At the invitation of the Ratiu Foundation, a group of five young cultural managers from Romania have been to London for a professional visit, from 21 to 28 November 2010. They are: Bogdan Georgescu, Irina Malcea, Mirela Nastasache, Andrada Vaida, and Monica Zarna.

During this visit, the Romanian guests met with various British professionals from the field of performing arts and cultural management: representatives of Visiting Arts, National Theatre Studio, Live Art Development Agency, Arts Admin, Arcola Theatre, LIFT - London Independent Theatre Festival, Independent Dance, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. They also attended meetings with Nicolae Ratiu, Chairman of the Ratiu Foundation, and Dr Mike Phillips OBE, writer, historian and curator, Co-Director of ProFusion International Creative Consultancy, who acted as a the cultural managers' mentor. In order to allow the guests to meet as many arts professionals interested in the independent Romanian arts scene, the Ratiu Foundation organised a roundtable and networking reception on the evening of Thursday 25 November.

Among the participants were Prof Noel Witts (Leeds Metropolitan University), theatre director Jonathan Banatvala (London Southbank University), and publisher Cheryl Robson (Aurora Metro Press). [gallery]