IMTAL Europe - International Museum Theatre Alliance
Mini Conference / Workshop / AGM 2019

IMTAL Europe members, museum educators, guides or volunteers who wish to specialise in storytelling in museums and at historic places are invited to the IMTAL Europe Mini Conference, Workshop and AGM in Foteviken/Sweden on February 22nd - 23rd/24th.

IMTAL will organise the Mini Conference in collaboration with Fotevikens KulturCenter, Medborgarskolan and the Scanian Crafts Institute. It offers presentations on storytelling, "how-to" workshops and talks given by storytelling professionals from around Europe. Get ready for an exceptional experience. Over two days, you will laugh, cry, sing, dance, discuss and explore new horizons. 

Conference / Workshop Schedule (First Draft: Program Change Excepted)

Time Event / Activity Venue Module
Friday, 22nd February 2019 (Arrival Day) - Mini Conference Day 1
09:00 - 10:00 IMTAL Europe Board Meeting (Board Members only) Foteviken Museum -
09:00 - 10:00 Arrival of Delegates in Foteviken/Sweden:
  1. Allocation of Rooms
  2. Conference Check-In / Registration at Conference Office and Orientation Information
  3. Coffee, Sandwiches, Cake and Get-Together
Foteviken Museum &
Accommodation
Module 1
10:00 - 10:20 Opening Session and Welcome Notes:
  1. Angela Pfenninger (Germany, IMTAL Europe Chair)
  2. Björn Buttler Jakobsen (Sweden, Director Foteviken Museum)
Foteviken Museum Module 1
10:20 - 11:00
Keynote Address: Sven Rosborn (Sweden): To Make History Alive
 
Sven Rosborn former museum director at Malmö museums and research director at Foteviken´s museum give his views on "living" history.
 
Foteviken Museum Module 1
11:00 - 11:30
Presentation 1: Angela Pfenninger (Germany): Object-based Theatre
 
Object-based theatre, which can well take more of a narrative (rather than performative) "turn", and as the name suggests, focuses on physical objects, and is often mentioned alongside puppetry. Its potential for a museum environment, whose core function is to preserve objects, could be invaluable. In this short lecture, we will get some food for thought on how to take a fresh look at the objects surrounding us in our daily interpretive work. 
Foteviken Museum Module 1
11:30 - 12:15 Presentation 2:  Elin Frost (Sweden): The Value of Storytelling
 
With higher demands on measurements and statistics in all of Europe, how do we actually measure Storytelling? What ways are there to communicate the immaterial values of a story? And why is it important? (Or is it, really?) The Writer and Cultural Entreprenur Elin Frost starts with her findings after studying the evaluation process of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sweden. She gives us different takes on why, how to and what not to do, when it comes to measuring immaterial values in storytelling. 
Foteviken Museum Module 1
12:15 - 13:30
Lunch
Foteviken Museum Module 1
13:30 - 15:30
Workshop 1: Jerker Fahlström (Sweden): How to tell a story!
 
A storytelling class, in English, for those who want to learn how to build a story to tell, from a traditional story, ore a story of your own. You should bring a story, not longer than 3-4 minutes. We will work on the story together.
Foteviken Museum Module 1
15:30 - 16:00
Coffee Break
Foteviken Museum Module 1
16:00 - 18:00
Workshop 2: Ingo R. Glückler (Austria/Germany): Enjoy Spellbinding Them: Choosing, Arranging, and Sharing Medieval Comic Tales at Historic Sites.
 
There is a simple and effective way in which historical and archaeological evidence can be brought to life in the imagination, and that is through the telling of stories. This workshop aims to show why stories and storytelling at historic sites are so important to suggest the lives of the people and place, what stories are appropriate to tell at which kind of historic site and what preparation to do as an costumed interpreter to capture the attention, touch the heart and stimulate the imagination of visitors. The practical and creative workshop will also look at different ways of telling medieval comic tales and sharing it with each other in an informal, supportive and fun environment on the Foteviken Site.
Foteviken Museum and Houses in Open Air Museum
Module 1
18:00 -
Medieval Storytelling Dinner at Foteviken's Great Viking Hall
 
We treat yourself to culinary wonders of a medieval banquet in Foteviken's Great Viking Hall. The Great Hall offers the right atmosphere to tell stories. We will eat, party and drink just like the Vikings might have in the Early Middle Ages and entertain us in-between courses with stories of bygone times. 
 
Bring your costume and instruments!
Foteviken Museum Great Viking Hall Module 2
 
 
   
Saturday, 23rd February 2019 - Mini Conference Day 2
08:00 - 09:00
Breakfast
Accommodation -
09:00 - 09:40

Presentation 3: Jerker Fahlström (Sweden): "Theatre in Museums".

