SIRKHANE
CIRCUS, MUSIC & ART SCHOOL For Syrian, Iraqi Yezidi refugees, local children and youth in Mardin
Children should be offered fun and engaging activities in the creative arts, have access to educational resources, and have opportunities to collaborate and form friendships with young people from other countries‌ and, in doing so, manifest peace, harmony, open mindedness, diversity, accountability, and cheerfulness in our local and global communities.
Letter from Art Anywhere Association We strongly believe that children are future and we are living in a country where art education is not that accessible, especially in less developed regions such as Mardin. Arts education, in particular doesn’t get the time and energy it deserves from families, schools and authorities here. We believe that we shouldn’t value the art education for social and economic benefits but rather that it expands the mind and soul. A well-rounded education should include a strong foundation in arts. If people have healthy souls and minds that should in- directly affect the social and economic conditions as well. Art should be available to everyone, everywhere. Art Anywhere Association was established with this philosophy. To build a sustainable society we should invest in people’s minds and souls. Art Anywhere Association Her Yerde Sanat Dernegi
It has been more than 3 years since the war began in Syria. According to UNHCR statistics, nearly 6.5 million Syrians are internally displaced, and about 2.5 million Syrianshave fled to neighboring countries. Turkey is host to approximately 1.5 million Syrian, Iraqi Yezidi refugees; around 55% of them are under 18 years old. We are as a human being feeling responsible to help them with our own possibilities and tools.
WHY SOCIAL CIRCUS, MUSIC AND ART Social Circus is a good vehicle for releasing war traumas and discharging the energy that builds up in young people forced to live in a small space. Circus, music and art are the best ways to get to the inner being of a person; and especially the young person can express themselves through performing,art and music in a way that language cannot do it for them.
Art gets to the inner emotions of the child that may be very difficult to express in words due to limited communication and language skills. Art heals by relaxing the mind and giving one the ability to communicate on a more personal level by getting to the soul and inner being of the person.
Art aids with mental health issues. Art is outwardly expressive of the inward struggles, pain, and thoughts that a child might have but not know ways to tell anyone. By giving the child art supplies and encouraging the child to draw, play, paint, sculpt, juggle, clown or create, the child is able to release pent-up tensions created by the stresses and losses the child has experienced. For use in the classroom, art doesn’t have to be about learning to be an artist or becoming a proficient artist, but has to do with expressing yourself and discovering yourself through what you create. Experts say that children’s limbic systems become paralyzed in war situations and they cannot do things that require complicated thinking and actions. “Sometimes, in the middle of an activity some of them seem to forget what they’re doing. Some youth have trouble focusing and listening to instructions. But doing activities that involve emotions makes kids relax.”
BENEFITS OF SOCIAL CIRCUS Introducing circus pedagogy to children helps them get to know themselves better. Learning and training circus skills is beneficial for not only performance but reflects in everyday life as well. For example learning group dynamics, adopting universal values, improving coordination and concentration, developing a healthy personality, and it also provides exercise which is important for a healthy mind and body. Workshops on different circus skills such as juggling, acrobatics, theater, etc. are a very important. They teach children new ways of thinking and playing while expanding their creative horizons. At the end of the workshops children makes a full show for their school or local community members. Training in circus disciplines (not considering the strict old circus school ways) entails the basic element of fun.
The new pedagogic theory of active learning through playing and enjoying couldn’t find its application better than in circus.
By practicing different disciplines in circus one of the main achievements is developing self progression. In an inspiring environment children are able to gain confidence for themselves or even their own self awareness of the things they can do (that in many cases, maybe thought they couldn’t).
Also, being creative is an essential part of art education and is a main value in circus practicing too. Within the practice space, where safety of yourself and the others is very important, they learn about responsibility. Avenues of expression and personal growth are being constantly opened.
Circus training techniques require a good physical condition. As a multidisciplinary art form, people practicing the circus techniques are building strong and healthy, body stamina. For children, circus is maybe one of the best ways to transmit their energy in multiple ways, since the coordination of different parts of the body is needed in all circus techniques. Circus training has, unlike in many other sports, the elements of having silliness and being creative that make it more tempting to non competitive children.
