how to get to PAF, by car, train, taxi or foot

Performing Arts Forum
15 Rue Haute
02820 St Erme Outre et Ramecourt, France
email: contactpaf@gmail.com
To ask for a stay, simply write us an email with your desired dates and we will let you know if there is space for you. We can only allow visitors who received a confirmation from us via email.

PAF is in the small village of St. Erme, in the northernmost region of France called Hauts-de-France, 160km from Paris and 200km from Brussels. The closest larger towns are Laon (20km) & Reims (35km). You can ask anyone in St. Erme for help finding the old Couvent (convent), rue Haute 15.

By CAR
You can ask anyone in St. Erme for help finding the old Couvent (convent), rue Haute 15. Note for GPS users: Rue Haute 15 is sometimes called rue des Charretiers 2.

Carpooling
PAF classifieds is a site for apartment swaps, ride-sharing, and object exchange. It’s aimed to enable people to travel for less and/or not to pay two rents when coming to PAF.
Facebook group for travel between Paris & PAF
Facebook group for travel between Amsterdam or Brussels & PAF

BlaBlaCar (drivers usually publish their ride 2-3 days before departure)

Car Rental
https://www.intermarche.com/
Others we could check out in Laon:
https://goo.gl/maps/HRTUNmEwGznaGq25A
https://goo.gl/maps/ujB2SRHueCmGofWw9
https://goo.gl/maps/hJKHcMqkJKNeLsyH8
Many more options in Reims, including the one next to the TGV station: https://goo.gl/maps/RXoi1pggP9Uj72cM9

To park at PAF: you can enter with the car in the entrance courtyard of the building. If the parking is full you can park along the road on the side of the building wall. There is no parking fee.

By TRAIN or BUS
PAF is in St. Erme, a very small town with a train station that’s 2.3km from PAF (35 min walk gradually uphill, or a short taxi ride). Each of the itineraries below end at St. Erme station—skip to the “by foot” and “taxi” sections for more info from there.

Trainline (Europe train & bus)
This can be useful for booking trips that cross national borders, because it searches trains & buses across multiple sites. However, it doesn’t always find all the routes, especially the regional trains. And it may be more expensive than booking on the national rail sites. We recommend using this to find routes from other countries to PAF and then cross-searching on the individual national rail sites to see if you can get a cheaper ticket.
SNCF Connect (France train & bus; can also book regional trains here)
TER Hauts de France (Regional/local trains; can’t access the high-speed TGV; this website is in french but you can use google translate; sometimes you can find a cheaper ticket here using instructions below)
On the TER website, sometimes reduced "prix cassés" can be found if booked in advance for certain connections. To find “prix cassés”, click Bon Plans in the menu tool bar of the website

Paris Metro Trip Planner (also google maps can work)
Flixbus - cheap bus tickets all over Europe.
Examples:
Amsterdam (multiple stations) — Paris (Bercy Seine) 8hr
Brussels (multiple stations) — Paris (Bercy Seine) 5hr

BlaBlaCar Bus - cheap bus and carpools all over Europe.
Examples:
Amsterdam Sloterdijk — Paris (Bercy Seine) 8hr
Bruxelles-Midi — Paris (Bercy Seine) 5hr

Routes: from Nearby

Most of the longer routes from Paris, Brussels, etc. will end in one of these places, here’s how to finish the journey. These trains don’t sell out and the prices are pretty stable so you can buy the ticket at the station, or even on the train (for an extra charge).

Route 1: from Reims Main Station (Gare Centre)
Reims is 35km from PAF. If you miss the train below, see “taxi” section.

Regional Train: Reims Main Station – Saint-Erme (32 min, 8€) (July 2023 timetable)

Route 2: from Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
Many bus & train routes will take you to this station on the far side of Reims, which is 51km from PAF. If you miss the train below, see “taxi” section.

Regional Train: Champagne-Ardenne TGV — Reims Main Station (15min, 3€)
(July 2023 timetable)
Then follow Route 1 above.

Route 3: from Laon
Laon is 20km from PAF. If you miss the train below, see “taxi” section.

Regional Train: Laon – Saint-Erme (train toward Reims) (12 min, 4€)

Routes: from Paris

Route 4: from Paris Nord (Gare du Nord)
Regional Train: Paris Gare du Nord – Laon 95 min, 24€
Then follow Route 3.

Route 5: from Paris Est (Gare de L'Est)
High Speed Train (TGV): Paris Gare de L'Est – Reims (Gare Centre) 50min, 20-60€
Then follow Route 1.

Route 6: from Paris Bercy-Seine Bus Station
2 bus options from Bercy-Seine:

BlaBlaCar Bus:
Gare Bercy-Seine — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne (2hr, 7€)
Then follow Route 2.

Flixbus:
Paris (Bercy Seine) — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne (2hr, 9€)
Then follow Route 2.

Route 7: from Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) Airport
There are many train routes from CDG to Saint-Erme.

The most direct/cheapest/fastest route is actually this local bus + train route, which won’t come up when you search the national rail site:

Airport Inter-terminal Train (CDGVAL) to Terminal 3 bus station (Roissypôle)
Bus 691 (platform E3): Roissypôle – Crepy-en-Valois (45 min, 1€)
(March 1, 2023 timetable) You can buy the ticket on the bus (cash or credit card), which sometimes has WIFI & air conditioning
Regional Train: Crepy-en-Valois — Laon (1 hr, 15€)
Then follow Route 3 from Laon.

