Born to Create Erasmus Project

Project Title

Born to Create

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 : Partnerships for Creativity

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Pedagogy and didactics; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

All of the schools participating in this project have a firm commitment to the arts, and a passion for using creativity as the vehicle for driving children’s well-being and learning. In these days of global pandemic, there is much talk of “missed” learning and of “catching up”, but less talk of well-being and care, and of the integral part that creativity and the creative arts can play within the context of a broad and balanced curriculum to keep children safe and ensure that they are flourishing. Choosing to focus on creativity and the arts to support the development of children’s skills sits well with the development plans of all the schools and is a real priority which has been identified in each institution.

Our project, Born to Create, will run over 2 years with the first year focused on upskilling staff and pupils in learning how to develop creative thinking skills, including creating within a digital context. All of this learning is then going to be applied to working with a local arts organisation to design and deliver a TakeOver event in an arts space – maybe in an art gallery or a theatre. Working closely with their local arts organisation, the children will hold a budget, design the event and be creative commissioners to engage arts practitioners to deliver on their brief. They will have to deal with all the associated problems and challenges around the administration and delivery of the event. They will be well-supported by their local arts organisation in each city which has already been identified and which has already agreed to partner up for the project.

The objectives of the project are to support our pupils to develop their own creativity and to apply these skills in a live context in which they have real agency and power. Over a thousand young people will be involved in this project which will develop their thinking skills and support them to be effective Global Citizens – flexible, creative and proactive. As future leaders, they need to be able to solve problems, make decisions, think critically, communicate ideas effectively and work well within teams and groups. These skills and attributes are increasingly recognised as being essential to succeed in other areas of 21st century life too, including many workplaces. These skills and qualities cannot be developed without the use of active learning methods through which pupils learn by doing and by collaborating with others, and, on occasion, failing.

Our young people also need access to the Arts and all of the benefits which this creative engagement brings. Whilst the formal disciplines of Art Therapy or Music Therapy have proven medicinal benefits, research also suggests that there is a strong relationship between engagement with the creative arts and improved health outcomes. Specifically, the health effects of music and visual arts engagement, movement-based creative expression, and expressive writing are effective in reducing adverse physiological and psychological outcomes. In these difficult times, any project which can offer creative support for the well-being of the community is to be welcomed.

Staff in all schools will develop their pedagogy around the teaching of creativity and work with arts professionals to open up a broader range of expertise and experience to the learning of the children.
The participants of the project have all worked in an international context before and are committed to bringing the people of the EU closer together through collaboration and cooperation. This project offers everyone involved the opportunity to develop very real life skills which can be transferred into a myriad of different environments, both in work and leisure situations.

The impact we envisage is:

Pupils:
– an increased capacity to think creatively and to use these newly developed skills to plan and execute a concrete project to benefit other children in their local area through an arts-based event
– increased sense of working together as global citizens towards shared values of the global community
– develop their ability to be responsible and effective global citizens who will continue to care about the community that they live in

Teachers:
– a better understanding of creative thinking techniques, not only to use with the children in school, but also to take home and use outside of a work setting
– increased opportunities for professional development – continuing CPD – increasing a teachers’ toolkit of skills
– impact on teachers adopting collaborative and innovative practices
– greater confidence in the teaching of arts-based subjects
– increased motivation and satisfaction in daily work

Participating Organisations:
– increased skills in collaboration and learning, specifically around creativity and the arts
– nurture attitudes of openness to Europe – policies might be more reflective of on

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 112699 Eur

Project Coordinator

Mayflower Primary School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Ecole Albert Camus
• Siauliu Sauliaus Sondeckio menu gimnazija
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO “RESTA – DE DONATO GIANNINI”