The project is aiming to implement the priority “Audience Development” with a particular focus on children and on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The strategy of the project in order to engage them to experience, enjoy and value art and culture is to develop participatory theatre performances on issues very important for the healthy development of every child, the issues stemming from the Convention of the Rights of the Children. Children from vulnerable groups (and especially children from immigrant/ minority background) have very rarely the chance to experience, enjoy and value arts and culture. In the same time, they are the target group, which is more at risk related with the violation of their rights. The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Children is a very important document related with the protection of these rights, however in many cases the awareness about it is low.

The use of theatre and the focus on the Convention of the Rights of the Child serves on the same time two purposes:

1. encourages children to reflect on their rights and share their experiences and stories – this will contribute to the raise of the awareness of their rights, which includes also the right to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities (article 31)
2. it brings these children in direct contact with theatre and the arts

The project is realised by:

Coordinators: Dana Račková, Anna Kolláth
Workshops: Karolina Zajdel
Scenario, PR, educational activities: Petr Dlouhý

PROGRAM DESCTRIPTION:

In the project, children are going to be involved in every phase of the project.

1. WORKSHOPS – In the preparatory phase, workshops are going to be organised with these children in order to engage them actively in the project and allow them, to express themselves and exchange ideas and stories. The Network for the Rights of Children, a specialised organisation that works in the field of the promotion of the Convention of the Rights of Children is recruited in the project in order to coordinate the organisation of these workshops and transfer its expertise to the theatre organisations that are participating.

2. SCENARIOS AND REHEARSAL PROCESS – Based on the results of these workshops, the scenarios are going to be developed. In the implementation phase, the performances are going to have a participatory nature, so children will be involved actively in the whole performance.

3. PERFORMANCES – audience development is going to be made through the organisation of the performance in schools and places where there are many disadvantaged children.

4. INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2020 – The Children Rights festival in Greece is going to be organised with the support of many local community organisations working with these children.

5. OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES – The project is addressing also the priority related with training and education since e-learning courses are going to be organised in order to develop the capacity of artistic organisations all over Europe on working on the use of theatre for the promotion of the convention for the rights of children. There is going to be an open call all over Europe and the courses are going to be organised in English.