DB CONSULT
Management & Development in the Arts
DB Consult is an agency for management, research and concept development in the Cultural and Creative Sector. DB Consult was founded in 2003 by Jeanneke den Boer. She has all-round management experience, including as director of RASA in Utrecht, and graduated in anthropology and law. DB Consult is acquainted with new policy developments, global economic and social trends and has a sector-exceeding contact network. DB Consult stands for topical knowledge and a broad network and also for a listening ear, open mind, investigative approach and awareness of the dynamic within organizations. Focus areas: Cultural and Creative Industries, European Cultural Policy, Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diversity and Inclusion.
SERVICES DB CONSULT
Strategic management and guidance with repositioning
DB Consult guides cultural organisations in strategic management processes and repositioning and the drafting and implementation of new policy and business plans.
Fundraising and consulting about financial strategy
DB Consult has ample experience with creating a solid financial basis for cultural projects and organisations. DB Consult can be hired for fundraising of festivals, cultural productions and projects and writes applications for subsidy.
Creative management, concept development and realization
DB Consult takes care of the management of international cultural collaborative programmes, a.o. in Morocco and South Africa. DB Consult is specialized in developing and realizing intercultural, multidisciplinary arts projects and events in a metropolitan context.
Administration and policy research
For local governments, DB Consult conducts administrative and policy assignments such as chairing committees, setting up and supervising inspection trajectories and carrying out policy research and writing cultural memorandums.
Lectures and presentations
DB Consult gives presentations about music and dance from all parts of the world and training sessions on how to deal with economies and new developments in cultural policy.
CLIENTS DB CONSULT A.O.
Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Council for Culture, Fund for Performing Arts, Fund for Culture Participation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Cultural Foundation, Theater Instituut Nederland, Utrecht Province and Municipality, Rotterdam Museum of World Arts, Rotterdam Council for Culture and the Arts, Cultural Sundays Utrecht, Foundation Wereldfeest, Festival Rotterdam Unlimited, de Doelen Rotterdam, Lucent Dance Theatre, Kulsan, Culture Connection, Foundation Treaty of Utrecht 2013, Codarts School of Arts Rotterdam, Artez School of Arts Arnhem, Amsterdam School of Arts, Grounds/World Music and Dance Centre Rotterdam, Ducos Productions, NOT/Teleac Television, SKVR, Music Centre Vredenburg Utrecht, Theater De Vaillant, Rotary Rotterdam.
PROJECTS
Sounds of Us
Festival Sounds of Us in The Hague offers a rich variety of Afro-Surinamese and Afro-Caribbean art and culture. The festival on November 11 and 12 in theater De Vaillant reflects on the influence of the colonial and slavery past on life today. We commemorate the history of transatlantic slavery and celebrate freedom with music, storytelling, rituals, rhythms, literature, spoken word, a fashion show and a Keti Koti Dinner. The program focuses the West-African traditions in the arts and culture in Suriname and the Caribbean. What vibrant and powerful cultural expressions have emerged from them? How have these traditions developed and how do they live on in the Netherlands? The program also shows how a young artists incorporate the story of the slavery past into their own art forms. DB Consult develops the festival concept and program with stakeholders.
The festival is an initiative of De Vaillant and stichting Haagse Verbindende Initiatieven of Us. DB Consult co-creates the concept and festival with Culture Connection, AFIMO, Tipiko Den Haag, Dutch Caribbean Book club and foundation Keti Koti Tafel.
Cultural Caravan
Cultural Caravan is a traveling festival, which takes place in cities and neighborhoods where people from different cultural and religious backgrounds live together. Art expressions inspired by religion are central in the festival. Internationally famous artists have performed, as well as local talents and artists. The performances are related to a central festival theme that every participant interprets in his own unique way. In 2008 Cultural Caravan was in Zeeland; in 2009 in Rotterdam. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 Cultural Caravan has been present in Utrecht. DB Consult provides project management, the programme, promotion and production.
Sacred Songs
Sacred Songs is a vocal production with choirs and vocalists representing different religious and spiritual traditions. The versatile vocal artist Monica Akihary is the artistic director of Sacred Songs. Participating vocalists and choirs choose repertoire inspired by a central theme. With this repertoire, Akihary creates a new composition in which the different styles come together. Various vocal expressions flow into each other such as Jewish liturgic repertoire, Gregorian chant, Coptic songs, Sufi poems, Koran recitation, Buddhist mantras, and so on.
Sacred Songs started in 2008 as part of festival Cultural Caravan and is now an independant production. It tooks place in churches in Zierikzee, Middelburg, The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Dordrecht and Utrecht, all together 15 editions of this special production have been created. DB Consult is in charge of concept development, research, co-creation with local communities, project management.
Cultural Caravan Utrecht 2011
In November 2011, the Cultural Caravan came to Johanneskerk Overvecht and Domkerk Utrecht. Over 120 artists and young talents from several cultures and religions provided a special programme inspired by Sint Maarten, patron saint of Utrecht, symbol of giving, sharing and peace.
Opening, Year of Religious Heritage 2008
DB Consult arranged the cultural programme for the opening of the Year of Religious Heritage 2008 in the Domkerk, Utrecht. The Utrecht Cathedral Choir presented centuries-old church music; the Santo Serviçio choir presented Sephardic Jewish religious songs; Iraqi singer Farida gave a powerful recital of Islamic Sufi poetry from the 12th century. The Raj Mohan Ensemble provided a musical link between spiritual traditions.