Route 8: from Paris ORLY Airport
Orly hosts mostly small airlines from select cities, including:
FrenchBee from Newark, Miami, LA, SF
EasyJet from Berlin, Venice
WizzAir from Rome, Warsaw
Transavia from Lisbon, Athens
Vueling from Dublin, Milan, Valencia, Florence, Barcelona
Lufthansa from Munich

2 transit options from ORLY:

BlaBlaCar Bus
Orly Airport (from Parking P5) — TGV Champagne-Ardenne (Reims)
(2.5 hrs, 10€)
Then follow Route 2.

Metro (station ‘Antony’) to…
Gare du Nord (35 min, 4€) Then follow Route 4.
Gare de l'Est (35 min, 4€) Then follow Route 5.
CDG Airport (60 min, 20€) Then follow Route 7.

Route 9: from Beauvais Airport
Ryan Air airport to UK, Helsinki, Portugal, Spain and more

Airport bus shuttle: Beauvais — Paris (Porte Maillot) (75min,17€)
Metro: Porte Maillot — Chatelet — Gare du Nord (30min, 2€)

Then follow Route 4.

Routes: from Brussels

There are many train/bus routes from Brussels.

High Speed Train (TGV):
Bruxelles Midi Brussel Zuid — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne (2h 40min, 60-100€)
Once per day, there’s a direct high speed TGV train (that doesn’t go through Paris so it’s more direct, and may be cheaper than Thalys) to Champagne-Ardenne TGV station.

Flixbus: Brussels (multiple stations) — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
7hr, 50€
Then follow Route 2.

BlaBlaCar Bus: Bruxelles-Midi — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
7hr, 25€
Then follow Route 2.

Routes: from Amsterdam

There are many train/bus routes from Brussels. Thalys is the fastest/most expensive.

Flixbus: Amsterdam (multiple stations) — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
10hr, 60€
Then follow Route 2.

BlaBlaCar Bus: Amsterdam Sloterdijk — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
10hr, 30€
Then follow Route 2.

Routes: from Berlin

There are many train/bus routes from Berlin, expect at least 9hr, 150€ for trains.

Flixbus: Berlin (multiple locations) — Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne
15hr, 40-80€ Then follow Route 2.
There is a direct flixbus from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Reims and one from Berlin Hbf (Central Station) to Reims. There’s many more that follow this route with a transfer in Leipzig, Frankfurt, Prague, etc.

By TAXI
Uber is not very active in the region. Consider taking taxis instead.
TAXI Leblanc +33(0)323226909
Call them beforehand as they have to come from St Erme: “Bonjour je voudrais un taxi pour aller de la gare de St Erme/Laon/Reims au PAF à (hour) heure(s) (minutes), s’il vous plaît.”

It is the same price for a 3/4 person taxi as for a 7/8 person one (price is based on distance). Inform them when you have a lot of luggage.

Taxi from Saint-Erme Station, 7€
Taxi from Laon, 50€
Taxi from Reims Main Station, 100€
Taxi from Reims/Bezannes TGV Champagne-Ardenne Station, 90-100€

By FOOT
The walk from St. Erme station to PAF is 2.3km, gradually uphill. Take the road opposite the train station between the Pharmacie and the Tabac Cap Vert and follow the line in the middle of the road, until you see the big building. Keep walking up the hill until you find the entrance through the parking lot.

Services in St. Erme

Supermarket: Intermarché (immediately behind St. Erme train station)
ATM Machine: inside Intermarché
Hardware Store: Bricopro Masterpro, next to supermarket
Bakery: Jofrin Julien on your way from St. Erme train station to PAF
Pharmacy: Pharmacie de Saint-Erme on your way from St. Erme train station to PAF
Hospital: There is no hospital in town. The closest 24-hour ER is in Laon.

Practical Informations

In PAF there is no staff; your stay is not organised by others. PAF has no funding and is based on self-organization.
There are only four rules in PAF:
- make things possible for others
- don't leave traces
- the do-er decides
- mind asymmetries

Prices
Prices include a simple room with nice countryside views containing a single or double bed and a sink with hot water, plus table, chair, lamp, cupboard, the use of kitchen, bathrooms, common spaces and working spaces. Payment is due on the day of arrival. You will be refunded if you leave earlier.
Price per person per night: 1–5 days: 20 €
Price per person per night for more than 5 days:18 €
Price per person per month: 475 €

Membership
A membership to the association PAF is necessary for everybody who stays at paf. For security reasons everybody has to sign a paper declairing that PAF is not liable in case of any loss, material damage or personal injury occurred to current members and to non-members even in case of gross negligence.
The membership fee is 12 euro, for one full year.

Legal status
For the time being the legal status of PAF is not that of an official institution but that of a private initiative. A cultural association (law 1901) called PAF was founded on 30/12/2006.
President is Valentina Desideri, Treasurer is Xavier Le Roy, Director is Jan Ritsema.
Each guest is fully responsible for his/her own actions. PAF is not responsible for any damages or injuries to person or property and shall not be held liable in case of accident.

Media facilities
- wireless internet in most of the building and parts of the garden
- VHS players & recorders (media space)
- DVD players & recorders (media space)
- video-beamers (media space)
- VHS and DVD library (media space).
- professional sound system (mixing desk, amplifier, 4 loudspeakers)
- Paf Cinema more than 3000 quality movies, hundreds of performances, documentaries.
The PAF library is built with the contribution of everybody, so if you would like to share your videos,films, documentaries or performances please copy them from your laptop to the harddisks.
Please ask me or Valentina how to do this.

