Julian Bootz

Maybe I was meant to work for Tandem since I was a child: both my parents were music teachers. So when I was young, I spent a lot of time in the music schools where they worked, listening to the mixed and often jarring noise of those places. Looking back, I can say that I have been inspired by how this cacophony of different sounds, instruments, skills and personalities could be transformed into something very beautiful in the right setting, with the right energy and with proper ‘facilitation’ by a teacher. I was even more amazed by the beauty of the chaos that went through one’s ears, with a variety of sounds coming out of every room in the building.

This is what culture without borders means to me: To overcome the spatiality of rooms, genres, and disciplines to create something beautiful. This can be orchestrated and arranged, but it doesn’t have to: If people want to come together and create something, the energy and the process are much more important than the outcome.

I have a background in Political Science and International Relations, and after several stays abroad, I started to work in the field of political youth education. Discussing politics with young people from all over Europe has taught me a lot. However, I sometimes missed a more interdisciplinary, experimental and open approach. And I realised that often the way to a more just and inclusive society was only possible via small steps and actions, carried out by artists, collectives, communities and associations.

So this is what I found at Tandem: A safe space for cultural managers to experiment, to try the impossible, to embrace diversity, creativity, chaos, failures. And it works. Looking at all the connections and projects that were developed in the framework of the programme gives me a lot of confidence. Especially in times of uncertainty, culture can both serve as an anchor and a tool to foster change. In any case, I enjoy being part of a programme that brings people together and allows them to share, learn and work with other inspiring people beyond borders.