Professional storyteller Jerker talks about his projects and highlights possibilities for museums to get their messages across by employing performative methods.

Foteviken Museum Module 3
09:40 - 10:20 Presentation 4: Tony Blom (Sweden): When a Bankruptcy Becomes Reality! - The New Fortress of Älvsborg, One of Sweden's largest cultural heritage sites
 
The world of cultural events and performance can be precarious, especially in financially challenging times. Tony Blom, an experienced producer of live interpretation in Gothenburg, explains what happens when bankruptcy hits one of his clients, and takes us step-by-step through the ramifications for the actors, the visitors, and the site.
Foteviken Museum Module 3
10:20 - 10:40
Coffee Break
Foteviken Museum Module 3
10:40 - 12:30 Workshop 3: Elin Frost (Sweden): The Digital Audience
 
How is our ability to adapt and understand oral tales alter, due to the digitalisation of the world? With different research findings in mind, this is a workshop were we in an organized way, look for individual experiences and share thoughts and perspective rather than come with fixed answers. Is there ways in which we can design and tell stories where the analogue and digital world come together instead of aggravating one another? Let's find out together! 
Foteviken Museum Module 3
12:30 - 13:30
Lunch
 
Foteviken Museum Great Viking Hall Module 3
13:30 - 15:30
Workshop 4: Harry Rischar (Germany): Practical Exercise of How to Make the Surroundings and Objects Protagonists.
 
Professinal storyteller and compère Harry Rischar (Germany) has developed a range of historical personas as whom he tells tales and interacts with the public. They all stand for a certain epoch or cultural framework. In pre-industrialised societies, oral, non-written forms made up the lion's share of how cultural knowledge, traditions and identities were passed on. However, telling the tales is a skill modern people have often lost sight of. After an introduction, we will delve into a practical exercise of how to make the surroundings and objects protagonists conveying historical knowledge alongside entertainment in an educational environment. Participants are requested to ideally bring:
  • a short story (max 1-2 pages) they can tell by heart, which is to do with their work (this can be a fairy tale, mythological story, or a scientific story from their work environment),
  • as well as a small object that stands for what you do, your work or your museum.
Foteviken Museum Module 3
15:30 - 16:00
Closing Session: Panel discussion with the speakers. Summing up, lessons learned, future perspectives. End of Mini Conference and Good Bye
Foteviken Museum Module 3
16:00 - 18:00
IMTAL Europe Annual General Meeting 2019 (AGM) & Coffee. Current & Future Members Only:
  1. Opening
  2. Minutes of the last AGM 2018
  3. Matters Arising
  4. Chairs Report
  5. Financial Report
  6. Membership
  7. Insights Magazine
  8. Events and conferences 2019
  9. Future of IMTAL Europe and board election - Call for nominations for the IMTAL-Europe Board: IMTAL currently has a broad range of people who fulfill a number of tasks on the board. In preparation for the 2019 AGM, we would like to invite anyone who wishes to run for a position on the board to put themselves forward. Since we do not have any positions that need to be filled at the moment, you are welcome to run for any position you desire, which the IMTAL members will then vote on during the AGM on Februrary 24th. Please submit your application to Angela Pfenninger, Friday, February 1st at the latest.
  10. Date of the next conference 

There will be a Skype conference call for IMTAL members who cannot attend. Please, let us know your Skype-IDs via email in order to add you to the conference group. 

Foteviken Museum Module 3/4
18:00 - 
Dinner for those who are staying in Foteviken for the internal IMTAL Workshop on 24th February 2019.
Foteviken Museum Great Viking Hall Module 4
       
Sunday, 24th February 2019 - Strategic and work meeting for IMTAL members only
08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast  Accommodation -
09:15 - 18:00
Strategic and work meeting for IMTAL members only, including Lunch: Working for a Brighter Future of IMTAL Europe
Foteviken Museum Module 4
18:00 -  Dinner for those who are staying for the Internal Workshop in Foteviken - Module 4

 

The last day to register for the conference will be 8th February 2019.
Time will be allowed during each session for participants to ask questions and share experiences. Time will also be set aside at the end of the day for participants to ask questions regarding their particular situation or topics not covered during the sessions.

Cost of Conference: All meals, drinks and coffee breaks mentioned in the conference schedule are included with registration.

