“Zempia, pile ou face”, an Afro-contemporary choreographic and musical production, brought together professional dancers and students from the EIMAB (Anne Beffort International School) and EIDE (International School of Differdange and Esch-sur-Alzette) high schools. Through educational workshops and five performances, the students explored the theme of resilience through dance and music. The project, organized by the asbl AlterCadence primarily addressed injustice, trauma, and the transformation of negative emotions into positive strength. It was a unique collective experience that gave the students the confidence to transition from participants to performers on stage.

A Response to real-life Circumstances

For several years, Fondation Sommer has supported the non-profit organisation Social Impact Development Centre (SIDEC) in developing projects for children and young people living in care homes in Differdange. Through various artistic, cultural, and educational workshops organised within these facilities, it gradually became clear that, while these activities met a genuine need, they were no longer sufficient. The young people needed a place of their own — a space where they could share experiences outside the daily routine of the care homes.

Guided by this realisation and driven by Dr Annie Flore Madé, the founder and strategic director of SIDEC, the ‘Strong Community, Bright Future‘ initiative was established: a dedicated space for children and young people in care homes, situated at 5 Avenue de la Liberté in Differdange.

A long-term Support

For the Fondation Sommer, supporting a project is about more than just funding it. For several months now, the Foundation has been supporting SIDEC with a comprehensive approach to the first floor of the venue, which is dedicated to cultural and creative activities: rent, coordination, an educator position, and artistic contributors.

In addition to this financial support, the Foundation’s team has worked alongside Dr Annie Flore Madé on the very design of the project: reflecting on the programme, defining the workshops offered, and ensuring these are aligned with the needs identified on the field. This support is built up over time, through regular discussions and visits, and extends to a shared reflection on the project’s strategic vision and on partnerships likely to enrich it. It is this close involvement that enables the Foundation to play a role that goes beyond that of a funder: that of a partner in the development of the project.

Creative Workshops led by Committed Artists

The first floor of the venue now hosts creative workshops led by artists whom the Sommer Foundation has helped to connect with SIDEC:

• Léa Valet, for linocut workshops;
• Luisa Maria Stagno, for photography workshops.

The programme will soon be expanded to include theatre workshops led by Raffaela d’Angelo, from the Artemysia Theatre company, as well as music workshops offered with the support of the Fondation EME.

A new Milestone: the Social Impact Community Hub

Building on this momentum, SIDEC has taken the next step by renting the ground floor of the same building to create a hub dedicated to welcoming families from the care centres, providing a space for connection and interaction.

The Social Impact Community Hub was officially opened on 17 July 2026. It demonstrates how a grassroots initiative, supported in the long term, can evolve to provide an ever more comprehensive service to children, young people and their families.

Through the ‘Strong Community, Bright Future’ initiative, the Fondation Sommer is reconnecting with the driving force behind its commitment: the belief that every child and young person has untapped potential, which can be realised if they are given the opportunity to express it. By supporting SIDEC in ways that go beyond mere funding, the Foundation is placing its faith in the idea that a space designed with and for the young people involved, nourished by artistic creation and driven by a shared vision, can become a genuine stepping stone to the future.

Artelier is a project conceived and organized by the youth collective F.O.M.O. (Friends Who Organize Magical Occasions), in partnership with Stayfou asbl. Held on January 24, 2026, at Les Rotondes under the theme “Rediscovering Winter’s Beauty,” the event offered a warm and inspiring day featuring a variety of creative workshops. Designed by young people for young people, the project aimed to make local culture more accessible, highlight local artists and initiatives, and strengthen community ties during the winter months. The program was a huge success: more than 190 participants took part in the event. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and enthusiasm generated by this open and participatory format have confirmed the value of this initiative, which fully demonstrates young people’s ability to conceive and carry out ambitious and unifying cultural projects.

To mark the 10th anniversary of Reboredo’s Music School in Differdange, its founder, João Reboredo, led an artistic and educational project that brought together 40 students around the story of a little boy who dreamed of starting a music school. With the guidance of five educators, the young participants were involved in every stage of the creative process, from writing the lyrics to creating the illustrations, as well as rehearsing and recording the songs performed during music classes. This collaborative project resulted in the publication of an illustrated book and a CD, which serve as lasting testimonies to the experience. The project served as a powerful vehicle for self-expression, inclusion, and personal growth. Beyond its artistic success, this initiative underscored the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in school-based cultural projects. The very positive feedback from participants, who are eager to continue recording new songs and creating new stories, demonstrates lasting motivation and a real commitment to collective artistic practice.

This project, led by the non-profit organization Club Créatif pour Jeunes Actifs, aimed to bring together eight young participants aged 16 to 25 to create three short films. From brainstorming and scriptwriting to acting in front of the camera, the participants were involved in every stage of the project.

