Early in 2024, I spent three weeks immersed in DYNAMO workspace as part of the NHLP-EU program. Here’s some key takeaways!
The perfect match
Well first of all, I couldn’t have imagined a better match of expert and shadow experience destination than Gry Lambertsen and DYNAMO in Odense, Denmark. My main hope for this program was to be paired up with a residency space (as that is what I am currently setting up in Ireland with Motion Chapel), but to work with an organisation that also coordinates a Circus Festival (a future aspiration of mine), and publishes a magazine (I’ve been publishing the Handstand Press since 2021) was truly a dream come true.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I began the New Horizons program, all I knew was that I really wanted to immerse myself in another organisation's practise, to be a fly on the wall and see how the work is understood, talked about and done. Well, I got that, and so much more!
The whole is bigger than its parts
It was clear from day 1 that I would not just be mentored by Gry (Director and Artistic Leader) - the whole team took me in and took turns sharing insights into their respective domains of responsibility and expertise. Ida, producer of DYNAMO, took lots of time to chat me through the intricacies of EU partnerships and funding applications, general budgeting, but also the importance of boundaries around work and good time management and organisation. Rune, co-founder of DYNAMO, talked me through the concrete do’s and don’ts of funding applications, but also shared an honest view on the challenges of a growing organisation. Elena, technical coordinator/social media manager and editor of DYNAMO magazine, shared insights on juggling responsibilities in a small team, and keeping a publication afloat amidst a tidal wave of incoming projects. Britt shared her journey of redesigning and building the outdoor space (it turned out so cool!), and lots of informal chats happened with the different artists in residence, the tech team and others who put their love into this extraordinary creation house.
The honesty and generosity of everyone in the space has been such a gift, and I have learned so much. Practical, but also (and mainly) I have gained a feeling for the interpersonal spiderweb it takes to keep a space running and growing.
So, after being immersed within the space for the three weeks, one of the large takeaways is that every organisation, and this one in particular, is bigger than the sum of its parts - meaning that everyone involved there adds to the flavour of the space, its direction and ever changing nature. This also includes the wider tech team, the artists coming through, and even the types of corporate or school events hosted on occasion. So as the organisation grows, so do the different influences, which is a beautiful thing! At the same time, this gave rise to interesting conversations around more thought having to go into making sure there is a clear direction for the project, knowing what to say yes to amidst ample new and exciting opportunities, and also being prepared to let go of older versions of the organisation in order to grow and change.
A growing Organisation
This topic of rapid growth, for better or worse, is especially interesting in regards to the concept of leadership, and how a leadership approach must change, adapt, and be fluid to the organisations needs. I spent many interesting hours talking to Gry about the pros and cons of growing, and especially growing at speed. It is a wonderful thing to be a small creation house, where everyone is welcome and you can say yes to a lot of things, making it up as you go along, and working together as a group of friends, almost like family. It is also a wonderful thing to be recognised by the local governments, to receive large scale funding, to strengthen international ties and to grow and do lots of exciting projects. The most wonderful thing would be if you could do all of this at once - realistically speaking though, the needs of these two types of organisations differ, and bridging that gap is challenging at the best of times. If this type of growth happens at speed, as it did for DYNAMO, it’s a steep learning curve for everyone involved.
The resulting reflections shared with me on the change of leadership style have shown the utmost care. Care for the team, care for the space, but also care for the long-term sustainability of the project. At the leadership in Circus Conference in Rigas Cirks, Ida also shared some insights about moving from a very flat hierarchy to a more triangle type set-up, echoing much of what I witnessed in DYNAMO. For example, creating redundancies for team members or leaders unexpected absences, by way of more formalised work processes and documentation, but also becoming more clear on individuals' specific areas of responsibility and agency.
A lot of the conversations did eventually end up at the question of how to slow down. How to choose what to say yes to, and more importantly, which projects to say no to. How to protect the well-being of the team in favour of burning everyone out with more and bigger projects. And this, for me, was one of the biggest takeaways. As someone who is prone to overworking, to running from one project to the next, trying to do all the things simultaneously, it was really important to see and hear that actually, it’s an ongoing circle, and it doesn’t just resolve itself with more staff or more funding. Because then you pay more people to do the work for which you got the funding, for which you then need to add more projects to continue to deliver, then you need more people etc. No matter how successful and big the organisation is, deliberately setting the workload will always have to be a conscious choice. Recognising this, and being able to make those hard decisions of saying no to the exciting and glitzy new opportunities, is a mark of truly remarkable leadership.
