The public sphere is a place of
\nartistic experimentation, and the larger audience needs to be encouraged to
\nactively engage in these kinds of experiments. This is the starting point of
\nthe PhD thesis of Loredana Munteanu, which was subsequently used to set up a
\ncultural NGO in 2012. The Poetry Streetcar, an event held over September 10 -
\nOctober 1, 2019, the Traveling Letters Workshop \/ I Deliver love (held over
\n2015-2018), the #MuseumsDon’tBite Guide, the Classical Music Concert at the
\nSubway, started in 2012 and carried over through 2016, are but some of the
\nsuccessful projects of the organization called Art Doesn’t Bite. The Poetry
\nStreetcar, a project organized this year over September 10 – October 1, in
\npartnership with the Bucharest City Hall and the Bucharest Transport Agency,
\nwas aimed at bringing books closer to the larger public. 69% of Romanians and
\n46% of people in Bucharest claim they have never read a book, and only 9% say
\nthey read on a daily basis, according to data compiled under the Cultural
\nConsumption Barometer of 2018. People who’ve traveled by the Poetry Streetcar
\nin Bucharest had the opportunity of reading or listening to poetry and jazz
\nmusic, as well as admiring the 100 poetry volumes that decorated the inside of
\nthe streetcar. Loredana Munteanu, the founder and coordinator of the Art
\nDoesn’t Bite Cultural NGO, told us how people reacted:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Many young people realized they
\nshould read more and spend less time on their tablets and smartphones. We also
\nspoke to elderly people who panicked, thinking they got on the wrong tram, who
\nliked the idea a lot, saying they’ve seen similar ideas in other countries as
\nwell. I was very happy with their reaction, and doing more research I found out
\nthis concept of poetry streetcar had never before been made, except for a very
\nshort period of time in Hong Kong in 2013. At any rate, an event devoted to
\npoetry that should be continued for such a long period of time is unique in the
\nworld. Besides, after the Poetry Doesn’t Bite project, I realized poets want to
\nget out there, meet their readers and read their works, as they are very seldom
\npresented with this opportunity. Putting together both types of reactions, from
\nboth the public and the authors, who for various reasons lack the visibility
\nthey deserve, I realized the Poetry Streetcar can bring together the two types
\nof expectations. Hence we created an event addressing both poets and urban
\ndwellers. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The Classical Music Concert at the
\nSubway was a festival held over 2012-2016, one of the most successful projects
\nof the Art Doesn’t Bite NGO. Under the project the most frequently transited
\nsubway stations in Bucharest were turned into makeshift concert halls for
\ndozens of concerts, recitals and unique performances given by young artists.
\nClassical Music is for everyone! 46% of subway commuters took part in our
\nfestival, says Loredana Munteanu.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
This was our first project. Since
\nwe founded the Art Doesn’t Bite NGO, our first idea was to create this
\nclassical music festival at the subway. And then, after the festival’s first
\nedition was held, I realized this is what I want to do, to create cultural
\nprojects for the public sphere. The project was met with great public
\nappreciation, and turned out to be one of the most popular public festivals. I
\ncame to understand we need to give up the idea that art sits on a podium. We
\nneed to bring art closer to the people. The idea that classical music is venued
\nonly at the Romanian Athenaeum is prejudiced. Classical music is for everyone,
\njust like poetry is for everyone. It all depends on how you wrap it up and on the
\nway you present this kind of art to the larger audience. The Classical Music
\nFestival at the Subway was a fascinating experience. It provided the people of
\nBucharest with an opportunity of seeing artists, tenors and ballerinas close
\nup. It was unbelievable. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Poetry Streetcar is the latest project implemented by this cultural NGO<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":162684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44685],"tags":[45010,45011,45009,45008],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-162683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-of-culture","tag-art-doesnt-bite","tag-classical-music-festival-at-the-subway","tag-lordeana-munteanu","tag-poetry-streetcar"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n