EXAMPLE
Belgium – Social-artistic organisation, Flanders ‘Globe Aroma vzw’ is a social-artistic organisation that tries to actively include in artistic projects people who are excluded from social life, because of poverty or refuge. The starting point is the intrinsic strength and artistic expression of people and the support of a professional artist who has the skills to deal with special needs groups. Globe Aroma offers an atelier for refugee artists and brings them into contact with other artists and cultural organisations as a result of which they are able to build a network. The project ‘home and away’ is an exhibition where asylum seekers, homeless, expats and contemporary nomads explain what ‘home’ means for them via artistic expressions and meaningful objects. An artist who fled from Rwanda, for example, exposed a decorated coffin by and for himself, because he is afraid of dying abroad and not being buried properly. This temporary exhibition was the result of cooperation between Globe Aroma vzw, the artist Ann Van de Vyvere and the Jubelparkmuseum. Another outcome of the social-artistic process with the participants was a documentary film. This film was presented in another cultural institution, the Kaaitheater, where the exhibition was repeated. The key success factor for the Jubelparkmuseum was the support for the project at every stage (ticketing, hosts, etc.) of the organisation. Moreover, the museum has built on a strong network with several organisations (social-artistic, self-organisations of target groups) and has broadened its visiting public.
EXAMPLE
Belgium (French Community) – ‘Centre de Formation d’Animateurs asbl’ (CFA) – Training of animators in performance arts The CFA organises training for ‘animators’, in cooperation with NGOs working in the social field. Beneficiaries are both social workers who desire to acquire skills in theatre and unemployed youth with motivation and talents, even without any previous qualification or diploma. Mixing these two groups is very positive, as it allows for a deeper exchange and understanding. The training allows for the acquisition of technical knowledge and at the same time for an opportunity for self expression and mutual enrichment. The training leads to a qualification with good opportunities for employment.
EXAMPLE
Austria – ‘Initiative Macht|schule|theater’ (‘Power|school|theatre initiative’) The Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture initiated a range of activities linked to the prevention of violence in Austria’s schools. One of them, the nationwide theatre initiative Macht|schule|theatre (Power|school|theatre) was launched in 2008 in cooperation with KulturKontakt Austria und DSCHUNGEL Wien because the arts offer a valuable approach for focusing on the subject of violence and preventing the development of a willingness to engage in violence. Since 2008, 65 theatres in Austria concentrated on tight collaborations with schools in the process of writing and creating a theatre performance together.
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F ro m au d ience t o act ors: how t o i nvolve p eop le in cr eatin g art? W h at ro l e s are t here for art s and cultur al in stitution s?