World Music Festival Utrecht 2003-2008
DB Consult was responsible for the programme of the Wereldfeest, an annual intercultural arts festival in Utrecht. It takes place at the end of June and attracts around 25,000 visitors on average. The Wereldfeest presents music, dance, theatre, literature, and visual arts by up-and-coming talents and world-famous stars: www.wereldfeestutrecht.nl
Rotterdam Unlimited Festival 2011
For the Summer Carnival, Dunya Festival and Ducos Productions, DB Consult produced a long-range policy plan for the new Rotterdam Unlimited festival.
Policy vision, World Music & Dance Centre 2011
The World Music & Dance Centre in Rotterdam houses the Codarts World Music department, SKVR music school and Grounds, a trendy venue-cum-café for metropolitan arts of the present day. In 2011 DB Consult developed a new future vision for the centre with those involved.
Talent Development 2011
The Rotterdam Arts Education Foundation (SKVR) offers an extensive range of world music, including the unique Caribbean Brass Band School in Rotterdam South. Codarts Rotterdam, university for the arts, has its World Music department. In 2011 DB Consult drew up a plan for a continuing learning path.
Future vision, Codarts Rotterdam World Music Department 2009
DB Consult did research into the policy and education of the Codarts Rotterdam World Music department and in particular into the North Indian Classical Music area of study. The research culminated in a powerful future vision and at the same time a plan of approach to attract new target groups to the study programme, set up collaboration within Europe and broaden the teaching with light-classical genres.
Cultural Exchange with South-Africa 2009-2011
DB Consult carried out the management of Interactions SA-NL, the cultural exchange programme with South Africa in the field of music, dance and theatre. The programme gave rise to new collaborative projects of Dutch and South African performing artists. In 2010 the results could be seen at prestigious festivals and in prominent venues in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Soweto, Durban, Oudtshoorn and Grahamstown. Interactions SA-NL was an initiative of the Theaterinstituut Nederland and Muziekcentrum Nederland, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Expertmeeting INTERACTIONS SA-NL 2010
As part of Interactions SA-NL, DB Consult organized an expert meeting in Johannesburg for professionals in the Dutch and South African performing arts sector. The programme included showcases from successful Interactions SA-NL projects and workshops on themes such as ‘Sustainable collaboration’; ‘Language and identity’; ‘Community arts’; ‘Talent hubs in townships’ and ‘Festival programming in South Africa’.
INTERACTIONS SA-NL during World Cup 2010
As part of Interactions SA-NL, Dutch theatre directors worked on new productions with young artists from the South African township Soweto. Crossover company ISH created a spectacular performance, Kapa-Zoon Kapa-Planet, together with young talents from the Phaphama Miracle Arts Lab. Master’s students from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague created the colourful youth opera Afterschool with youngsters from the Melodi Music School.
Cultural Exchange Utrecht – Malta 2009
DB Consult drew up a report concerning the cultural exchange of the Utrecht city council with Malta. Work visits were undertaken and contacts made with several cultural institutions and festivals. Special attention was paid to the unique musical heritage of Malta, in which the distinct raw vocal style Ghana stands out the most.
FOCUS MOROCCO 2003-2008
DB Consult was responsible for the project management of Focus Morocco, a multi-year Dutch-Moroccan collaboration by the Rotterdam Museum of World Arts in the field of cultural heritage. The project consisted of two touring exhibitions, an extensive educational programme, a highly instructive website, events and meetings. Focus Morocco painted a vivid picture of the rich cultural inheritance of Morocco and the way it has inspired artists, designers and musicians worldwide.
Celebration 400 year Netherlands – Morocco 2004-2006
DB Consult was responsible for the cultural exchange programme commemorating 400 years of relationships between the Netherlands and Morocco. The programme offered artistic encounters, concerts, theatrical performances, exhibitions, workshops, literary events and lectures. Activities took place in Casablanca, Marrakesh and Rabat and generated new exchange projects between Dutch and Moroccan artists and cultural institutions. The programme was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. DB Consult also arranged the artistic programme of the Morocco Express festival in Utrecht: www.culturelezondagen.nl.
World Music presentations 2003-
Over the years, DB Consult has frequently lectured on world music at De Doelen concert hall in Rotterdam. These lectures have vividly portrayed the Cuban son, Argentinian tango, Algerian raï, Portugese fado, Cape Verdean morna, Brazilian samba and bossa nova, Greek rembetika, Spanish flamenco, klezmer, Sufi music, Gaelic music, and music from the Balkans, Morocco, Turkey, India and Iran: www.dedoelen.nl.
Lectures in the Trance Festival 2009
As part of the Trance Festival, in concert halls in the Netherlands and Belgium with music and dance from Benin, Japan, Turkey, Iran, Mali and Morocco, Jeanneke den Boer gave lectures. She told about the fascinating trance rituals of the Malinese Bamana hunters and the Moroccan Gnaoua brotherhoods, explaining the historical link between the two.
Lectures at Sufi-Flamenco Performance 2008
‘From Sufi to Flamenco’ is a special Kulsan Foundation project, in which Turkish musicians collaborate with flamenco artists. Meditative Turkish Sufi music and dance shift into temperamental Spanish flamenco. Jeanneke den Boer gave lectures prior to the performances in various city theatres and concert halls in the Netherlands.
CONTACT
DB Consult
Management & Development in the Arts
Ms Jeanneke A.H. den Boer (MA)
Correspondence address: PO Box 13239, NL – 3507 LE Utrecht
Telephone: +31.(0)30.2734558 / +31.(0)6.12991727
info@dbconsult-utrecht.nl
www.dbconsult-utrecht.nl/cms17