How did this grant contribute to the realization of your project in regard to artistic exchange, local cultural development and/or the promotion of cultural diversity?
The Creative Theater Atelier is a project that uses interactive theater and puppetry as a medium, involving difficult youth. The project is designed to assist participants in being lively and active parts in society. The project methodology is based on challenging, encouraging and engaging the participants in the creative process to be active and creative; as well as opening a safe platform where they can express themselves freely. The project also insinuates teamwork and group spirit. The project was built around daily Theater workshops involving youth participants from Lublin. The target group changed due to Warsztaty Kultury priorities, but the project wasn’t deviated. It was enriched with three diverse groups: Children from 4 to 12 years old, Moms, Grandmothers and children, Children from 6 to 12 years old accompanied by their teachers.
Can you elaborate on the learning and knowledge you have gained and shared throughout this experience?
The workshops helped the participants to reach for their creative sides and create their own puppets, scenarios, and subjects they like to talk about and feel free about it. Due to the diversity of the groups and time they spent doing the workshops, each group has gained different theatrical and puppetry skills. The workshop resulted in an inside performance for the different groups. During the first week, the participants took part in ice breaking, team-building, and conflict resolution exercises using theater as a medium. The second week concentrated on improvisations, discussions, and scene creation. The third and fourth weeks focused on producing and manipulating puppets and creating final scenes that were performed internally in the last day. The workshops and the process was videotaped; so that the rushes will be used to produce a short documentary about the residency and will be screened in the simultaneous happening in 2017.
