C:NTACT in English

About us

C:NTACT is an independent organisation dedicated to ethnic, social, and cultural integration and education, based at the Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Every year we launch a wide variety of stage-, film-, radio- and journalistic productions. C:NTACT's core objective is to provide a platform for living encounters between people with widely different backgrounds. Our principal task is to nurture and encourage the ability to communicate thoughts, dreams, ideas, and visions.

C:NTACT offers a wide variety of productions and workshops - primarily targeted at young people with different backgrounds. Through C:NTACT the young people team up with professional artists, teachers, and directors who assist them in creating and developing artistic products that are suited for a large audience.

Through theater, film, radio and other media C:NTACT creates intercultural encounters between people who otherwise would not have met.

C:NTACT's starting point is always the personal story rising from each individual's own reality. C:NTACT believes that our personal stories bind us together as human beings. We constantly define and reflect the world around us through our stories. The personal story offers possible worlds to us - when we relate our stories, we present our perspective on the world. Consequently, our young participants have a close personal relation to the artistic material, at the same time gaining experience and awareness of artistic modes of expression, such as theater and film.

The participants are met at eye level - but they are also met with demands. Demands are highly significant in every artistic process which - besides learning basic methods and techniques - is also about being able to cooperate and develop a common project.

C:NTACT believes that insight into the various techniques, methods, and frames of reference can be instrumental in creating greater understanding and tolerance - and we believe that our stories are capable of constituting a platform for developing "the common third". Likewise, we believe in the broad concept of culture; that culture goes way beyond mere ethnicity and national borders.

In 2007 C:NTACT came out winners of the official Danish Integration Award in the 'Ildsjæle' ('dedicated accomplishment') category.

C:NTACT currently consists of four departments: C:NTACT/stage, C:NTACT/media, C:NTACT/international, and C:NTACT/education - along with our touring theatre group, C:NTACT Taskforce.

Each year we reach:

• 15,000 viewers of C:NTACT film and theatre productions
• 65,000 listeners to C:NTACT radio productions
• A large number of readers of our weekly articles in the internet magazine www.metroxpress.dk

We represent:

• A network of 300 young talents with various social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
• A diverse selection of Danish youth cultures and subcultures
• An artistic platform that challenges mainstream culture and media stereotypes

C:NTACT is founded by the Betty Nansen Theatre in Copenhagen and receives subsidies from the Bikubenfonden, The Danish Ministry of Integration, The Danish Ministry of Culture, The Danish Ministry of Education, and the Danish Film Institute.

C:NTACT/stage

Every year, C:NTACT/stage launches 3-4 major theater productions along with a wide variety of workshops. Our touring theatre group, Taskforce, is an integral part of C:NTACT/stage.

We believe in the power of the direct encounter with our audience. Over the years, we have built a reputation of being able to reach out and touch people in a profound way. The C:NTACT working method where we professionalise young people's ability to tell the stories from their own reality has proven to be highly successful, and the feedback from participants and audience is almost overwhelming at times.

C:NTACT/stage's productions have sparked off positive reactions practically everywhere in Danish society, and C:NTACT's overall contribution to the Danish social debate should not be understated. 

If you join a C:NTACT/stage production, you will be part of:

• A team of young performers who bring their own personal stories to the stage. A group of young actors, dancers, singers, and rappers with widely different ethnic, social, and cultural backgrounds. An intense creative process that is every bit as important as the final performance.
• Artistic and social rehearsals aiming at shows at the Betty Nansen Theatre and Edison, the Betty Nansen's annex stage.
• Shorter workshops leading to shows at Edison. Teaching sessions hosted by professional performing artists giving lessons in acting, dancing, singing, and rap.

Additionally, you will get a unique insight into C:NTACT's dreams, ideas, and visions.

As part of C:NTACT/stage, you can join C:NTACT Taskforce, our touring theatre group. Read more about C:NTACT Taskforce below.

C:NTACT/media 

At C:NTACT/media we believe that the film- and radio media makes us able to create a new framework for the personal story and gives us the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

At C:NTACT/media you become part of a group of young people between 15 and 25 years of age with Danish as well as foreign backgrounds who develop, produce, and communicate film- and radio documentaries. C:NTACT/media's focal point is our own reality and everyday life.

C:NTACT/media launches 2-3 big film- and radio productions every year. We bring in professional radio- and film documentarists to teach film- and radio effects and devices to the youngsters. We use professional teaching facilities, equipment, and editing studios. We stage shows at Edison, the Betty Nansen Theatre's annex stage. We conduct meetings between young people and media professionals. We offer courses in camera- and reporting techniques, lighting and sound, and share our general knowledge of the media trade with the youngsters.

Participants get the chance to make film- and radio documentaries in a completely new and personal way. You will meet other young people with Danish and different ethnic and social backgrounds who tell their own stories on air. You will get the opportunity to relate your own reality from wherever you live your everyday life - and you may even have your radio documentary aired on Danish national radio.