Getting down to the nitty gritty
During my three weeks in DYNAMO, I really appreciated the balance between the more abstract, strategic, and personal conversations, and the very down-to-earth insights into the nitty gritty minutiae of running multiple projects simultaneously. A small team that manages residencies, artistic production, a cultural program open to the public, a festival, multiple international collaboration projects and so much more, has lots to share in regards to managing all the little details. The first thing I will say is - spreadsheets. Lots of them. Budget spreadsheets, shared overview spreadsheets for everything from car usage, project overviews to funding applications submitted, personal time management and to-do list spreadsheets. Basically, all of the spreadsheets.
Of all the things I took away from my shadow experience, I think the biggest impact on my life was - the Google calendar. Yes, I knew of its existence. Yes, I knew it was the 21st century and it would be wise to swap over some day. Yes, I knew it would make both my professional and personal life a lot easier. Still I insisted on my pen and paper calendar, clinging to it with all my reserve. Well, I realised while sitting in the office of DYNAMO, if I want to decrease my already chaotic work-life, the digital calendar is the way to go. And just like that, it was the end of an era. Just a month later, I had no idea how I ever lived without it.
Seeing work, meeting people and making connections
Thanks to DYNAMO’s cultural program and ongoing residencies, I was able to see a bit of new work, as well. I saw a work in progress showing In the middle of the Beginning and the End by Heidi Latva (FI/DK), the premiere of V by Viivi Roiha (FI/FR) and another work in progress showing by Glimt Amager, Det Sidste Måltid, The Last Supper (DK). I also had the chance to spend some time with Lily Schlinker, whom I work with on our magazine the Handstand Press - it was wonderful seeing her as part of her photography residency in DYNAMO, and the amazing exhibition that resulted.
Thanks to Gry and the NHLP-EU program, I was also able to travel to Copenhagen to meet with Anne Mette Nørskov in AFUK, and get an insight into the broader Danish circus world. Seeing the space, speaking with Anne Mette and Søren Flor and witnessing a small part of the auditions for the newly established Copenhagen Collective was incredibly inspiring. I learned more about AFUKs journey, past and present, got an insight into the new Danish network Danks Samtids Circus and the plans and projects that are currently happening in order to further professionalise the scene, as well as continue to fight for recognition for Contemporary Circus as a performing art in Denmark. As a welcome bonus, my fellow New Horizons fellow Majo Cázares dropped in on the way back from their shadow experience in Stockholm, allowing for some more exchange and attending a really nice evening together in DYNAMO organised by Elena, a Circus book club complete with cushions on the floor and popcorn.
The togetherness of work
As someone who works alone in an office, or only with my partner, I’ve always enjoyed the independence of working with remote teams. It means I can turn up when I want to, eat, stretch, whatever, all in the privacy of my own home or private office. Remote (office) working, for many in Circus, has been a staple since long before 2020, and I am no exception. However, spending three weeks working in a shared office space with the DYNAMO team has really opened my eyes to the pros of working together in person. It’s not just the convenience of being able to quickly ask a question over the desk, or pass on bits of information. It’s just simply nicer to have face to face meetings. It's more effective to be able to discuss a matter as it comes up, not have to book in a video call for in three days time. And honestly, its a lot more wholesome. It gives space for checking in on how people are doing day to day. And it allows for an empathetic style of leadership, as you immediately pick up on the room's mood, which is a lot harder when you are literally trying to read between the lines of a slack message, or are relying on your team members to approach you with their concerns. It may seem obvious (same as with the google calendar!), but sometimes you just need to experience it to fully understand the difference.
One thing I will definitely try and implement in my own residency and creation space is a daily shared lunch, which is open to everyone on site. In DYNAMO, come 12 o’clock, most people gather in the cozy kitchen to enjoy a meal together. I’d say it was these lunch times that allowed me to meet and speak with so many of the technicians, artists in residence and other people around DYNAMO that I wouldn’t have normally had much crossover with, and I enjoyed it so much!
Staying in touch
Truth be told, the three weeks went way too fast! I know though, that this will not have been my last visit to DYNAMO. Apart from me hoping to attend the festival, we also have plans to collaborate on future projects, for example a European Magazine Exchange project that I am currently planning, and am honoured to have DYNAMO magazine as one of the partners on the project. I am excited at all the possibilities of collaboration that may come up in the future too, knowing that DYNAMO is just a phonecall away.
And finally, an important thing to note - the really important things I took away from my time in Dynamo, or even the whole New Horizons experience, were not necessarily just the things I learnt. It was the broadening of my understanding of what I still need to learn that really gave the most value, and a clearer vision of where I want to go within my work, as well as all the nice and inspiring people I met along the way. So thank you, to everyone at DYNAMO, to all the fellows of the New Horizons program, and of course all of the people involved in the creation of this experience!
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