Food & Shopping
- meals are self-organized, according to the users (individuals or groups.) Please keep the kitchen and other communal spaces clean. This means clean immediately after making the food and also after eating. We will be very grateful for this.
- the supermarket “Intermarché” is in Saint-Erme, behind the railway station; opening hours: Monday to Friday 9.00 to 12.30 and 14.30 to 19.00, Saturday 9.00 – 19.00, Sunday 9.00 to 11.30.
- in the village you can find a very good bakery near the rail passage at 2km from Paf, closed on mondays) a second bakery is closer in Ramecourt at 1km (closed on tuesdays), pharmacy and tobacco store(closed on wednesdays) (opposite the station), and beauty salon, dry cleaning in Intermarché, car school, electric shop, burgerking, kebab restaurant (opposite train station) , pizza stand, car repair, gasoline station (Intermarché, same opening hours) and a big tools shop (Baudoux).
ATM machine, inside Intermarché, in the entrance hall.
Postoffice in Ramecourt, 1200m from Paf. Open 9-12 and 14-16. Post is send at 16h.
Bank, Credit Agricole, in Sissonne, at 7km from PAF
The train station is rarely open but you can buy a ticket at the slot machine with your creditcard. When this does not work you warn the train conducteur and he gives you a ticket without fine. It does not take Visa cards.

Blackboard
In the hall there is a blackboard where you can announce activities you want to open to possibly interested people. This is also the place to discover what others have planned and to see whatever general announcements there may be.

Bicycles
Two electric bicycles and 5 normal bikes are in the bikes barn and are available for use. Please be considerate in returning them to the garage when you are finished. See for how to use them under -Communal Spaces-.

Taxi
A taxi service exists in St Erme. To go to the supermarket or to the station, you can call Taxi Leblanc (+0033 323 22 69 09). Please plan your trip, don't call at last minute.

Communal Spaces
This is not a complete list of every available space at PAF, only a list of the most commonly-used spaces for meetings, work and other purposes.

Basement:
Big Dance Hall
Old Kitchen
Darkroom for photo-development

On the Ground Floor:
Smoking Room
2 Dining Rooms (one hosts PAF-radio)
2 Kitchens (each kitchen has one or two stoves with oven, dishwasher, utensils, coffeemachines, waterboilers, toasters, etc)
Pantry (food and cleaning products storage, etc.)
Laundry Room (2 washing machines, 2 dryers, sheets and towel storage)
Tools Room (lightbulbs, electric cables,electric and petrol heaters etc)
Cleaning Room (with cleaning materials, etc)
Peacock Studio
New Studio
Bluish Green Studio
Hall
Music Room
Piano Room
Chapel

1st Floor:
Media Space
Small Working Space
Big Studio

2nd Floor:
Studio St. Louise
Studio St. Therese
Studio St.Lucie
2 painters studios
Attic Drying Room (used in the summer for drying clothes)
Attic Chapel

Outdoor Spaces
Three inner court yards
Little Mountain
Garden
Fruit Garden
Hangar (for parking the cars and for Open Air cinema when bad weather)
and then from left to right:
garden tools barn
wood for stove barn
Paint and Petrol barn
Wood barn
Metal barn (entrance to attic)
Plumber barn (metal door)
Electric bikes (2) and normal bikes (5) barn.
(Electric bikes, the keys are on the inside of the door, plug key, no violence please, look if it is loaded, red lights, if not load it, plug in corner, with charger, entrance for plug on right top side of the battery-pack, loading takes one night, keep it loaded, that others have a full battery, when you return with an almost empty battery, as driving without electric support is very heavy. Use the bike as a normal bike, that means, use the gear as normal, when climbing on the fast one, when going down on the slow one. When you want the electric push work you have to turn the pedals around: when you don't work the bike does not work either. Is fair isn't it?) This barn has stairs to the attic.
Electric material barn
Future Sauna and Cool-down barn
Garage
Eric's place.

Walks
There are numerous paths through the woods in the area, also places to sit or walk or work on nice days. When you leave the terrain, cross the road, climb 150m, take the road 200m and go left, straight on or to the right into woods, where you will meet, wild pigs, deers, rabbits, phaesants, and such.
The farm on your left is called Bibrax, from the time of Asterix and Obelix. Further on the left where you see the pine trees, is the socalled Camp Romain, the roman camp, where Julius Ceasar won the final battle against 120.000 Gaulois. In De Bello Galico he writes about this battle of Bibrax, a penguin edition.
You can also walk to the right, when leaving the building, after the church go immediately to the right and then climb the road behind to the Church. You will find the tiny beginnings of sources that feed the river Aisne, there.

Hope you enjoy your stay and that you work well.
Be more than welcome.

PRACTICING ACCOUNTABILITY AT PAF

PAF aspires to be a space where intersectional, anti-racist and trans*feminist analysis inform practice. PAF does not tolerate any form of sexism, racism, classism, LGBTQI+phobia, ableism, ageism or any other form of discrimination. If you experience any aggression, harassment or harm during your time at PAF, know that PAF will listen to you and offer support. Hereunder you can find guidelines about what to do and/or who to talk to.

PAF invokes a practice of accountability; a shared responsibility with whomever is temporarily shaping the residency. PAF does not apply selection procedures and its doors are literally open: everyone who is in the space at any given time is therefore responsible for the wellbeing of everyone else. Accountability is a way of addressing each other as responsible for our acts and encouraging openness toward potentially changing our behavior. This takes time and patience.

In order to make this into a practice, a 4th rule has been introduced at PAF to further the functioning of the already existing 3 rules:

- Mind asymmetries

PAF is made of asymmetries. People come from different places, inhabit different bodies, have different experiences, are situated differently in power structures and have different boundaries. Take this into account, challenge your own position and let it be challenged, while respecting other people’s boundaries.

Everybody, to a certain extent, partakes in multiple systems of inequality by inhabiting different positions, roles and narratives. PAF wants to be a space where this can be actively addressed, and where learning and change can happen.

