Art in Politics - Creative Disruption
This project was a dynamic public event in Vienna, focused on art and activism, including presentations, music, quizzes, and art workshops. Drawing inspiration from Pakistani feminist movements, their goal was two-fold: to inspire political art in Austrian protests and stimulate interest in activism. It was an opportunity for cross-cultural learning and alliances between social movements.
Through self-expression and joy as resistance, they aimed to equip Vienna-based activists with tools to integrate art into their protests. The project owners' theory of change posits that empowering activists with creative tools enhances the appeal and effectiveness of movements. The project showed different ways of the protest culture by merging creativity with activism, fostering a politically engaged public and paving the way for meaningful societal change.
Click here to read the detailed report of the project
Project team: Momina Kurshid, Laura Jelinek (Uni Wien), Samuel Kerschbaumer (Uni Wien)
Partnerships for Progress
This project allied open-minded students from diverse backgrounds with homeless people in Vienna, a collaboration led by MUT, an organization that caters to the needs of the homeless and already enjoys their trust. From the beginning, the priority was to create a project that was accessible to everyone who wanted to participate.
After initiating three workshops and two community-building events in this project, they came to the conclusion that achieving a more inclusive society is definitely a process that should include elements of allied social groups, accessibility, empowerment, and bridging the gap to the wider public.
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Project owner: Maike Elsasser
Udvar Festival 2024 - Arló
The Udvar Festival, a music, culture, and arts event, took place in June 2024 for the third time in Arló, a village in Hungary's Borsod-AbaújZemplén county. This report reflects on the festival's success, significance, activities, and impact on the local and broader community.
The third annual Udvar Festival has brought in more people than in the first two years, both in terms of visitors, performers, organizers, and volunteers. The festival is becoming an awaited community event of the year in the eyes of the locals, which is the possible outcome. As we work more closely together with Jelenlét, there will be more possibilities for the adults and children in their programs to get involved in the festival as well. For instance, Jelenlét, this year established a leadership training program for some of their older teenage students, who in the coming years will be the leading workshops for the younger children. Hopefully, in the next edition, we can involve them in the planning process. Moreover, there has been greater interest coming from the employees of Jelenlét and some residents of Arló. They expressed interest in being part of the organizer team from the very first steps, which will result in greater collaboration, and eventually the opportunity to reflect and target the local community needs.
Click here to read the detailed report of the project.
Project team: Panka Ringwald, Vera Riesz