Within the “circus mentality� exists the value of collaboration. Which is important for the survival of a circus group both practicing and performing. When a circus group is practicing together in the same space mutual respect is being build up and the group is implemented the values of equality and cooperation. When waiting for you’re turn on an aerial apparatus or when resting and watching another fellow juggler you are gradually building the feeling of respecting for each other. Also helping in cases of danger a strong group force starts to exist. Any conflict that is natural to occur is being resolved using the powerful tool of good communication and reconciliation between opposing groups. Besides this is the only way for a circus group to be in a position to form a performance where all participants will work together for the best show to come up and to be enjoyed by all. As for the universal values found in circus, look back over to realize to the following values are being numbers 1-3 to realize the following values are being promoted in circus pedagogy: - Cooperation and collaboration (no competition, contrary to sport) - Taking risks in secure conditions - Giving voices to young people excluded from their community - Allowing youth to express themselves.
In the Mardin region there are thousands of marginalized children and youth, including refugees and ethnic minorities, that have not experienced the empowering social and personal benefits of creative practices such as fine arts, music, theatre, and circus.
We endeavor to reach out to these individuals,offering them support, education, friendship, and a safe space to play and express themselves. As a Non profit and Non governmental art association, we utilize art as a transformative social tool to ease the harmful effects of war and other traumas.
OUR ONGOING PROJECTS
Sirkhane Social Circus, Music and Art School
In the old town of Mardin it offers such a space for Syrian and Afghan refugee children, as well as local children and youth. We offer activities and lessons including but not limited to painting, drawing, music, clownery, handicrafts, juggling, acrobatics, and hysical theatre with international artists, trainers..
Students are encouraged to synthesize Their learning in performances and share their work with the public in student showcase events and in our international circus and music festivals. Thanks to Open Society Foundation that provided opportunities to strengthen this project as well as all the volunteers that spent time, money and effort to make this happen.
SIRKHANE IN YEZIDI REFUGEE CAMP
During September 2014 Her Yerde Sanat volunteers and a group of international circus artists started to give circus classes for the Yezidi Refugee youth and children that live in a recently established refugee camp in Mardin. The daily activities for the camp youth includes circus skills such as juggling balls and clubs, stilts and hula hoops as well as games, music and performance skills.
16 youngsters were chosen to take trainers training in circus field and also to teach in the camp for other smaller kids. In one month time the refugee camp started to turn a circus camp because smaller and bigger kids started to practice all day long by themselves, and teach to each other’s. Juggling balls were made out of soil in a plastic bags and tapes. That’s why most of the kids could have their own 3 balls. They had limited space but no limitation in time because they have nothing else to do except waiting in strange time. The project is still going on by voluntary base.
PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE SIRKHANE IN SYRIAN, IRAQI YEZIDI REFUGEE CAMPS Our goal is to create an alternative training environment inside the Syrian, Iraqi refugee camp in Mardin for circus, music and theatre, adequately equipped with the tools we need to offer a safe and productive environment for children and youth. We would like to provide an inspiring environment for personal growth, self-discovery, and inspiring the artistic adventures of each individual. We strongly believe that nourishing creative space is necessary for the healthy development of all young people.
The Syrian refugee camp is located the municipality of Midyat 30 km from Syrian border. It is now home for about 7000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees. The camp is constructed in a dusty desert in the outskirts of the city. It is surrounded by barbed wire, and consists mostly of residential tents and big container type buildings that serve as bathrooms, schools and other communal spaces. Besides school there are no activities for children nor adults. Hence the harsh conditions and lack of meaningful daily routines and privacy these already traumatized people have very few opportunities to unload the traumas of war and being a refugee. To offer meaningful daily routines and to improve the quality of life of the children and youth in the camp, Her Yerde Sanat aims at creating a circus and arts space in the camp and implement a social art training program for the children and youth living in the camp. Arts and especially circus has been proven to be an excellent tool to work with people who’ve faced different kind of trauma. Social arts have been successfully used in different war torn areas, such as Palestinian territories and Afghanistan. Circus and arts training increases self esteem and trust in other people. It also helps to forget the harsh conditions of a refugee camp and releases tension through laughter and physical activities.
