Art huBs for youTh Erasmus Project

Project Title

Art huBs for youTh

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Inclusion – equity; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Otto ABT (the inspiration for our project name) was a Swiss painter, who fought against fascism. Over the last few years, Europe has, once again, to deal with far right which is advancing and growing in confidence. People from a migrant background are usually among those most affected by discrimination and hate speech. Stakeholders and analysts agree that neo-fascism can only be countered by common, European policies of inclusion, solidarity and equality.

In the current immigration crisis, along with the public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing problems from intercultural relations and clashes of culture creating, as we mentioned, a new wave of xenophobia, racism and social fears within the EU. This is a new problem that arises from strong social fears and stereotypes that need to be combatted.

We are witnessing events of violence involving migrants and refugees that have the potential to evolve into more dangerous phenomena. Moreover, radicalization and extremism are another aspect of the situation which are affecting young people and local society. Young people, from migrant backgrounds and with other distinct characteristics, who are subject to discrimination and racism in daily life can easily fall out of society and be an easy target for radicalization.

At the same time, culture and arts can promote intercultural dialogue. In the context of the migratory and refugee phenomenon, it is crucial to explore the ways in which culture and the arts can help bring individuals and people together, increase their participation in cultural and societal life, as well as promote intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity. The arts, though often underutilised and unacknowledged, can positively transform and benefit communities in such areas as youth development and education, health and wellness and neighbourhood vitality.

The EU Agenda 2030 must clearly address the role of the arts and heritage in fostering intercultural dialogue and social cohesion, acknowledge the cultural component of the integration of displaced people and highlight the power of culture to promote democracy and heal social wounds. Culture and creative work must be recognised as key contributors to economic growth and a powerful messenger on all sustainability issues.

In order to face these problems, we will provide international training material for youth workers, volunteers and youth leaders in the art sector while also capitalising on the power of art to foster intercultural dialogue and help in facing problems related to xenophobia, racism and stereotypes across and within groups of diverse cultural backgrounds in Europe.

The youth workers involved in the project will undertake a learning path to increase their competences and educational tools for working with young people at risk of marginalisation and supporting them to get involved with the host community by sharing and developing inclusive and sustainable informal and non-formal practices. The ABT project will address the needs of youth aged 16 to 30 years from a migratory background and/or with social, cultural and economic difficulties, in order to trigger a process of inclusion within the local community.

At the local level, participants will be encouraged towards greater social engagement to improve their communities and the development of their territory, getting involved in activities aimed at changing the local context an in intercultural perspective through Art Hubs, opening up to a real exchange with cultures and ways of being other than their own. At a European level, the project fosters a greater propensity to approach cultural diversity through art, aimed at ensuring a continuous sharing attitude, in order to improve each other and, thus, the dialogue between the different cultures of Europe. Moreover, at the European level, inclusion and integration of youth migrants through art philosophy will be shared.

The aim of the proposed project is to join efforts to combat inequality, intolerance and injustice through the establishment of Art Hubs for young people from migrant and non-migrant backgrounds, utilising the ability of the arts to transcend social barriers. The objectives of our project are defined as follows:

– Help new arrivals learn about and make European values their own;
– Encourage intercultural dialogue;
– Build mutual understanding between new arrivals and the receiving communities;
– Support the professional development of youth workers and trainers to cope better with intercultural problems, racism, xenophobia, and the social fears of youth learners, in response
to the recent immigration crisis and refugees in EU, through sharing experience, art and Art Hubs;
– Promote active participation of young people in their community, with a focus on youth at risk of marginalization because of the cultural, social and economic obstacles they face.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 167095 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Αrtit London Ltd
• The Hub Nicosia Ltd
• KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU
• SARAJEVO SUSRET KULTURA