Trans Europe Halles is a network of over 50 independent cultural centres across Europe that was founded in 1983. The network provides a forum for collaboration and exchange of ideas. Member centres work in different conditions but share features like being multidisciplinary and non-profit. The network organizes biannual meetings to inspire members and develop new projects, and its coordination office supports the independent cultural sector through capacity building initiatives like staff exchanges and training.

1.
Trans
Europe
Halles
–
European
network
of
independent
cultural
centres
www.teh.net
Mission
Statement
"Trans
Europe
Halles
is
a
network
of
independent
cultural
centres
offering
a
dynamic
forum
for
ideas,
collaborations,
and
mutual
support
in
the
pursuit
of
intercultural
exchange,
understanding
and
artistic
freedom".
Trans
Europe
Halles
is
a
European
network
of
independent
cultural
centres.
The
network
was
founded
in
Brussels
in
1983
by
five
cultural
centres
and
today
the
network
brings
together
more
than
fifty
multidisciplinary
and
socially
engaged
member
centres
throughout
Europe.
Most
centres
are
located
in
buildings
from
industrial
heritage
and
have
taken
important
action
in
challenging
the
established
cultural
policy.
Some
of
the
member
centres
are
more
or
less
run
by
volunteers
and
with
only
small
subsidies
from
the
city
or
the
state,
whereas
others
are
quite
big
cultural
institutions
with
even
100
people
or
more
employed.
Some
are
situated
in
the
countryside,
be
it
in
a
village
north
of
Rome
or
in
the
Rhodopi
mountains
in
Bulgaria,
whereas
others
are
in
the
city
centres
of
the
European
capitals.
Even
though
the
centres
work
under
quite
different
conditions,
they
all
share
some
important
features:
•
they
are
all
multidisciplinary
working
with
different
art
forms
•
they
are
all
independent
and
not-­‐for-­‐profit
centres
initiated
by
grass
roots
•
with
the
exception
of
two
centres,
all
members
have
an
industrial
background
such
as
dairies,
slaughterhouses,
warehouses,
ships
or
trains.
The
network
serves
first
and
foremost
as
a
meeting
place
and
a
forum.
The
network
is
a
source
of
inspiration
and
exchange
of
experiences
for
the
members
and
a
birthplace
for
new
collaborations.
A
lot
of
time
and
energy
are
therefore
invested
into
making
the
two
annual
meetings
hosted
by
different
members
as
vibrant
and
dynamic
as
possible.
Every
meeting
offers
a
guided
tour
of
the
centre,
artistic
performances,
a
project
fair
where
members
can
develop
joint
projects,
a
training
day
with
workshops
and
seminars
as
well
as
time
for
informal
networking.
Each
meeting
has
an
overarching
theme;
be
it
around
governance,
funding
models,
sustainability,
new
technology
or
about
th
community
arts
as
in
the
upcoming
meeting
in
Bordeaux
27-­‐30
of
October
2011.
Besides
organising
the
meetings,
TEH
recently
started
a
big
European
project
called
Engine
Room
Europe.
The
aim
of
this
three-­‐year
project
is
to
support
the
independent
cultural
sector
with
capacity
building
in
various
forms:
staff
exchange,
seminars,
artistic
projects,
leadership
training,
residency
programs
etc.
It
is
TEH
together
with
11
other
member
centres
in
Netherlands,
Poland,
Slovakia,
Serbia,
France,
Latvia
and
Germany
that
are
organising
the
project
open
to
all
members
of
the
network.
The
network
is
managed
by
the
TEH
Coordination
Office
situated
at
the
member
centre
Mejeriet
in
Lund,
Sweden.
The
staff
consists
of
a
Secretary
General,
and
a
part-­‐time
communication
manager,
office
manager
and
project
manager.
The
office
produces
a
monthly
newsletter
and
is
in
charge
of
all
internal
and
external
communication
of
the
network
as
well
as
organising
the
meetings
and
managing
the
network
projects.
“Independent
culture
is
the
research
and
development
engine
of
European
civic
life
and
this
project,
Engine
Room
Europe,
will
contribute
to
its
sustainability
and
vibrancy
into
the
future.”