My name is Polina Manolia and I am from Athens. Greece. After having studied at the Law University and since I always have had a soft spot for Culture and Art I decided I wanted to work in the field of Cultural Management. To arrive to this conclusion, my EVS experience have been vital! Before I came to Italy I had just a tendency to follow this interest of mine but I did not have any experience to actually know what it means to work in Culture.
My EVS project is called SuberBANG! and it was located in Budrio in Italy. Budrio is a small Municipality close to Bologna with a strong Cultural life since it has 5 Museums, a Theater, a Cultural Center. Auditorium and an International Festival of Ocarina.
Together with the other volunteer from France in the begging we faced some difficulties to understand exactly what our responsibilities would be and because there was hardly anyone speaking English. Soon we realized that we needed to learn Italian and that the activities we could be involved were flexible.
Originally our base was the office of the Theater, a magnificent place that truly inspires you. We were working in the communication and during the shows we attended the audience. Living in the “Foresteria” we got to meet better the artists, actors and musicians that the city was hosting. We also started to help at a Social Center children with their homework. We had a lot of free time that permitted various trips but also for me to study the language and research bibliography of Cultural Management and also my master options. Unfortunately after few months the Theater had to close because of a administrational issue. During some days there was a lot of things to manage but after we were left with a big uncertainty like everyone else working with us.
Our main project became the International Festival of Ocarina, an instrument created in Budrio but known across the whole world. The Festival takes place in Budrio and in other provinces around Bologna and it brings people from other countries especially from Asia. We faced some technical issues with the production but at the end the result was very positive and everyone that participated or attended it had the best impression. After the festival I got to partly collaborate with the Cultural Center for some events but most importantly I got to start my own project: “Nostalgia”.
“Nostalgia” Is the name of an International Art Exhibition of the known Spanish painter Ricardo Renedo, that took place in Budrio at the end of June and I had the chance to Curate and Manage. The realization of the exposition was possible thanks to private and public funding and collaboration. It was a very challenging process but I learned a lot and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am very proud to be able to include it also to my curriculum.
Because of all of these experiences I am now sure of the path I want to follow, I have been accepted to a Master Program in Cultural Organization Management and professional opportunities have already appeared. With the Administration of Budrio we will maintain our contact since there is already the possibility to collaborate in the future for an international project between Greece and Italy.
My conclusion and advice to anyone considering to participate in an EVS project is that it is an opportunity that you can enjoy as you want. It is quite flexible that means that you have the responsibility to take as much as possible from the circumstances. And of course it is the opportunity to live abroad, meet great people, learn, travel and develop! Enjoy!
My EVS project is called SuberBANG! and it was located in Budrio in Italy. Budrio is a small Municipality close to Bologna with a strong Cultural life since it has 5 Museums, a Theater, a Cultural Center. Auditorium and an International Festival of Ocarina.
Together with the other volunteer from France in the begging we faced some difficulties to understand exactly what our responsibilities would be and because there was hardly anyone speaking English. Soon we realized that we needed to learn Italian and that the activities we could be involved were flexible.
Originally our base was the office of the Theater, a magnificent place that truly inspires you. We were working in the communication and during the shows we attended the audience. Living in the “Foresteria” we got to meet better the artists, actors and musicians that the city was hosting. We also started to help at a Social Center children with their homework. We had a lot of free time that permitted various trips but also for me to study the language and research bibliography of Cultural Management and also my master options. Unfortunately after few months the Theater had to close because of a administrational issue. During some days there was a lot of things to manage but after we were left with a big uncertainty like everyone else working with us.
Our main project became the International Festival of Ocarina, an instrument created in Budrio but known across the whole world. The Festival takes place in Budrio and in other provinces around Bologna and it brings people from other countries especially from Asia. We faced some technical issues with the production but at the end the result was very positive and everyone that participated or attended it had the best impression. After the festival I got to partly collaborate with the Cultural Center for some events but most importantly I got to start my own project: “Nostalgia”.
“Nostalgia” Is the name of an International Art Exhibition of the known Spanish painter Ricardo Renedo, that took place in Budrio at the end of June and I had the chance to Curate and Manage. The realization of the exposition was possible thanks to private and public funding and collaboration. It was a very challenging process but I learned a lot and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am very proud to be able to include it also to my curriculum.
Because of all of these experiences I am now sure of the path I want to follow, I have been accepted to a Master Program in Cultural Organization Management and professional opportunities have already appeared. With the Administration of Budrio we will maintain our contact since there is already the possibility to collaborate in the future for an international project between Greece and Italy.
My conclusion and advice to anyone considering to participate in an EVS project is that it is an opportunity that you can enjoy as you want. It is quite flexible that means that you have the responsibility to take as much as possible from the circumstances. And of course it is the opportunity to live abroad, meet great people, learn, travel and develop! Enjoy!