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Project/initiative|Iceland, Spain, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Belgium, United Kingdom|Transnational

Social inclusion and well-being through the arts and interdisciplinary practices

Project title

Social inclusion and Well-being through the Arts and Interdisciplinary Practices

Description of initiative

The objective was to develop curricula for a study programme, which will train artists and health workers with an arts background to work with social inclusion in their artistic projects. The goal is to introduce them to art’s abilities to make connections, facilitate well-being, empowerment and strengthen self-confidence. Emphasises will be on training flexible and sensitive artists, capable of relating to advanced ideas and finding new roles in the constant changing society. The project consisted of several activities over a two-year period, offering a collaborative learning community for all art disciplines, with the active participation of academics and students in the field of arts and therapy, and healthcare specialists. Enhancement of personal skills, self-confidence, community engagement, collaboration skills and reflective practice was central elements of all activities. They were in the form of two intensive programmes and a staff development seminar, focusing on reaching out to people suffering the Alzheimer disease and youth at risk of dropping out of school.

Further information on the initiative

Themes: Culture and...

Individual well-being
Community well-being
Mental health
Quality of social relations
Quality of services for specific groups

Keywords

curriculum, artists, health workers, students, social inclusion, art therapy

Target group

Adults | Youth

Cultural field

Other

Budget

€199.801

Timeframe

2018 - 2021

Sources of funding

Erasmus+ Programme of the EU

Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt

The project activities served as a venue for exploring learning approaches developed by an interdisciplinary group of specialists, which have the common ambition of using art as a tool for social inclusion. The group’s development work resulted in curricula for a study programme that provides artists and health workers with an arts background, with opportunities to train and work in a professional environment, presenting creative interdisciplinary learning approaches. See here: https://swaipproject.lhi.is/the-swaip-programme.
This project utilized the positive aspects of working cross-arts and cross-disciplinary, serving as an effective model of how transnational collaboration can function as a tool for curricular innovation. The project's progress and results have been widely disseminated, hopefully making a significant impact on higher education in the fields of arts, social inclusion and well-being in Europe and beyond.

Organizer(s)

Listahaskoli Islands
Iceland
Public / State | Other

Partner(s)

Academy of Fine Art Munich
Germany
Public / State | Culture
Association Europeenne des Conservatoires
Belgium
NGO / Non-profit | Culture
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Finland
Public / State | Other
University of Alicante
Spain
Public / State | Other
University of Hertfordshire
United Kingdom
Public / State | Other
Universidade do Porto
Portugal
Public / State | Other