C:NTACT/media's writing school

If you are dedicated to writing, if you dream of becoming a reporter, writer, or storyteller, then C:NTACT/media's writing school is the place for you.

At C:NTACT/media's writing school you will learn how to enhance your writing skills and create texts with your own life as starting point. You will work with other young people aiming to deliver inspiring, surprising, and unique stories told from a different perspective than what the conventional media has to offer.

Once a week the participants receive lessons in various journalistic genres and get valuable insight into the media mechanisms, and we also discuss media ethics. We focus mainly on journalistic productions but you will also get the opportunity to try your hand at other genres, e.g. drama, prose, lyrics, poetry slam, and more.

At the end of the course we publish C:NTACT/magazine, targeted at Copenhagen's young population.

Our regular teachers and leaders are professional journalists Aydin Soei and Johanne Pontoppidan Tuxen, boasting experience from major Danish newspapers Information and Politiken. Aydin and Johanne are also both writers of books.

All our teaching sessions take place at Edison, the Betty Nansen Theatre's annex stage.

C:NTACT/international

C:NTACT's working method has aroused major international interest over the last couple of years. The special C:NTACT way is gaining ground both in Europe and the Arab world.

Our unique ways of creating dialogue and intercultural understanding through the personal story have resulted in e.g. cooperations in Latvia, Palestine, and Jordan. In these countries, theatre productions and other similar projects in the C:NTACT vein are well under way.

C:NTACT's approach that aim to professionalise the participants' ability to relate their own lives and personal stories through theatre, film, radio, tv, and the written media is widely recognised as an ideal way of creating understanding and easing difficult cultural tensions.

The national Latvian theatre, Dailes Theatre in Riga, has already staged their second show produced by the Latvian C:NTACT, K:NTAKTS.LV. Additionally, the Al Kasaba Theatre in Ramallah, Palestine, is currently working on their first major C:NTACT project. 

Ramallah has one of the highest levels of education in the Middle East. However, it is almost impossible for young people to find work in Ramallah. This situation generates large groups of frustrated, radicalised youngsters. Moreover, their society does not recognise this as a problem. The Al Kasaba Theatre wants to apply C:NTACT's methods to the Palestinian reality in order to establish a forum where urgent social issues can be addressed.

Youth performance in Zarqa, Jordan:

In Jordan, C:NTACT has been cooperating with the Zarqa Community Development Committee aiming to stage theatre-, radio-, and film projects inside the city's large refugee camp. Current problems in Zarqa include poverty, unemployment, high levels of violence, drug abuse, and widespread gender discrimination.

The main issue in Latvia is that two parallel communities have evolved since the country was occupied by Russia. Today 40 percent of the population are Russians. They have their own schools, bars, and shops, and there is hardly any social interaction between Latvians and Russians. The C:NTACT way is applied to generate greater understanding between the two groups.

All three projects are currently under development and more international cooperations are in the making.

C:NTACT/education

C:NTACT/education was established as a new branch in 2008 aiming to make C:NTACT an organisation capable of sharing our strategy and the experience we have gained since 2004.

Get an education with C:NTACT:

• The drama diploma education in cooperation with the Metropolitan University College
• The Master education in drama pedagogy in cooperation with The Berlin University of the Arts, Germany and the Metropolitan University College.
• Tailor-made courses for schools, seminars, private businesses, and cultural institutions.

 Become a C:NTACT teacher:

• Free teaching material downloads from C:NTACT/stage and C:NTACT/media. Our Taskforce teaching material in English will be available for download soon.
• Free DVDs with C:NTACT/stage and C:NTACT/media productions.
• Free tours of the Betty Nansen Theatre and Edison, the Betty Nansen's annex stage.
• Get a visit from C:NTACT Taskforce: A group of young actors who have challenged the Danish integration debate several times through stage performances.

Become a C:NTACT performer:

• If you wish to become an active participant/performer with C:NTACT/stage or C:NTACT/media, send us an e-mail and we will supply you with further information.

C:NTACT Taskforce

The touring theatre group C:NTACT Taskforce consists of app. 30 young people between 15 and 25 years of age with widely different ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds. C:NTACT Taskforce tours all over Denmark and abroad, where the young actors enact their personal stories on stage. The Taskforce shows are debate theatre shows consisting of monologues and dialogues. Taskforce shows are always duly concluded with a debate between actors and audience on the topics presented during the show.

C:NTACT Taskforce focuses on integration (in the broadest sense of the word), diversity, and cultural differences through theatre and debate. We add a much needed varied perspective to the Danish social debate with equal doses of gravity, laughter, and reflection. We provide a rare insight into the life of the young Danish population, their dreams, desires, and thoughts about the society of which they are part.

Experience C:NTACT Taskforce:

• at workshops; we visit schools and institutions and share our experiences.
• at bigger shows with music, rap, and dancing.
• we perform everywhere in Denmark; at schools, at educational institutions, at private businesses, and at conferences. 

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C:NTACT, c/o the Betty Nansen Theater, Asgårdsvej 2, DK-1811 Frederiksberg C , # 33 29 61 35

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