Glossary

m2act bases the explanations in this glossary not on a dogmatic, but rather on a dynamic understanding: the terms will be further developed and refined as activities and projects take place, on the basis of lived experience.

Impact orientation

Impact orientation means designing a project in such a way as to encourage its target group to adopt new ways of thinking and acting. To do this, it is helpful to first specify the social vision and consider what way of thinking and acting the project can trigger. Next, the assumptions on which the project is based and whether and how these can be addressed are examined. Presenting the project idea in a clear, impact-oriented way not only makes it easier to explain the project to partners and donors, but also provides greater certainty that resources such as personnel, money and time will have the desired effect.

FAIR PRACTICE

Cooperation and behaviour aimed at promoting fair practices are based on equality, social and gender justice, solidarity, inclusion and sustainability. This is reflected in the wage policies, processes, structures, basic principles and appropriate remuneration for all participants. Fair practice highlights the importance of a good work-life balance and of being mindful towards yourself and others. Fair practice in the performing arts means being aware of your own role, acting appropriately and making an effort to ensure artists and the public work towards creating a just and sustainable society. Fair practice is a basic condition and an integral part of any activity, cooperation and project funding that takes place as part of m2act. As part of this, m2act always reflects on itself and is aware of the power imbalance between itself and the projects it funds.

SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURES

Basic parameters, processes and work contexts need to be sustainable. They are focused towards principles of fair practice and are based on dealing with environmental, economic and human resources in a responsible way. Acting sustainably within the performing arts means protecting the environment, creating fair and inclusive working conditions and managing financial resources in a mindful way. At the same time artists involve the public in these efforts and provide information transparently. Sustainable structures play an important role in raising environmental awareness in the performing arts and help to improve social and economic conditions for the artists. They create the basic conditions, which help to embed the performing arts more firmly in society and make them more relevant.

ACCESSIBLE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Transferring and exchanging knowledge and experiences openly and without the need for remuneration are a core part of m2act’s DNA. This occurs in various creative, laboratory-style and discursive formats and projects using a variety of methods. Insights and results are shared, documented and made freely available to others to be further used and developed. Accessible knowledge transfer takes place between experts and interested parties, between specialists in different fields and between artists and the public. It is the core and the prerequisite for co-creative cooperation. It facilitates collective learning on equal terms. Accessible knowledge transfer – especially in terms of and as a basis for fair practice – supports structures, working methods and processes in the performing arts and enables them to be changed in a forward-looking and sustainable way.

CULTURAL CO-CREATION

Within the context of m2act, cultural co-creation defines cooperation between participants who are on an equal footing. These cultural projects may already be in the development phase and/or implemented. The key focus is on projects which are developed and realised by artists and/or cultural institutions in equal partnership with specialists from other areas in accordance with their specific competencies and expertise. This allows artistic working methods to be combined with practical and/or scientific methods and approaches from other fields and disciplines, including social aspects, economics, society, research, science and politics. Cooperation at the interfaces between different fields in terms of the processes and the formats that are created offers a huge amount of potential to create high-quality and innovative cultural work.

CARE

m2act applies a broad concept of care. Inspired by supported networks, m2act understands care as something that takes place in many areas at the same time. It’s about looking after the planet, yourself, other people and living beings, those in need of care, children and all kinds of resources such as time, money, space and materials. We recognise that a large proportion of unpaid care work is performed primarily by FINTA people (female, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people).

Transparency

Transparency means openness and clarity in all actions and decisions. m2act attaches great importance to making information easily accessible and understandable so that everyone involved can understand how m2act’s funding processes work. Transparency facilitates dialogue between all parties involved and strengthens trust and cooperation.