The arts space will be constructed from a modified shipping container, which will hold circus and art training materials, and a circus tent. The circus tent will be a concrete demarcation of outdoor communal space, creating a new youth-dedicated space where the young people of the camp may learn and play in safety and privacy. In addition to serving as storage for the tent and materials, the container itself may also be used as a training and play space under harsh weather conditions, or for activities that require very enclosed spaces. Training materials will be comprised of gymnastic mats, circus equipment- including juggling equipment, stilts, and hoops- made of durable materials to be left at the camp, as well as supplies to instigate a system of creating recycled circus equipment from found objects, basic costume elements, simple musical instruments, art supplies and language teaching supplies. For the first year of the project, the container will be introduced to the Camp by professional social arts workers, who will work full-time in the Camp creating art classes for youth, focusing upon circus, art and language. The container will remain in the Camp as a space and resource owned by the youth Syrian Refugees for the duration of their stay. To create a self-perpetuating system of inclusive youth art education for Syrian Refugees by donating dedicated space, time, materials and guidance. The children and youth in the Camp do not have access to activities nor education that facilitate learning and play. Neither do they have a space they may claim as their own. The container will create a necessary space for wonder and play; it will be a small, magical world where their social and imaginative growth is valued, and where they may explore their creative potential and transcend their physical, mental and emotional limitations. The presence of the container and circus tent in the camp will also serve as a reminder and symbol of respect for the social and creative needs of children. The training will also focus on creating inclusive environments, and encouraging respect and non-violence. We also aim to create a community action of education. Through educating trainers amongst the youth and young adults, and encouraging a thirst for learning and play, the act of social art education can become an aspect of the community. Working as a trainer gives the youth a feeling of meaningfulness in their everyday life, and furthermore, it provides the youth an opportunity to gain work experience and thus improve their opportunities for employment in the future. Our aim is also to encourage girls and women to take initiative in the social art education.
2 BIG FESTIVALS EVERY YEAR In addition to our activities at the Sirkhane, our association organizes annual Internat覺onal Music Festival every April and International Social Circus Festival every September, in which our students have the opportunity to collaborate in performances and other creative projects alongside international guest artists. The festival hosts trainers and teaching artists from all over the world all of whom offer to share their skills in community workshops and creative projects on a strictly voluntary basis. All activities are free of charge for youth who wish to participate. The process of global collaboration, skill sharing, community building, and cultural exchange offers our participants countless social and mental benefits.
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL APRIL 2015 (every year)
Music is unifying people, mind and soul. It’s unique and universal. First time we organized International Music Days in 2014 April with 40 young musicians from 7 countries during 15 days. Many different type of music instrument and culture come together in Mardin for flying tunes over Mesopotamia. Up coming music festival theme is Music for Peace is basically about young people discovering deep meaning in different cultures music and playing it by their own way and sharing it with other people.
The festival will be between the dates 9th-24th April 2015 in the most tolerant city of Mesopotamia, Mardin. Different types of local and international music will be covered by young people and will be presented to the public. During the festival there will be workshops, concerts, records and music sessions. It will be very meaningful to make local musicians to meet international musicians and to create songs together. They will share experiences and skills 42 young artists from 7 countries will come to share their cultures and also learn about new cultures. During 2 weeks the youngsters will get know better the local culture and they will get over their prejudice. Also many forgotten songs will be remembered by playing. The young people will work together and they will get know each other better. Music is very important artistic tool for improving to sensations, making the moments more meaningful and most important to show that how the life can be see in different perspectives. The musicians will play for peace in an environment that is surrounded by war news everyday but still peaceful place.
The project will help to open positive awareness about new cultures and to get over the stereotypes. Musician or non-musician participants will experience new skills and improve, discover, observe themselves better. They will get courage performing in front of audiences and this is very important for the learning process.
INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL CIRCUS FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 2015 (every year) The role of circus in today’s societies can be met in different forms, all of them though applying to the principal believed that circus can play an active role influencing societies. The idea’s for this festival manifested in 2011 as a small youth project to help educate and influence children to become more involved with the arts. In 2013 it became a real international festival with the participation of 70 different artists from 12 different countries.
In 2014 it beca me even bigg er with 80 arti sts from 20 coun tries and Sirkh ane stud ents. The festi val took 20 days and the them e was ‘’Play for no war’’. Besid e the spec tacu lar stre et show s, para des, conc erts man y circ us wor ksho ps are orga nize d in Sirkh ane and also in refu gee cam ps and villa ges. The chil dren perf orm to big num ber of audi ence s toge ther with inte rnat iona l arti sts.
heryerdesanat.org heryerdesanatdernegi@gmail.com Tel: 0482 212 30 39 Pinar Demiral: 0542 287 31 49