Where can I find the programme?
The programme, together with all other current information about the Arts for Education! symposium, can be found in the Programme section.

Which conference language will be used during the symposium?
The conference language will be English.

Do I need to make my own travel and accommodation arrangements?
Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements and booking their hotel accommodation. The Travel and Hotels sections contain useful information and a list of hotels in which we have blocked a number of rooms.

How far from the main railway station is the conference venue located?
The Philharmonie is just a five-minute walk from the main railway station and the city centre. At the main railway station, follow the signs to ‘Freiheit’ and ‘Philharmonie’.

How much does it cost to attend the symposium?
There is no attendance fee for people wishing to take part in the Arts for Education! symposium. Participants bear the costs of accommodation and travel themselves. We have put together relevant tips and links in the sections for travel and hotels.

Do the conference venue and hotels offer disabled access?
All rooms are accessible by wheelchair users. When booking hotels, please advise of the need for particular room facilities.

Are sufficient parking spaces available at the conference venue?
The conference venue offers sufficient parking in the underground car park of the Philharmonie.

I have received a save-the-date-card. Is this my admission ticket for the symposium?
The save-the-date-card contains information about the content of the symposium Arts for Education! organised by the Stiftung Mercator and ensures that you can reserve the time slot from September 13-15, 2010 for this event. The official letter of invitation, which will enable you to register for the event through the website will be sent to you in April 2010.

How and when can I register to attend the symposium?
If you wish to take part in the symposium, please send an email to afe@stiftung-mercator.de with your full name, organization and your email-address. In return you’ll receive a personal registration code, with which you can register on the symposium’s website www.arts-for-education.de.

How do I know which events I have been registered for?
Please make a note of or print out your registration form detailing all parts of the programme you will be attending before clicking “Send”. It is not possible to obtain an overview of your registration at a later date.

Is there a deadline for registration?
We must receive all registrations by August 31, 2010 at the latest.

Is my invitation transferrable to another person?
The invitations are unfortunately non-transferrable.

What should I do if the registration process doesn’t work?
Please note the error message above the accreditation page. It is important to make sure that you write your name, e-mail and code exactly as they appear in your letter of invitation, and that you fully complete all the fields. If you still experience problems, please contact afe@stiftung-mercator.de or phone +49 (0)201/24522-9099.

How can I change or cancel my registration?
You can change your registration for the individual programme events up until July 2010. Up until August 31, 2010, you can cancel your registration for the symposium by clicking “I will not be attending” next to all parts of the programme.

Will I receive a confirmation or admission ticket?
You are registered as soon as you have completed and sent off the accreditation page. You will receive brief confirmation of your successful registration once you have clicked “Send”. Admission tickets will not be issued.

Who is the target group for the symposium?
The Arts for Education! symposium is international and geared towards European experts in the fields of politics, academia and culture, those who work and teach in the domain of culture, and artists and teachers.

Why does the Stiftung Mercator organize the Arts for Education! symposium?
Within its new strategic alignment, arts education is one of its three core areas of focus. The goal of this thematic cluster is to enrich and change the education system by anchoring the arts much more firmly in the core educational institutions. Through its commitment to the area of arts education, Stiftung Mercator also wishes to improve the quality of the artistic and aesthetic teaching on offer and to raise the importance of arts education processes for learning among all involved groups. Its dedication to arts education underlines the great social importance of education and cultural work that aims to encourage the creative independence of children and young people. Interaction between all social actors involved in arts education such as teachers, artists, and people working in the domain of culture are just as important as the focus on the international context. Stiftung Mercator is hosting the international Arts for Education! symposium which, with its multi-perspective orientation, supports these goals.

Where can I find information about Essen, the European Capital of Culture?   Stiftung Mercator looks forward to the numerous creative and innovative activities which will be taking place during the Ruhr region’s year as European Capital of Culture. With its projects, Stiftung Mercator is the largest private, non-commercial partner of RUHR.2010 supporting projects with a total of 2.8 million euros.

Up-to-date information and facts about Essen and about Ruhr.2010 can also be found via the following links:  
http://www.essen-fuer-das-ruhrgebiet.ruhr2010.de/

Where can I find information about Essen and the surrounding region?
Up-to-date information and facts about the city of Essen, the Ruhr region and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia can be found via the following links:
http://www.essen.de/
http://www.ruhr-tourismus.de/
http://www.nrw.de/