Following the workshops and filming, a screening was held at Cercle Cité, giving the participants the opportunity to walk the red carpet and proudly present the culmination of several months of work.

“Whatever It Takes” is the result of an intercultural, youth-led creative journey, created in partnership with Luxembourgish artist Matthew Philip De Cae.

Young people aged 12 to 26, from diverse cultural backgrounds, took the lead in designing, directing, and performing the official video. The song — written and performed in 110 languages — celebrates self-confidence, identity, and perseverance. This project gave young talents the chance to drive the full creative process, expressing themselves through music, movement, and video. More than a video, it’s a celebration of collaboration across cultures and a testament to the power of creativity, unity, and resilience: http://bit.ly/3Q8YXjU

“Bäerbelendag mat de Kanner” is a school-based and intergenerational project by the National Centre for Industrial Culture (CNCI), which enabled primary school pupils from Esch-sur-Alzette to discover the traditions of Saint Barbara as well as Luxembourg’s mining heritage.

From 24 November to 3 December 2025, creative and educational workshops introduced children to the meaning and symbols of this celebration, ahead of their participation in the procession held on 4 December in the streets of the city. By engaging with the history and symbolism of Saint Barbara through various artistic practices, the children were able to express their ideas, make creative choices, and give meaning to a national tradition that is often little known. Discussions sometimes arose from their observations and questions. The story of Saint Barbara also provided an opportunity to address contemporary themes such as youth empowerment, freedom of thought, and the development of critical thinking.

The project thus fostered cultural transmission and strengthened intergenerational ties around this tradition, which has been included since 30 November 2022 in the national inventory of intangible cultural heritage under the category of social practices.

The multidisciplinary project based on Maurice Ravel’s opera “L’Enfant et les sortilèges” brought together students, teachers, professional artists, and local partners in an ambitious artistic creation blending music, theater, and dance. Led by the Conservatoire du Nord in collaboration with the Centre des Arts Pluriels, this educational and cultural project aimed to make opera accessible to all while promoting inclusion and professional development for the participants.

Three public performances, including one for schools, reached a wide audience, with the participation of students aged 8 to 65. Guided by performing arts professionals, the young artists experienced the realities of stage production and developed essential artistic and interpersonal skills.

As part of the project ‘Forgotten Victims – What Now?’, students from ENAD (National School for Adults) carried out an interdisciplinary theatre project in collaboration with their teacher and professional artists under the direction of theatre educator Laetitia Lang.

The project is based on an in-depth reflection on the ‘forgotten victims’ of Nazism, highlighting groups that have long been marginalised: homosexuals, people of non-Christian faiths, Sinti and Roma, black people, and people living on the streets.

The students designed the play largely independently: writing the texts, creating the scenes, and recording the sound. Their work combined historical research with reflection on current societal issues.

Through a collective artistic approach, the project aimed to raise awareness of human rights, historical memory and social responsibility. It took the form of a play, which revealed the progress made by the students in their creative and research process.

Since 2022, the Sommer Foundation has been supporting the artistic approach developed by photographer Cristina Nuñez, particularly in relation to young people. Through the project “The Self-Portrait Experience (SPEX)” and subsequently the “EMoSEE” initiative, she has provided secondary school teachers and educators with methods and tools to work with pupils on their relationship with images, with themselves and with others. By prioritising the self-portrait over the selfie—which fosters a distorted view of identity through the use of filters and the rejection of images that do not conform to certain standards of beauty or happiness—she has worked with teenagers on the concept of self-acceptance. At an age when one’s view of oneself is particularly challenging, she trains practitioners in schools and educational settings to support secondary school pupils on this journey towards self-recognition and the recognition of otherness.

Here, the Sommer Foundation has decided to support a new phase of the artist’s project. Although Cristina Nunez has already worked in detention centres in other countries, she had never had the opportunity in Luxembourg to work with young people placed in such facilities by court order. Consequently, she had been considering and discussing the possibility of working at the Dreiborn socio-educational centre for a year.

Developed in collaboration with the institution’s management, this project ran from August to December 2025, with an initial phase in a secure setting (UNISEC) followed by an open setting, requiring significant adjustments to suit the realities on the ground. Whilst the secure setting allowed for strong continuity in the process, the open setting required integration into the school timetable in order to ensure consistent participation.

Through the ‘SPEX’ methodology, the young people were encouraged to work on their self-image through self-portraiture and the creation of an autobiographical book. This artistic process helped to create a space for expressing emotions and supported a shift in how they viewed themselves, within a non-judgemental setting.

The project highlighted several key elements for the Foundation: the importance of time and continuity in complex social contexts, the need to work closely in partnership with teams on the ground, and the ability of an artistic programme to adapt to institutional constraints whilst maintaining its coherence.

It also opens up prospects for development, particularly in terms of training professionals and consolidating the programme over the long term.