Blind spots and biases are real. The fact that one does not see them doesn’t mean they do not affect or harm others. Everyone is accountable for their lack of awareness as much as for their conscious acts, and thus is responsible to educate themselves, especially when their unawareness is made visible to them.

In creating a culture of awareness, listening and speaking up, the hope is to destroy the grounds on which violence, abuse or harm can happen. This means that listening, offering support and holding people to account in a compassionate way is favored over shunning people without offering resources to learn and change.
This said, if you engage in any form of sexual assault or harassment, abuse of power or discriminatory acts, know that you can be asked to leave.

GUIDELINES

1. IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED UNWANTED BEHAVIOR:

If you experience discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, offensive or abusive treatment, please reach out to an available accountability volunteer at PAF. The names and contacts of the volunteers are published on the entrance board. During larger meetings these names will also be announced at dinners and welcoming speeches.
Together with an accountability volunteer (or on your own, if you feel you have the capacity and you feel safe) you may want to:
- directly address the individual who committed the aggression. You can inform that person that their behavior is disagreeable or unwanted. Reaching out to a person to let them know that they have crossed your boundaries, starting a dialogue about the reasons why they have done that and reminding them to be mindful about their behavior, might be the only necessary intervention.
- send an email, if you don’t want to confront the person directly but still want to address the situation yourself. Make sure to keep a copy of your exchanges.
- ask the responsible accountability volunteer to address the situation for or with you. If you don’t want to confront the person directly, you can ask one of the volunteers (or someone else whom you trust and chose) to mediate a conversation with the person, or to intervene on your behalf.

2. IF YOU WITNESS HARMFUL BEHAVIOR:

If you are witnessing physical, sexual or psychological violence, please intervene!
If the aggression or harassment is a more veiled one or you are unsure about what the situation is, find a sensitive and discreet way to check in with the person you perceive as being harmed to see if they are ok with the situation or if they need support. For example, introduce yourself and explain your role as an accountability volunteer; engage them in a casual conversation; send an email.

3. IF YOU ARE APPROACHED BECAUSE YOUR BEHAVIOR HAS CAUSED HARM OR CONCERN:

PAF runs on collective responsibility. If you are approached because your behaviour has caused harm or has become a concern, please take the time to listen. Everyone experiences PAF differently so take it as an opportunity to learn from these diversity of experiences.

If you feel you are being ‘called out’ unfairly discuss this with an accountability volunteer. The person who feels they have been harmed may not want to speak to you directly. Misunderstandings can occur especially when those involved feel insecure or threatened even if you had good intentions.
Attempt to de-escalate the situation.

4. GUIDELINES FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY VOLUNTEERS

As PAF has (almost) no staff and people’s presence in the building varies constantly, the role of accountability volunteer is taken on by different people. As of now, there is a group of regular PAF users who have been working on this document and can take on the role. Yet this role can and should be taken on by more people, thus we publish hereunder the general guidelines which we outlined and are currently following. Anyone who is willing to invest time to educate themselves and follow these guidelines can become a volunteer. If you are interested in taking on this role while you are at PAF, please check with the people who are already listed as volunteers.
(Note that these guidelines are a constant work in process. Experience and exchange will be needed to improve them)

VOLUNTEER PREPARATION:

During meetings or other peak gatherings at PAF, accountability volunteers should meet on the first day and review these guidelines. It is advisable that meeting organisers also attend this first accountability meeting to make sure everyone is familiar with this document and the accountability procedures, and also with each other.
The big PAF meetings can be busy and exhausting, nevertheless attempt to check-in with other volunteers daily. If possible hold a daily debrief, eg organise to breakfast together.
Please bear in mind the accountability document and procedures are a work in progress. If you have any suggestions or modifications email: contactpaf@gmail.com

WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO THEM:

- provide immediate safety
- prioritize their needs. Ask literally: how can I support you? Try to provide for their needs but be communicative about your own limits (avoid the savior-role)
- don’t judge their experience nor contest their position. It is not your role to investigate the situation.
- be a committed listener, be a listening ear and not just an ear (in order to enable the person to talk about something uncomfortable)
- be ready to give them all the time needed
- listen and ask questions with patience. The aim is to understand their needs rather than to judge who is right and who is wrong
- offer options of dealing with the situation: this could be a mediated conversation between them and the person who caused harm, a conversation between a third person and the one who caused harm, a group conversation, or something else that the person who is affected needs. If it seems hard to make any decision on the spot, decide together to meet again soon (in a few hours, tomorrow, …) in order to decide on the appropriate response. Keep in mind that the needs and wishes of the person affected are at the center. They might not want to speak to the person whose behavior harmed them or might not want this to be a group conversation. Respect their needs always and foremost
- don't share any information you have been told without the consent of the person who was affected. This breaking of the trust could create even more distress
- avoid a quick fix. It’s not about efficiency
- if the experience they share with you triggers your own trauma, check with yourself whether you are capable of giving care to this person. If you are not, help them find somebody else.
- refrain from talking about the incident even in roundabout ways with others. If this is the wish of the person concerned. Their needs are more important than notions of transparency
- don’t pressure them into doing anything they do not feel comfortable with (whether this is a conversation, a statement in the group, or a confrontation with the person that harmed them). Even if they just want to let you know about an issue and don’t want any consequences for the person who’s causing harm: respect this, validate them and offer to be there if they change their mind.

