Aren’t we all creative? – this question kept going through our minds as we worked on the concept of a project on adult cultural activities. And then we came up with the idea! The long-term project “We are all creative” is a strategic partnership implemented in cooperation between organizations from Poland, Italy and Spain.
Where did our idea come from? As activists in the cultural and educational sectors, we recognize the lack of cultural offerings for middle-aged people. While there are plenty of activities for youth and seniors at cultural centers, museums, universities of the third age, etc., middle-aged people have severely limited opportunities to participate. According to a 2015 Eurostat survey, the percentage of people aged 40-70 participating in cultural activities remains low in the partnership countries. The pandemic and the restrictions that have been put in place have resulted in the closure of many cultural venues and the cultural sector has not received adequate financial support from state authorities, which has resulted in a reduction in the offer of events or the transfer of some of them to the internet.
We want to change this. We want adults not only to participate more willingly in cultural events, but also to develop their creativity, curiosity about the world and openness.
We are organizing the project in international cooperation, because each country offers a different perspective on culture, and moreover, such cooperation guarantees a broadening of horizons.
The concept of the project includes a variety of activities in all partner countries: preparatory meetings, meetings in the nature of training, a series of workshops for adults in the participating countries, preparation of their own artistic events by adults, and dissemination activities.
Here are the names (and topics) of the various conventions within the project:
“Culture at home” – Italy
“Musical challenges” – Poland
“New art for adults” – Spain
The first convention is behind us. It was held in Messina, in Sicily, from June 04 to 11, 2022. During the week-long meeting, participants received a series of trainings and workshops on methods of activating adults in the cultural sphere and organizing cultural events.
However, planning large events, such as those related to culture or art, requires very good work organization and the ability to make long-term decisions. The art of project management helped with this, the workshop and this topic was also included in the schedule of the June convention. Thanks to this, participants saw that by approaching everyday tasks at work or home as projects, we are more likely to succeed.
Now it’s time for a series of photos from the trip!!! 😉
This project is funded by the European Union.