Partners and Supporters:
Mercy Corps
Objectives:
- To support and promote cultural activism as a desirable form of social engagement with local communities
- To encourage the use of art to express social challenges and as a means of fostering positive dialogue
- To increase cultural awareness through cultural and artistic events and exhibitions which will introduce the local youth to different cultures and transitions
- To support local amateur artists and encourage artistic aspirations
Description:
Aktiv has identified culture as a key element of its project work. Art has the potential and the ability to bring together people from various marginalized and underrepresented groups and give them a voice through cultural activism. Local artists require the means to both build on and showcase their talent as well as to develop professional contacts. Cultural activism is an important means of artistic and political expression and is in need of development in north Kosovo.
Aktiv created the Aktiv Art Centre in April of 2012 to respond to this need and to organise and promote artistic and cultural projects. Aktiv founded AAC with the support and collaboration of a variety of international partner organisations (Mercy Corps, the Slovak Liaison Office and the German Office in Kosovo) with the goal of supporting and promoting cultural activities, cultural diversity and civic and cultural activism. The individual set of projects offered by AAC are geared towards helping local artists develop and exhibit their talents through exposing them to new and innovative methods and techniques
.
Aktiv Art Centre has mastered the art of juggling many different projects at once. In any given month, the building on Kralja Petra in North Mitrovica will have played host to a wide array of exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances, classes and cultural diversity nights. Large numbers of young people and local citizens have taken advantage of the opportunity to collaborate on various forms of alternative art. Instruction that has been given in the past has ranged from digital photography classes for children to DJ school, and now consists of combined drawing/painting classes, with Aktiv Theatre drama classes commencing in October (registration is still open for this!).
One particular short-term project is “Art Around the Corner.” This takes the form of 1 event per month for a total of 6 months, and is a project that seeks to put the spotlight on lesser known artists from our community. The overall goal of the project is to build on and expand the role of the Aktiv Art Center by encouraging growth in the local community among young people with artistic affiliations in north Kosovo. More specifically, this translates into exhibitions of local artists.
Visit Aktiv Art Centre’s Facebook for updated information on future events and classes.
Results:
- Approximately 100 but at least 50 local artists in north Kosovo (Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic) will be the direct target group and will have:
- Been introduced to new art forms
- A strengthened ability to practice their art through courses and the provision of supplies and materials
- Been provided with the opportunity to exhibit their work to the general public
- The local community (indirect target group, approx.. 500 or more members of the local community) will have:
- Been exposed to new and alternative forms of art
- Participated or cooperated in an art project/
- Been exposed to new and alternative forms of art