HOW TO TALK TO A PERSON WHO HAS CAUSED HARM:
(How this conversation will happen, if it happens, depends on what has been agreed with the person affected - yet these here are general indications that might be useful when raising any issue with someone)

- if you don’t know the person, give your name and ask theirs first
- be clear and refer to specific situations, don’t generalize, don’t identify the person with their behavior. e.g. “What you said at the dinner table was …” instead try to ask questions about their awareness about the situation in question (e.g.” Are you aware of how that comment was perceived?”)
- be warm and open to the confusion or embarrassment someone may feel as a result of this chat. Yet hold your ground in communicating what you need to
- don't assume that what is meant by "sexist", “racist” (or whatever term you use) means the same for both. This could be the beginning of a conversation - or not, depending on your willingness to engage in one
- the person who caused harm might want to justify their behavior. Remind them you are not there to judge, but rather to let them know someone has been harmed (and whatever else might need to be said)
- remind the person who has caused harm to try to perceive this as an opportunity for learning. Also give them a list of other people who are available to continue the conversation with them if needed, or if for whatever reason they feel uncomfortable to have this conversation with you and would rather talk to another volunteer. Check first with the affected person if they are also ok with it.
- be explicit about the confidentiality of this conversation. Make it clear to them that not everybody involved with accountability at PAF is necessarily informed about the incident nor the conversation, so that the person can review their own behavior without feeling that they are already marked or judged by people. If you have the resources and willingness it might also be good to check in with the person that has caused harm after a day or two if they are still at PAF

RESOURCES & LINKS:

DIY Space for London accountability handbook:
https://diyspaceforlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DSFL-Accountabi...

In this handbook you can find a lot of practical tools for talking to someone who has experienced harm, different options of actions to take, and talking to someone who has done harm.

Whistle While You Work:
www.whistlewhileyouwork.art

Their zine:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZnIa1EVpGEm_Vn4RUvsJQADaPCxCxigN

See also their online list of resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BzuGiTN-dWq1ucxzYuLCl0LJqC8lShODoRdF...

Engagement
http://engagementarts.be/en

Terminology:
https://blog.kunsten.be/sexism-sexual-harassment-and-abuse-of-power-in-t...

Glossary with lots of links to articles, books, movies,... (scroll towards the end of the brochure)
https://demos.be/sites/default/files/181016_-_macht_herverdelen_-_intera...

Guidelines for writing out testimonies:
https://blog.kunsten.be/engagement-archiving-project-5cf0c0876c20

How to Respond to Code of Conduct Reports
Valerie Aurora and Mary Gardiner. Edited by Annalee Flower Horne.
A comprehensive resource of how to manage and implement Code of Conduct.
https://files.frameshiftconsulting.com/books/cocguide.pdf

Intersectionality
(Short) Kimberlé Crenshaw: “What is Intersectionality?”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc

(Longer) Kimberlé Crenshaw – “On Intersectionality”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DW4HLgYPlA

Undoing Patriarchy - A Syllabus
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gu5fBokqfsL411V06cKVbEQpNYJxqIJ8QZMh...

Podcast series:
(some basics on understanding racism as a white person and some info on ‘patriarchy’)

Seeing White
https://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/

MEN
https://www.sceneonradio.org/men/

This is a work in progress, and we learn together as we go. If you have any resources, or references to add, please do so by emailing contactpaf@gmail.com

Permanent ceasefire NOW!

Permanent ceasefire NOW!

End the occupation of Palestine NOW!

As we bear witness to yet another iteration of the colonial violence that has built, and continues to sustain Europe, we invite all to act in solidarity with the Palestinian people, as well as the Israelis who suffer from, and oppose the brutality of occupation.

What is urgently needed now is to name this ongoing genocide. Moreover, we need to articulate the entanglement of the many struggles for social and climate justice on which our collective survival depends.

PAF makes itself available for all organising, discussion, recovery, and unlearning that we hope can serve a global solidarity movement for the liberation of Palestine and the demilitarisation of our world systems. In this process, we commit to fight all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia, Anti-Arabism, and Antisemitism.

map laon-reims

Professional-Not-Yet Professionals

PROFESSIONALS
Artists (performance, media, visual,music,literature) theorists, new media activists can use PAF individually or as a group.

NOT-YET PROFESSIONALS
In principal PAF doesn’t make a distinction between professionals or not-yet professionals.
We don't use the concept of teaching. There are no instructors, there is exchange. PAF as we call it, (PerformingArtsForum) is a place for residencies of professionals and not-yet professionals (in the field of performing arts, theory and new media/internet) who work there for a shorter or longer time on their political, artistic and/or theoretical projects. PAF is for people who can motorize their own knowledge production. Knowledge transfer can be developed on the spot by exchange of information in whatever way (discussions, debates, lectures, classes, presentations) between the participants present in PAF at that moment on a strict volunteer basis.
Not-yet professionals pay, like professionals for the use of rooms and for studio space.

Maps - St Erme and wider

Click the url hereunder, click then the little blocks on the left side to get a wider or smaller view:
http://www.viamichelin.fr/viamichelin/fra/dyn/controller/mapPerformPage?...

PAF about its organizational and structural principles (2006)

A conference on Selforganisation in september 2006 in Belgrade formulated a series of questions to be answered by different organisations who tend to implement a certain level of selforganisation.
Kroot Juurak and Alice Chauchat answered for PAF.

QUESTIONS

Name/title of organization: PAF (Performing Arts Forum)

Legal status:

What is the format/legal status of your organization?
The building is privately owned; there is no official organization for the participants; we are setting up a legal association to arrange money and setting the house to security standards. We will thus make separate answers for the next questions, on the one hand about PAF the non-formal organization, and on the other hand about the legal association.
The association is a non-profit association (French law 1901) involving 6-8 people that take care of the financial maintenance of the house and are responsible for PAF remaining an open structure available to everybody for self-motivated artistic residencies.

