To kick off the Art & Well-being (AWE) project, representatives of the four initiating organisations have met for a working meeting in Milan, Italy on 16-17 December 2019. AWE is a pilot project that aims to develop new processes, activities and networks to support cultural institutions in partnering with stakeholders like municipalities, care centres, and urban planners across Europe to create new innovative projects, engage new audiences, and raise awareness on the challenges that urban dwelling and a fast paced contemporary life pose to the physical, emotional and mental health.
The meeting was hosted at the IULM University in Milan, by prof. Pier Luigi Sacco, Professor of Cultural Economics at IULM University in Milan and Director of the IRVAPP centre of the Bruno Kessler Foundation. Participants included Rarița Zbranca – Programme Director, Cluj Cultural Centre, Claudia Cacovean – Project Coordinator, Cluj Cultural Centre, Ann Geeraerts, Exhibition Manager / assistant curator at BOZAR, Belgium and Jure Kirbiš, Curator Umetnostna galerija Maribor / Maribor Art Gallery, Slovenia, too.
During this first meeting, project partners introduced their previous work in the areas explored by AWE, shared their visions and aspirations for the project and discussed about existing research and artistic endeavors on art, health and well-being. The main focus of the meeting was on discussing and preparing the implementation of the AWE project: revisiting the project proposal, detailing the activities and updating its work plan, agreeing on cooperation and management flows and tools. Conversations on the artistic approach of the project and its research objectives also took place.
Art & Well-being is a project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union which explores the connection between arts & well-being. The project is implemented by the Cluj Cultural Centre (Romania, lead partner), BOZAR – Center for Fine Arts Brussels (Belgium), UGM | Maribor Art Gallery (Slovenia) and Bruno Kessler Foundation (Italy).
