Name of the project: STAR (STreet ARt for Social Inclusion)
Duration: 1. 11. 2019 – 31. 10. 2022 (36 months)
Funding: Europe for Citizens – Democratic engagement and civic participation, Network of Towns
EPMA‘s role: Partner
About
The project is creating a network with a common strategy promoting social inclusion and decreasing marginalization by rehabilitation of depressed and abandoned areas of European cities through street art.
It specifically aims at:
- increasing citizens’ participation and solidarity;
- connecting people of different backgrounds and cultures;
- regenerating depressed and abandoned areas resulting in decreased marginalization;
- public awareness raising activities to prevent discrimination and intolerance.
Nowadays European cities face a number of issues including fragmentation, stigmatization of various groups and social exclusion. The systemic meltdown of late 2000s as well as the European
migrant crisis and other societal issues, lead to degradation of certain areas in many cities, and the consequential marginalization of groups of people living there. These processes pose a threat to the well-being of people and to the sustainable development of cities in the EU. Therefore, there is a growing need for systematic actions towards urban regeneration and promotion of inclusion, active citizenship, and the sense of community among people. Societal and intercultural engagement is essential to ensure positive changes at local and international levels. An efficient tool for achieving this target is street art.
Street art is seen by the consortium as a form of social expression, which allows engagement of communities and the regeneration of neighborhoods; it can increase local identity, mutual understanding and solidarity. In addition, the development of an emotional connection to public areas through collective activities will contribute to the increase in citizens’ sense of belonging to these public places, whilst facilitating their sustainable use. Street art will be realized in cooperation with citizens, artists, migrants, schools and local organizations.
Activities
3 participatory events were locally implemented in the 13 STAR project countries:
Local path 1: Identification of target places for urban regeneration
Partners carried out a participative investigation involving citizens to understand which areas of their towns are considered the least attractive by their citizens, thus selecting the place where to realise the mural. Opinions of the inhabitants were mainly collected by online surveys due to covid-19 – related restrictions, forums, interviews, workshops etc.
Local path 2: raising awareness among children on importance of social inclusion through art
Each partner collaborated with local actors (schools) and volunteers to organise 1 awareness-raising workshop for youth on social inclusion and the power of art (including street art) for promoting it. Through drawings and paintings, young citizens reflected on social inclusion values at the base of the EU culture, sharing with the artist inspiration for mural ideas .
Local path 3: workshops on urban regeneration
Each partner implemented 1 local workshop led by a street artist and resulted in the creation of the mural inspired by youth in the public space identified by citizens in the local path 1. This contributed to promoting active citizenship and the sense of local identity.
Partners
- Municipality of Arcugnano (IT) – Lead partner
- Town Council of Beato/Lisbona (PT)
- Directorate for Culture, Youth and Sport – Peja (XZ)
- Stichting Street Art Museum Amsterdam (NL)
- Municipality of Trebnje (SLO)
- Pargaujas novada pasvaldiba (LV)
- Municipality of Vlore (AL)
- Municipality of Mioveni (RO)
- EPMA (CZ)
- Municipality of Bydgoszcz (PL)
- Grad Mostar (BiH)
- kitev – Kultur im Turm – Oberhausen (DE)
- City of Zaječar (RS)
- Municipality of Reggio Emilia (IT)
- European Association for Local Democracy (FR)
Take a look at the Info template of «STAR – STreet ARt» project, funded with the support of the European Union under the Programme “Europe for Citizens”
STAR INFO TEMPLATE