Geo-political territory:
Where is your organization based? Saint-Erme, France
Is it local, regional, or international organization? International

Organizational structure:

What are the rules of/in your organization?
- Anybody can use the house for artistic processes on the condition of paying a participation to the costs (rental costs)
- Everyone is responsible for their own activities
- Everyone makes things possible for others

How do you produce these rules?
These rules are the fundament of the whole PAF project, and entail that no other rule should be made

Do you aim at creating a non- or less-organized organization? If yes, how do you do?
Yes; in order to organize as little as possible, we follow the principle: the one who does decides

Is there a core group? Is the core group flexible?
The users who engage on a more regular basis take more responsibilities than others; this group is not set though, and varies depending on each person's availability and decision.
The legal association (6-8 persons) is responsible for financial matters; these members are renewed every 3 years.

Do you consider the structure of your organization utopian model? If yes, how?
Yes; in opposition to the pragmatic model of representative democracy in which some persons are entitled to represent others, PAF relies on participative democracy as the promise of a structure based on desire rather than contracts

Decision making:
How is the decision-making process organized? How do you produce these rules?
- everybody's informed about decisions to be made via the mailing list
- anyone can make decisions, power is distributed by commitment.
- ultimately, those who involve decide

What are the practices of openness, transparency, sharing in your organization? Are these important?
Openness is important for people to be able to exchange with others
Transparency is important so that power stays fluid and responsibilities can be shared

Economic situation:

How do you ensure sustainability for your project?
In order to maintain the building:
- rents paid by users ( 7 nights- 70 euros, 5 nights- 75, 10 nights- 100 euros. One month 250 euro. Persons benefiting from a grant pay the double amount)
- with donations (friends of paf: association collecting donations)
- with subsidies (private and public)

Are you funded from project to project or permanently?
At the moment there is no reliable or sufficient funding for the project.

How do you deal with money: how do you write the applications; how do you re-distribute money?
Applications are written by those who commit. Money is used to ensure that PAF can continue, by renovating the house, setting it up to security standards and equipping it with more work facilities.

Is it possible that the founders don’t remain at the core of your organization? Is this desirable?
PAF was founded with the idea to be an organization that includes change in its basic structure.
Jan Ritsema started with inviting 30 people, then 100 came in the next 8 months and out of these different individuals and organizations engage on different levels, taking different responsibilities. This expanding process implies that different people can take over the responsibility of maintaining PAF, as long as its principles remain unchanged.

Content:

In which field of art/culture/society do you work?
Contemporary art and theory

Is your organization platform of projects, organizations/groups, or individuals?
It is a platform for individuals and groups to carry out projects.

What do you produce: relationships or products?
We produce conditions for both relationships and products as there can be no products without relationships.

Do you want self-organization to support your art or do you want it to change society?
We assume that art is not personal and is a potentially changing force in society. We are developing a social model that also questions our relationship to art and to each other, so that art can change.

Outside relationships/ representation:
How do you decide on who is in / who is out?
People decide for themselves.

Do you accept memberships? Who can apply?
There is no membership.

Do you inform people about your organization models? If yes, whom and how?
The model and organization of PAF is spread mainly through word-of-mouth by people that have been there, e-mail PDF files and also through the web-site.

Who represents your organization?
PAF is represented by the people who decide to do so and organize contexts for doing it

Is your organization based on principles of representation?
No; it is based on participation and interest

Are you interested in networking/exchange with other self-organizations in Europe?
Yes

Answers by Kroot Juurak and Alice Chauchat, oktober 2006

Biblio-Mediatheque

A media space is available for free, with WIFI internet connection, dvd's, burners, video's, monitors, possibilities to stream our own radio and meetings.

A selection of 5000 quality movies and documentaries are available on hard disks.
A selection of 1000 contemporary classical music compositions on hard disks
A selection of 500 dance and theatre works on cd or harddisks

We have the ambition to create a well equipped library/media stock: Books/cd’s/dvd’s/video’s/software

We ask everybody who visits PAF to bring their most interesting books, dvd's, videos and cd's with them as well as videos or books of their work, in order to copy them on the harddisks for the biblio/mediatheque.

Grants

Here you find some url's where you might ask for a grant to cover and stay your residency.

The prices PAF publishes are for people who have no grant.
We tend to ask the double amount when you manage to get a grant.
So double your staying costs when applying for a grant. You pay of course according to the portion of the grant you received.

European Cultural Foundation - STEP beyond mobility program:
www.eurocult.org/we-support-cultural-cooperation/programmes/Mobility/

The Roberto Cimetta Fund - mobility of professionals in the field of contemporary performing arts and visual arts within the Mediterranean area:
www.cimettafund.org

Aventis Foundation - We want to support artists who cross boundaries, eliminate prejudices, create original works and seek new horizons:
www.aventis-foundation.org

The Austrian Exchange Service (ÖAD)- grants database contains grant options for students and researchers both for the incoming (to Austria) and the outgoing (from Austria to ...) group:
grantsdb.oead.ac.at

IETM Mobility Web. on-the-move is a website dedicated to information about professional mobility in the areas of theatre, dance, music and other:
www.on-the-move.org

FILM production

It is possible to use PAF to make, shoot and produce films.
Arrangement to be discussed.