> Accommodation (excluded with registration and needs to be booked by delegates themselves):

  • Falsterbo Kursgård, Ljungvägen 1, 236 38 Höllviken, Sweden - eMail: info@falsterbokursgard.com, Phone: 004640459150, Price (according to homepage): Single room including breakfast: 770 SEK/€ 75,44 per night, twin bed room including breakfast 1050 SEK/€ 102,88 per night. Direction from Malmö: Road E6 towards Trelleborg. Turn to road 100 towards Skanör/Falsterbo/Höllviken. In Höllviken you drive straight ahead at the roundabout. At the second traffic light, turn left. From Trelleborg: Drive towards Skanör/Falsterbo. When you reach road 100, turn left. At the second traffic light turn left. Bus: From Malmö Central station or Hyllie station, bus No 100 or No 300. They stop right outside Falsterbo kursgård. The journey takes about 40 minutes and the name of the bus-stop is Höllvikstrand. 2,8 km (34 min walk) to conference venue. Homepage: https://www.falsterbokursgard.com/english.aspx.
  • ​Lotsvillans Vandrarhem, Västra Kanalvägen 22, 236 41 Ljunghusen, Sweden - eMail: info@lotsvillan.com, Phone: 0046761180045, Price (according to homepage): Single room with shared bathroom SEK 550/€ 53,89, Double room with shared bathroom SEK 750/€ 73,48, Double room with oceanview and shared bathroom//private bathroom SEK 850/€ 83,28//SEK 950/€ 93,08, extras cf. homepage: http://lotsvillan.com/en/booking.html. Direction from Malmö: While driving from Malmö, follow the signs to Skanör/Falsterbo. Upon passing through Höllviken, drive over the small bridge to Ljunghusen. Take the first left after the bridge (Västra kanalvägen), and follow the canal towards the pier. At the end of the road you'll find Lotsvillan. Bus: If you're travelling by bus, visit Skånetrafikens website. The easiest way of getting here by bus is by taking either bus 100 or 300 towards Falsterbo, and get of at Elvabovägen. From there you'll have 2,2 km walk to Lotsvillan. 4,8 km (54 min walk) to conference venue.
  • Foteviken Viking Museum: Basic accommodation in a few availalable bunk beds for IMTAL members only (needs to be organized with the board in advance: board@imtal-europe.com

> Conference Fee ( please, add your modules):

  • Non-IMTAL- and Non-EXARC-Members
    • Module 1: Friday, 22nd February 2018 - Mini Conference Day 1 = € 31,-.
    • Module 2: Friday, 22nd February 2018 - Medieval Storytelling Dinner = € 38,-.
    • Module 3: Saturday, 23rd February 2018 - Mini Conference Day 2 = € 23,-.
    • Module 4: Saturday Evening, 23rd - Sunday, 24th February 2018 - Internal IMTAL Workshop = € 48,-.
  • IMTAL-, EXARC-Members or Students
    • Module 1: Friday, 22nd February 2018 - Mini Conference Day 1 = € 24,-.
    • Module 2: Friday, 22nd February 2018 - Medieval Storytelling Dinner = € 38,-.
    • Module 3: Saturday, 23rd February 2018 - Mini Conference Day 2 = € 18,-.
    • Module 4: Saturday Evening, 23rd - Sunday, 24th  February 2018 - Internal IMTAL Workshop = € 48,-.

Airports: We suggest Københavns Lufthavn.
By Train and Bus: Öresundståg is connecting Københavns Lufthavn to Malmö C or Hyllie. Train tickets can be purchased at the DSB ticket office and machines in Terminal 3. The Swedish authorities have introduced a requirement for ID checks of all passengers travelling by train to Sweden. So passengers without photo ID cannot travel from Copenhagen Airport to Sweden. Regional bus line 100 (Yellow bus from Skånetrafiken) goes from Malmö central station to Höllviken, line 300 goes from Hyllie station. Travelers from Trelleborg take line 146 to bus stop Vellinge Ängar, where you change to line 100 or 300 toward Höllviken. See Skånetrafikens website for bus time tables. You get off at bus stop Höllviken Östra Halörsvägen, the first bus stop after Vellinge. A footpath leads to the museum by Höllviken beach. It is roughly a 10 minute walk.
By Car: If you arrive by car from the north on Highway 100, take right in the first roundabout in north Höllviken. Follow the brown attraction road signs to the museum. If you arrive by car from Trelleborg you take left on the coast road to Höllviken directly west of Trelleborg. GPS: 55.428197, 12.952141. Google maps directions from your location.

We wish to thank the following institutions for their support in the organization of this IMTAL Mini Conference and AGM 2019: Fotevikens KulturCenter, Medborgarskolan and the Scanian Crafts Institute.