3. CONCEPT

@work is a pan-European network of research, discussion and creative exchange between international artists, workers, trade unions and policy makers which started in august 2004. These first years we have focused on the issues of work in a transforming Europan society.

THE STORY OF WORK june 2006 - may 2007 is a Culture 2000 funded project where we research the changing nature and experiences of work.

In Europe working conditions are undergoing a rapid transition. A re-structuring process is underway, affecting the lives of almost every working citizen and informing Western social and cultural identity.

Five independent groups of performing artists from five different countries have united to explore working life in Europe. The groups in THE STORY OF WORK project are TeaterKUNST (Denmark), Reality Research Center (Finland), Teatermaskinen (Sweden) and The Red Room (UK) and Berlin N@twork (Germany). All artists involved share a passion for researching contemporary issues, transforming them through a range of artistic expressions (theatre, dance, performance, film, video art) and opening up a genuine dialogue with a new audience.

Each country will create their own national performance informed by a reference group (trade unions, workers, academics, students etc). The companies will meet to exchange research and artistic practise. The first culmination of this collaboration will be a platform of public performances, lectures and debates in Copenhagen (18th – 21st April 2007) which will be attended by all companies, their reference groups and participants. The period June 2006 – May 2007 is called The Story of Work and has received funding from EU Culture 2000 program.

Through creative collaboration and research the project will explore the potential of art to act as a mediator, raising cross-sector debate about the past, present and future of work.