Freie Theater Article (2008)

gift Juli-September 08
PerformingArtsForum – PAF By Jan Ritsema

Paf does not do a lot about networking.
People come by spreading the word. By word of mouth.
People fi nd PAF more than that we look for them.
We are not well organised.
Even the socalled „paffers“ are not organised.
PAF is organised through the principles of self-organisation
and self-education, which is basically no-organisation,
or better to speak an ever changing organisation,
or even better to speak an ever-changing WAY of organising.
And it is this that we like:
a high level of liquidity in professional and social contacts.
No contracts.
You stay as long as it makes sense for you,
even when you announced to stay much longer.
Things should work for the residents.
The residents should not work for the residence.
Mostly the residents are the traffi c and the tools to make a residency work.
No territorialization.
No appropriation.
No propriation.
Unbound.
Liquid.
Independance.
It works as long as it works.
And it has as little rules as possible.
There are three main rules:
1. don‘t leave traces
2. make it possible for others
3. the doer decides
and three no‘s
1. no kids
2. no animals
3. no partners (who come for some kind of holiday)
PAF is a working place
not a social place,
let alone a relaxing/holiday place
PAF has almost no staff.
Staff is dangerous,
as they will set rules and occupy little territories.
The maintenance of a network needs a staff member.
PAF is a liquid organization,
better to say some kind of gas organization
it evaporates all the time
a temporary autonomous zone
Networks would fix and clue.
Networks establish highways and preferences.
Are tools for inclusion and by this for exclusion.
Networks knit webs finally.
PAF is a no-code area.
But PAF at the same time doesn‘t want to be usurped,
lived out, used, consumed.
It needs maintenance and care.
But it does not organize this.
It‘s up to the users how long an area like PAF will exist.
It works as long as it works.

Additional Information about PAF:

PAF is a place for the professional and not-yet professional practitioners and activists in the field of performing arts, visual art, new media and internet, theory and cultural production, who seek to research and determine their own conditions of work. PAF is for people who can motorize their own artistic production and knowledge production not only responding to the opportunities given by the institutional market.

Initiated and run by artists, theoreticians and practitioners themselves, PAF is a user-created, user-innovative informal institution. Neither a production-house and venue, nor a research-center, it is a platform for everyone who wants to expand possibilities and interests in his/her own working practice.

Contact & Information:
Jan Ritsema / PAF 15, rue Haute, F-02820 St Erme Outre et Ramecourt
T/F +33 323801846, mobile: +33 637031645
e-mail: janritsema@mac.com,
skype: janritsema
www.pa-f.net

[SOURCE : Freie Theater ]

PAF Morocco @ Les Figuiettes

PAF is happy to announce PAF Morocco @ Les Figuiettes.

Les Figuiettes is a large house built and designed patiently over the years by its owners, Cecile and Nordine, who now want to make it available to artists as PAF. We will run a pilot period in 2014/2015 to evaluate whether PAF Morocco will become a permanent annex to PAF or whether this is a temporary project.

The terms, conditions and structures of PAF Morocco will be in essence the same as you know them from PAF. Yet as this is another location with its specific characteristics, culture and economies, there are some organisational aspects and possibilities that differ from PAF in St. Erme. We hope that you will join PAF in this new adventure and are looking forward to be seeing you in Morocco soon.

POSSIBLE PERIODS FOR BOOKINGS @ PAF MOROCCO 2014/2015

Monday 28th of April 2014 – Friday 4th of July 2014
Monday 1st of September 2014 – Friday 17th of October 2014
Monday 3rd of November 2014 – Friday 19th of December 2014
Monday 5th of January 2015 – Friday 13th of February 2015
Monday 2nd of March 2015 - Friday 17th of April 2015
Monday 4th of May 2015 – Friday 3rd of July 2015

PRICES & PARTNERS

Prices in 2014 are 17 euro (18 EUR in 2015) per night from 5 nights and 19 euro under 5 nights (20 EUR in 2014). 450 euro for one month. (490 EUR in 2015) Plus for everybody a membership fee of 12 EUR, valuable for 12 months and a paper to sign that PAF Morocco is not liable for any damage done to you. You will need an extra membership for PAF Morocco as this is another location and administration. You can pay this the day of your arrival together with the fee for the rooms to Mohammed Said who will welcome you.
Mohamed Said deals with all organisation at PAF @ Figuiettes: He welcomes you, collects the payments on the day of your arrival and the copy of your passport. We need to ask you to bring a b/w copy of your passport when you arrive. This is part of the Moroccan law that we cannot do anything about. Mohammed is maintaining the house, can call a taxi for you and answer your questions. He speaks French, Spanish, Arabic and Moroccan. His number is 00.212.6.73.73.69.80.
PAF has no staff however we have several partners in Morocco, one of them is Abdelaziz who can pick you up with his taxi from the airport for 260 DH (25 EUR) and bring you to PAF @ Figuiettes, approximately a 45 minute ride from Tanger airport. Abdelaziz’ car can transport up to 4 people at the same time. For larger groups we can help you to organize several rides from the airport so you can all arrive at the Figuiettes together. Just as PAF in St. Erme the Figuiettes is located in the countryside and the house is remote and isolated. The next city is Asilah (about 20 minutes drive) where you have a market and can do your shop- ping. Abdelaziz can bring you there for 60 DH (5 EUR) one way. You can arrange this via Mohammen Said.

STUDIO AND WORKING SITUATION

PAF @ Figuiettes is located in the village of Dmina (Larache Province) and is far out in the beautiful Moroc- can countryside. Expect an isolated working retreat. You can see the Atlantic ocean from the terrace as the surrounding hills with farmland and animals.
The house has 9 private rooms that can also be shared, so for the moment a maximum of 18 people can stay at PAF@Figuiettes at the same time. Almost all rooms have private bathrooms and showers and all rooms are very spacious so can at least partly be used to work in. They have either a double bed or two single beds, a table, a closet, chairs and some other handy furniture.
There is ONE large communal space on the second floor of the main house as a 200 m2 roof terrace (that can be partly covered in the summer) and that can be used for working (think dining room at PAF). In addi- tion there are various other large outdoor spaces (like a small open air theatre, other terraces, etc.) available. There is no dance studio at the moment, whereas we are looking into the possibilities to be able to provide one in the future.

