the answer was: Well… maybe. And that maybe was quite sceptical. Because it didn’t quite fit. So what was to be done? Either we now do a project that doesn’t really fulfil our goal or we need a new project for our goal. And since it’s never good to work for something that’s not really your passion, we decided on the second option. However, since I was supposed to pitch our project to an international project that very evening – in English – it also meant that a new structure, not to mention a new PowerPoint presentation, was needed.
Oh. My. God. And yet the afternoon was full of other lectures, roundtables and discussions. That was going to be a challenge. So I rolled up the very short sleeves of my white blouse and got my hands on the renewed project. I was so involved that I even forgot about eating my lunch since all my brain cells were on fire. Because when I do something, it has to be done right. After a brief consultation with Michael, I came up with a new concept. PowerPoint included. In addition, I listened to five more presentations. During the short coffee break of 10 minutes, I worked on my pitch. And then: off I went.
„Don’t get lost in the details. Tell them a story!“ was Andrej’s advice. The first draft of my presentation, which I created while still on the plane, had been a 15-slide presentation with graphic fireworks. With all the goals, methods and basics of my project. „You won’t convince anybody with boring charts. You need to catch them with your way of presenting!“ were Andrej’s words. And then I sat in the audience myself. Three other people were pitching in front of me. The projects were insane! But for the short time there was way too much text to read. On the other hand, it seemed so professional! But I had decided to follow Andrei’s advice. And then I went on stage.
So I showed photos. Of me. On stages. And told my story behind them. And what needs to change in the cultural industry. And what I intend to do about it. I tried to carry out every inch of energy I had. I promoted the Bergisches Land, jumping from left to right on stage. „You need to convince them that your project needs to be done!“ echoed Andrej’s words. So I gave everything. And anything. The applause was long. People from the audience praised me. „Anna Lisa, with your energy, everybody wants to work with you! You can do any project with your passion!“, one woman said to me.
Later that evening I went back to my hotel room and took a well-deserved shower. It occurred to me that it is a real privilege for me to be here. In Serbia, Novi Sad with the European Network of Cultural Centres. With our own association, a project that means the world to me. Someday I also want to give a keynote speech.
Yours, Anna Lisa