Cultural Geographies and Libereco are looking for participants in its common international online/offline project “The School of Creative Solidarity” (SCS). The project is a dialogue and art program focused on solidarity and displacement, for activists and artists from 18 to 28 years from Ukraine, Belarus and Germany, taking place simultaneously in Germany and Ukraine.

Graphic: A person holds a large sunflower. The person wears a face mask that makes them look like an activist. Besides the title "The school of creative solidarity", the graphic mentions the project partners and the donors.

In light of the ongoing war escalation in Ukraine, the SCS tries to offer a safe space for participants to exchange their thoughts, experiences, hopes, and wishes through the means of art. The necessity to relocate, especially the double displacement experienced since 2014 by Ukrainians and since 2020 by Belarusians has stimulated the flexibility of solidarity networks. Inviting other members of the European community with similar experiences, we propose to elaborate more on the potential of such networks to sustain and expand, coming up with new methods and strategizing the improvement of the existing ones.

The general questions being asked are: What does solidarity from the distance mean to the local and international communities? How can we balance between experiencing and reflecting, collective action and individual practices, action and coping? How and what can we do to keep solidarity alive, especially in most challenging situations such as political pressure or/and physical war? And most of all: how to speak about the war and war crimes in Ukraine, violence, fear and forced migration? Using different artistic tools shall be a facilitator for social change as well as a coping strategy for participants.

Together with artistic mentors, other professionals in art and activism will be invited to give workshops during the program. Art and human rights experts will share their knowledge and skills practically and theoretically with the participants. Participants will be proposed to join one of the mentored groups:

    • Urban space and activism
    • Critical writing
    • Collective archive
    • Declonialization of memory practices
    • Solidarity and Human Rights

Apply now for the School of Creative Solidarity

After the workshop phase, the participants can determine if, with whom, and in what form they would like to develop their projects further. They will get the chance to be professionally mentored online in developing their art projects in small groups. Depending on the participant’s ideas, their creative outcome can be exhibited in autumn 2022. The format of the final presentation can differ (digital diary, exhibition, performance, video, website, blog, app etc.).

    • The main working language will be English.
    • The participation is free.
    • The program covers the accommodation costs for the participants in Frankfurt (Oder) and Ivano-Frankivsk for the duration of the project, as well as travel and food costs.
    • Find the full call for applications here.

To apply, please fill in this form by 7 July 2022:
https://forms.gle/HCF9jjGMUapi8Vmm8

If you have any questions about the program, contact Sarah Grandke, Project Manager: sarah.grandke@lphr.org

The project is funded under the grant program “MEET UP! Youth for Partnership” by the Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) Foundation and the Federal Foreign Office.