Mapping of Initiatives on Culture, Health and Well-being

In the non-formal education project Ebru art: the key to family well-being, the members of 25 families were invited to the first session, to try this art at least once and find out how their child experiences painting on the water. The participation of parents and other family members in the activities helped them to achieve 50% more effective results by developing the child's positivity, tolerance, other social skills, reducing the emotional gap in the family. The aim of the project is to: encourage the creativity of the participants, raise their self-esteem, improve family relationships, develop social and communication skills, develop concentration, artistic sense and, lastly, to get acquainted with the origins and features of Ebru art. The project is an initiative of Meda Project and is realized in collaboration with Pabradė Ryto Gymnasium.

Organizations and educational institutions working in the field of family well-being gathered in a community forum to discuss family sustainability and well-being. The forum is reported to have attracted a great deal of interest, with more than fifty organizations and institutions participating. The guiding concept of the event was a holistic concept of the family, which integrates not only the material but also the spiritual well-being of the family, thus giving impetus to the search for new forms of focus and support for families. The forum was organized by Klaipėda City Family Center in cooperation with the City Municipality Interinstitutional Cooperation Group.

The National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries (NKIKIA) implemented the project “Cultural Impact and Communication Opportunities”, which aimed to increase the awareness of the importance of culture in Lithuanian society. As NKIKIA noticed that there is a great lack of awareness in Lithuanian society about the value created by culture for the country's economy, health care system and education, with this project it sought to raise the prestige of creative activity and increase the perception of added value in society. During the project, NKIKIA prepared guidelines for a cultural value communication strategy for Lithuanian culture and art creators, initiated discussions with representatives of Lithuanian cultural and art organizations and associations with Lithuanian politicians, and brought together intersectoral working groups of experts in the creative and cultural industries.

It brings together two existing projects: Educircation - a network of seven countries organising trainings for social circus; and Wires Crossed - a large scale funambulism project coordinated by Galway Community Circus (GCC). The Educircation project gives circus facilitators from the participating organisations an opportunity to develop their professional skills and competences through workshops in circus practice (including juggling, percussion, parkour). These skills will then be passed to thousands of students attending classes of the partner organisations.
Through the Wires Crossed project, GCC have been involved in the production of the world's first methodologies for using funambulism (wire-waling using a balancing pole) and FunLine (a more accessible practice that combines funambulism and slackline) as innovative techniques to promote positive wellbeing in people of all ages and abilities. Funambulism is an activity that is surprisingly accessible, while also a powerful mindfulness tool that supports the development of focus, self-belief and courage. GCC have been working with the European Funambulism Network and Europe's leading experts in funambulism and pedagogy to create an innovative training-for-trainers programme and teaching methodology in this technique. 'GCC meets Educircation' will allow youth and social circus tutors from the Partner Organisations to learn about this powerful new methodology, and how to use it within the future work of both themselves and their partner organisations,

The NEFELE Festival, the first European Mental Health and Arts Festival, was an impressive collection of mental health themed art events with 600 artistic participants from 23 countries. It was a small-scale European cooperation project aiming to strengthen all kinds of artistic creation connected with the field of mental health with the goal of broadening the cultural activities for the benefit of artists and enriching therapeutic procedures for the benefit of patients and society as a whole. NEFELE project is the first step towards the establishment of a European Network of Art Festivals on Mental Health.
The project had its focus in the following, prioritised, objectives:
- Organisation of the first European pilot Art Festival for Mental Health in Athens, in October 2016.
- Establishment of the European Network Art Festival for Mental Health and organising its Founding Congress in Athens, in January 2017.
- Support of four (4) local festivals organized by the project partners in their countries
- Development of tools for the professional support of the artists
- Networking and promoting the idea of the art festival that focuses on mental health throughout the EU

The project mapped and researched how museums, galleries and cultural institutions across Europe can engage with an audience beyond the traditional means of outreach a) how to reach the marginalised; b) investigating the link between cultural/ social participation and health (well being); c) how to include volunteers from non traditional groups.
The project looked at how best to work with groups that are often overlooked in outreach, inclusion and volunteering opportunities, including: Disabled people (physical disability,mental health issues, HIV), Elderly people, Working class, Ethnic minorities, Families, Homeless people.

Medical clowns created the Radio Clown project with the aim of expanding the artistic offer and entertaining the residents of nursing homes, even when the clowns cannot be with them physically. The radio shows are full of stories, cheerful and instructive songs of all genres and moods, recipes for really tasty goodies, riddles and the solutions, and especially a friendly atmosphere.

The medical clowns go on a tour full of laughter every year. The geriatric wards of hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the Czech Republic and Moravia come to life in an extraordinary atmosphere. The tour is well received by the medical staff and by the patients.

‘Wires Crossed – Mind Your Balance’ is the 3rd phase in the development of an innovative educational programme designed to promote positive physical and mental well-being and social inclusion through the art of funambulism (tightwire walking with a balancing pole). This inclusive programme aims to empower young people from all walks of life to improve their wellbeing; support them to build social, personal and life skills; increase empathy for themselves and others; become active members of society; feel more connected to their peers both locally and across Europe; and promote inter-cultural dialogue, tolerance and diversity. ‘Wires Crossed – Mind Your Balance’ is a training-for-trainers programme in using funambulism to reach, engage and support young people with mental health difficulties. The project came from the need to address the youth mental health crisis across Europe by providing an inclusive, safe and engaging outlet for young people to take part in physical and creative activities that enhance their wellbeing.
The project aimed to:
• address the need to increase the number of youth educators equipped to work with vulnerable young people
• develop skills and competences of youth circus educators in the field of youth mental health
• promote funambulism and circus arts as innovative educational tools to support the personal and social development of vulnerable young people
• develop high-quality methodologies for using funambulism as a way to support and increase wellbeing in young people, and for these to be widely-used across the European youth and social circus sector and beyond

The project created innovative pedagogical methods in the field of trauma release, using the the circus pedagogical tool of high-wire walking. Its aim was to train youth workers combining circus pedagogy and modern therapy methods towards trauma release. According to the project partners, circus pedagogy has a huge potential to support the trauma release process with children and youngsters based on their physical activities, which the project explored with the support of professionals. “Funambulisme”, the high wire walking with a balancing pole, had been the main tool in the project to develop the competences of the youth workers. The main objective of our project was to bring together knowledge from psycho-social empowerment and circus pedagogy to develop a new approach on using Funabulism as a tool for youth work, with the specific focus on trauma release. To show its potential for integration and empowerment of young people with the special needs, in particular young refugees.