Brussels, 17 may_The European Commission today launched its ‘Art Partner Project’ as part of the ongoing 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.
The project will create ‘duos’ made up of art and design students and individuals experiencing poverty.
NGO representatives working in the poverty arena will play a key role as facilitators, helping to connect the ‘duos’ who will work together. With a central theme of ‘(IN)VISIBLE – When art makes the individuals behind poverty visible’, the ultimate goal of the initiative is to provide those living below the poverty line with a creative means of expression through photographic art.
Creative duos co-producing
The idea of the Art Partner Project, developed by an artistic committee who will also oversee the implementation, is to bring together ‘duos of artists’ consisting of an art student and a person experiencing poverty, with an NGO representative building a bridge between the two.
The role of the NGO is to make the initial introduction and connection between the student and the person experiencing poverty, to facilitate their first meeting, and to maintain contact between them.
The duo of the student and the person experiencing poverty will then conceptualise their ideas in tandem, get behind the camera, be creative, and co-produce their photographs.
Journalists interested will be allowed to follow those artistic duos who agree from their first meeting to the finalisation of their work.
The entry process
Potential entrants have until 6 July to register and until 15 October to upload a maximum of five pictures onto the campaign website: www.2010againstpoverty.eu/artpartnerproject
Exhibitions: virtual and physical
All entries will be published in a virtual exhibition and a sample of fifty photographs will be featured in an open exhibition due to be held in Brussels, Europe’s capital, at the end of November 2010.
(In)visible
Speaking about the project, Loïc Delvaulx, an artistic committee member whose photographic and film making activities concentrate primarily on social, political, and cultural themes said:
‘Almost 84 million Europeans live in risk of poverty. Yet these people are invisible to the vast majority. This project will allow people in precarious circumstances become visible again, without being stigmatised. I urge all young creative souls from across Europe to get involved in this important initiative and to make a real difference through art.’
‘Art can’t eradicate poverty but it can give dignity and confidence back to people and help to create those vital social links that are currently missing for many,’
added Marie-Cecile Renoux of ATD Quart Monde, an organisation that works on behalf of those living below the poverty line.
‘By recognising the fundamental right of a person experiencing poverty to live in dignity – in this case through art – we are taking crucial steps in the right direction.’
About the European Year
The guiding principle of the 2010 European Year is to give voice to the concerns of people who, unfortunately, must endure poverty and social exclusion each and every day.
Through a variety of initiatives, the campaign also aims at inspiring European citizens and other key stakeholders to engage with these important issues.
For more information and the complete project rules, visit:
www.2010againstpoverty.eu/artpartnerproject
Media material: www.2010againstpoverty.eu/press
Press enquiries:
Agence Keep Contact Luxembourg // Ludivine Plessy
Tel: +352 26265868
ludivine.plessy@keepcontact.lu
