The Major Issues of Empowering Children and Young People through Arts and Culture

For its third professional meeting, the Sommer Foundation, currently in a phase of growth, is offering a day of discussions organized around two key highlights.

In the morning, we invite you to join us for a discussion on the observations the Foundation has made regarding cultural and artistic projects offered to children and young people through the initiatives it supports.

Aware of the challenges that project leaders have faced, the Sommer Foundation regularly questions and adjusts, when necessary, its way of working. In the participatory cultural projects for children and young people that it supports, it has identified the following issues:

• The gap between the volume of cultural educational offerings and the availability of young audiences within formal and non-formal educational institutions or cultural settings.
• The proliferation of artistic projects targeting vulnerable audiences that take place without coordination of practices or sharing of results.

This observation of a heterogeneous and dispersed development of participatory artistic activities for young audiences raises questions about the responsibility of a Foundation that funds projects. Indeed, it is our duty to design financial support that makes sense within the ecosystem in which we operate, at the intersection of culture, education, and social issues, and that, in all cases, does not encourage an exponential production of initiatives.

In the morning, we will revisit 1) the observations, insights, and lessons learned from our experience gained through the annual calls for projects; 2) our new method to achieve a greater and more sustainable impact through projects. Finally, 3) we will present the results and suggestions for improvement regarding the generalization of the artist residency program in schools, which aims to provide an artistic and cultural education response to the previously mentioned challenges.

On this last point, we will hear testimonials from various stakeholders involved in the program.

In the afternoon, we are offering for the first time discussions in the form of workshops for those who want to share their experiences and contribute to the search for collective solutions. Drawing on its experiences, questions, and initial proposals, the Sommer Foundation aims to go further by listening to and reflecting with field actors. It is under this sole condition that it envisions its actions for a sustainable and structuring impact.

The theme chosen for the workshops is: “Projects for Young People: How to Design a Relevant, Impactful, Ecological, and Sustainable Cultural and Artistic Action?”

45 places are available.

We will discuss, in particular, the following three axes:

• Group 1: Access and Engagement Methods for Target Audiences
• Group 2: Role and Challenges of Artists and Cultural Mediators in Educational or Social Settings
• Group 3: Structural Impact and Sustainability of Projects

The day is aimed at different audiences, as diverse perspectives are what enable progress.

You are artists, professionals in formal or non-formal education, culture, the social sector, or members of intercultural non-profit organizations; you are welcome to this day of sharing experiences, reflection, and solution-seeking.

Important information
Wednesday, November 27, 2024, from 10 AM to 4:30 PM.
Vauban, Ecole et Lycée Français de Luxembourg | 1-3, rue Albert Einstein, L-1484 Luxembourg, Room “Confluences” (Event Centre Entrance)
In French

Registration
Please register for the morning session, lunch, and/or the workshops using the form at the bottom page. The spots for the three workshops are limited to 45 participants.

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PROGRAMME

9h30 – Accueil café
10h – Mots de bienvenue de Vauban, Ecole et Lycée français de Luxembourg et de Laura Graser, Présidente de la Fondation Sommer
10h15 – Introduction par Sandrine Guivarch, Directrice de la Fondation Sommer

10h25 – Séance 1 : Veronika Meindl, Coordinatrice de projets de la Fondation Sommer
La Fondation Sommer : un observatoire de projets participatifs pour les enfants et les jeunes – enseignement et leçons.

10h45 – Séance 2 :  Sandrine Guivarch, Directrice de la Fondation Sommer
Réflexion sur la durabilité des projets.

Discussion avec la salle

11h15 – Séance 3 : Sandrine Guivarch et Jesabel Mobley, Assistante de projets de la Fondation Sommer
Les RAMS : un dispositif d’Education artistique et culturelle homologué par le ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse et le ministère de la Culture – Concept, témoignages, évaluation et pistes d’amélioration.

Interventions du Script et d’artistes en résidence.

Discussion avec la salle

12h15 à 13h30 – Pause déjeuner

13h30 – Accueil café

14h à 16h – Ateliers sur le thème Projets pour les jeunes : comment concevoir une action culturelle et artistique pertinente, impactante, pérenne et écologique ?

45 places sont disponibles.
On discutera notamment autour des 3 axes suivants

• Groupe 1 : Modes d’accès et d’engagement des publics cibles
• Groupe 2 : Rôle et défis des artistes et médiateurs culturels en milieu éducatif ou social
• Groupe 3 : Impact structurel et durabilité des projets

16h – Conclusions des ateliers et de la journée

16h30 – Fin