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URBAN JUNGLE | Civic Europe
Arts and cultural activities, Social inclusion

URBAN JUNGLE

Theatre and arts for social solidarity and cultural inclusion

Creators

Who is behind this?

Giulia Aiazzi

Teatro Metropopolare

http://www.metropopolare.it

Italy

Idea

Idea pitch

Our project involves young people in an intense theatrical environment, guided by performing arts professionals. Using laboratories that consent rate on movement, voice, theatrical improvisation and writing skills, we stimulate artistic expression, active participation and build positive self-awareness. The program culminates in a high-level theatrical production, open to the whole city, that demonstrates the positive result of social inclusion and emphasizes our shared sense of democracy.

Where will your project idea take place?

The city Prato, situated in Tuscany, a region in central Italy.

What is the specific societal challenge faced by this region?

The province of Prato has the highest percentage (28%) in central Italy of minors in the lowest socio-economic strata who are by definition culturally disadvantaged. In Tuscany, 16% of minors do not work and do not study. Prato is charachterized by a strong multiculturalism; its has a large Chinese community as well as hosting more than 125 different ethnic nationalities. Prato is at the center of an important trial: how to develop an integrated and democratic society, that has the cohesion to lift all members to a better quality of life. The opportunity is to welcome diversity and build a social fabric based on one’s own rights, and respect for the rights of others.This is the challenge facing our region, and the one that our project is designed to respond to.

Who are you doing it for?

Our target group is the young people who are in the development phase of their personalities, starting by the most vulnerable and fragile members of our society. We are going to present the project in local schools, especially in the suburbs. We want to reach out to teachers who can signal us needy students. At the same time, we involve the families and ethnic communities to which the children belong. We make use of key figures such as cultural mediators and local managers of ethnic community associations, creating a dialogue between their members and our team. From day one, the young people are identified, not as Chinese, Moroccan, Italian or African, but as human actors, involved in the team effort of producing a play.

How do you plan to get there?

The initial phase is dedicated to finding participants, with the collaboration of the Municipality of Prato, local schools and associations. The next step starts an intensive process of socialization aimed at theatrical training. Theater, dance and music are used to guide the participants towards the creation of works - visual, dramaturgical, performative - that will make up the final event.
The project culminates in a high-level theatrical production, open to the whole city. Every phase of the production is documented by professional video producers and still photographers, ensuring a high quality historical record of the program. The project’s main goals are always kept in sight: social integration in search of a personal and shared contribution.

What are the expected results?

By approving this project, it increases the public’s interest in cultural events, it embraces a new audience of young people. It encourages the direct involvement of this city’s most forgotten citizens, their families and their communities. It increases the attendance at our public libraries, our city’s theaters and museums.this project enhances city of Prato public image by linking it with the virtuous intentions of the production : social inclusion, the participation of our city’s youth, training future talent, and building bridges between this city’s public administration, it’s performing artists, and it’s citizens.

How does your idea strengthen active citizenship at a local and community level?

Our aim is to remove the social and cultural obstacles that prevent young people from exploiting their inherent talent and skills, by using the tools of participation and inclusion. Educational poverty hinders the conquest of active citizenship and causes serious repercussions on the needs of self-realisation and social recognition. It is a well established fact, that art and the theatre have a powerful therapeutic effect. Our project offers Prato’s young people a sense of inclusion, giving them the opportunity to explore their inherent talent and experience their feelings. Our techniqus use tried and true theatrical activities, that develop the social tools and self-awareness needed to become members of a community.

Why is this idea important to you?

Gianni Rodari (Italian children’s author) wrote a volume entitled "The Grammar of Fantasy" in which he stressed the importance of imagination within education. He concluded by saying that the motto of his work could be “All of us are allowed to use all the world’s words”, and that there was nothing more democratic, "not because everyone is an artist, but because no one is a slave”. We think that this last phrase best describe our intent: discovering a new path of education, guiding the young people towards a new awareness of themselves as European citizens with a positive role in their society’s future. We introduce the possibility of other worlds and other types of relations. We celebrate diversity, and the opportunity that each one of us can be a positive agent for change.

€ 50000,-

Total budget

€ 45000,-

Funding requested from Civic Europe

Major expenses

Personnel (project team and theatre, music, dance trainers) 27000€
Technical personnel 2000€
Organization 5000€
Travel and Accommodation 2000€
Communication and Promotion 3000€
Photo and Video 5000€
Administration 2000€
Technical Equipment (Rent) 2000€
Scenes and Costumes 2000€

Metropopolare enjoys a long relationship of co-financing with our local public Administration.

What do you need from the Civic Europe community?

We are interested in collecting feedback on our projects and proposals: their feasibility, validity, and relevance. What do you think are the strong points? What can be changed to improve our effectiveness? Do you know of similar projects in Europe from which we can benefit by learning more?

Team

Associazione Metropopolare

Idea created on May 26, 2020
Last edit on May 27, 2020

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