At the moment PAF @ Figuiettes provides internet via 3G-keys (to plug into the USB port of your computer) which is fine for emails, text-based research but does not allow video-Skype or downloading films/music. In the future we are looking into getting a satellite connection but at the moment this is financially not feasi- ble. There are several internet cafes in Asilah and also several Cafes (like Cafe Meknes) that have free and quite o.k. speed WIFI that you can use when you order something to drink there.

Please be aware that the working situation is different than in PAF (which has a lot of studio space). At PAF@ Figuiettes the rooms are a lot more spacious and there is plenty of communal and outdoor space available. But there are no studios in the classical sense yet and only one common inside space that can be shared. The house is flexible: you can move things around and find places to make a (temporary) working space and mess. When it is full one has to remain flexible in sharing the available common spaces if necessary.

FOOD AND OTHER BASICS

PAF @ Figuiettes provides tea, coffee, salt, sugar, olive oil, daily fresh baked bread and mineral (drinking) water. When you boil the tap water to make coffee, tea or cooking from it - it is o.k. We will make sure there is always a sufficient supply of drinking water at the house.
In the village there are many local farmers that produce top quality produce. In order to stimulate the local economy in the village PAF@ Figuettes is offering you the possibility to order food baskets (so you do not have to go to Asilah to shop).

Prices for the food baskets are:
Small food basket - 60 dh (5 EUR): 50 g of butter, 4 eggs, 2 kilos of several fresh garden vegetables
Big food basket - 200 dh (18 EUR): 50 g of butter, 6 eggs, 3 kilos of several fresh garden vegetables + 1 home made jam + 4 home made yogurts + 1 herbal tea bag + 2 kilos of starchy food (home made bread, pasta, rice, couscous...)

Also if you wish you can ask Zora to cook for you. She cooks delicious vegetarian Moroccan meals at the house and brings all ingredients for 50 dh/ person/meal. You can order and pay the produce baskets with Mohammend Said and also arrange with him whether or not you want Zora to cook for you.

Mohammed Said, Zora, Abdelaziz and Rhabier (that runs the vegetable garden) are partners that live in and around PAF Figuiettes and are involved in the project. They are not staff, should not be treated as such and do not have to be paid or tipped. Mohammed Said and Rhabier speak French and Spanish. Abdelaziz and Zora speak Moroccan and universal. It is easy to communicate with them, if there are language barriers you can always ask Mohammed to help you translate.
The culture in Morocco is centred around hospitality so do not feel strange if Zora is making a tea or a cof- fee for you every once in a while. This is her way of welcoming you and just like at PAF if you do not feel like social interaction please do not feel obliged.

Every Thursday from 08:00 - 15:00 there is a market half way between Dmina and Asilah opposite the alu- minium factory. You can walk there, it is about 3,5 km from the house. In Asilah there are two daily markets where you can buy most of your needs. There is also a market in the Medina which is very touristic just as all restaurants and cafes surrounding it. We advise you to avoid this area for shopping and food.
To the beach it is a 30 minute downhill and 40 minute uphill walk, like the steep little road just outside PAF that leeds to the forest (only then 2 km long). Once you arrive there are beautiful sand beaches. If you walk straigh down from the Figuiettes you will arrive at a little village with 20 houses, a mosque, many sheep and no road leading to (except the path you arrive on). Please do not sunbathe next to the mosque. Naked or half-naked sunning is not appreciated nor advised.

At the Figuiettes PAF provides bedcover, sheets, pillow cover and towels for you.

TRAVEL

PAF@ Figuettes is about 40 km south of Tanger right at the Atlantic coast. The easiest and cheapest way to get there is to fly to Tanger. Easyjet and Ryanair fly there from several locations as other, more pricy airlines. Cities nearby the Figuiette are Asilah (10 km), Larache (about 40 km south) and Tanger (40 km North).
Rabat is about 200 km away.

THE 3 RULES OF PAF

- Don’t leave traces
- Make it possible for others - The do-er decides
(Think them interrelated)

THE 3 NO’S OF PAF

- no partners (unless the partner has a project to work on)
- no animals
- no kids
PAF wants to be a production place not a social or leisure one

THE 3 PRINCIPLES OF PAF

1. Reversibility: The things in PAF ( whether they are objects, subjects or institutions/organisations) are there for you and you are there for the things as well. I.e. PAF or the coffee machine, the other or a corridor is there for you as much as you are there for PAF or the coffee machine, for the other or the corridor.
2. Exchange. Of whatever Knowledge, Machines, Expertise, Spaces, Times, Things
3. Liquidity. You are kindly invited to make fluid what is fixed, whether this concerns your mental (I am like this) or your material property.
Also in Dmina PAF’s relation to the village is fragile. Inhabitants of the area have a traditional life, the people from the village tolerate us. A nice and positive relation is necessary. We established this and we do a lot of effort to keep it as such. Therefore we organize the partnerships and food baskets to keep a nice relation to everybody.

Please recognize that you are in a different cultural context and cover up yourself once you leave the house. Women do not have to cover their head but men and women alike should not be walking in shorts or sexy outfits in the village or city. Please refrain from arty interventions or site specific events in the vil- lage. Please do not take fotos from the villagers. Art only in the PAF@ Figuiettes compound.
The mutual use of the available spaces is discussed and negotiated between the colleagues when you are in PAF @ Figuiettes. The principles and rules are the guidelines for this.


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