More information
Description
Negative stereotypes, discrimination, hate speech against vulnerable groups in Bulgaria, ad especially against Roma, LGBTI and refugees, have become a growingly alarming issue. At the same time the NGO sector has low capacity for efficient communication and there is no diversity and creativity of communication approaches to address this issue. The project will first raise knowledge and acceptance of specific vulnerable groups and raise sensitivity and intolerance to hate speech by developing a broad range of efficient communication measures to overcome negative stereotypes towards the vulnerable groups (an omnibus of 5 creative videos and three different innovative creative formats: WESEUM, Inside Out and Sprints, resulting in a series of pop-up museums, public exhibitions and art actions); second, boost the capacity of civil society organizations and activists to create evoking communication products by promoting the strategic use of creative approaches and innovative tactics, organizing a dynamic boot camp and an interactive conference and developing a series of training materials (a guide for visual communication and a series of online publications); third, support communication efforts of organizations and activists by creating a bank of visual materials (posters, illustrations, etc.) about human rights that can be used freely in campaigns and events; finally, attract new communities (artists, cultural professionals) as active supporters in the fight for protection of human rights and against stereotypes towards vulnerable groups . Project beneficiary is the general public and the main target groups are civil society organizations protecting and promoting human rights. The project will also benefit three disadvantaged groups of the public: the Roma, LGBTI and refugees.
Summary of project results
Led by the Fine Acts Foundation, this project sought to boost public support for human rights and counter rising hate speech and intolerance toward vulnerable groups (Roma, LGBTQ+, refugees). It recognized that NGOs in Bulgaria often lacked effective ways to communicate their message. The project’s strategy was to use creative media and art to raise awareness and empathy, while also training civil society groups in modern communication tactics
Key Achievements: Creative Communications produced an array of innovative campaigns and tools that captivated public attention. Notably, Fine Acts worked with five Bulgarian filmmakers to create “Stronger Than Words,” a collection of five short films with no dialogue, each confronting hate speech and prejudice in a visually powerful way. By telling stories without words, these films transcended language barriers and provoked viewers to reflect on bias and empathy. The project also launched a striking photo exhibition called “Stronger than Words,” featuring 54 portraits of people from groups most targeted by hate speech (Roma, LGBTQ+, refugees) smiling defiantly against hate. Displayed publicly in Sofia’s city-center, this black-and-white photo series gave a human face to communities often subjected to slurs, sending a positive message of unity that garnered attention from passersby and media. Another creative output was “WESEUM” (the Museum of Us) – a pop-up museum exhibit co-created with members of marginalized communities. People from Roma, LGBTQ+, and refugee backgrounds contributed personal objects symbolizing what makes them happy or sad, turning their stories into an interactive art installation. Besides these public-facing campaigns, the project organized a dynamic boot camp and an interactive conference to train activists and NGO staff in creative campaigning. It produced a practical guidebook on visual communications and built an online “bank” of free graphics and illustrations that anyone can use in human rights campaigns. It also actively involved artists and designers in human rights causes, forging new partnerships between the art sector and NGOs
The project successfully accomplished all its objectives and generated a variety of creative and communication products by employing diverse and innovative approaches to address negative stereotypes towards vulnerable groups in Bulgaria. The primary methods and tools utilized included:
1. Facilitating cross-disciplinary collaborations to foster socially engaged creative actions, products, and formats that effectively communicate the project''s themes in innovative ways.
2. Actively involving vulnerable groups and their representatives as participants, consultants, and direct users of project outcomes.
3. Integrating diverse communication approaches with a specific emphasis on visual language and elements.
Civil organizations, the primary target group of the project, were directly engaged as participants in the conference and training sessions, as well as consultants in all creative activities, with a particular focus on organizations representing the three main groups affected by hate speech. Additionally, civil organizations were indirectly involved as users of all creative products and free-to-use resources generated during the project.
The project reached a total of 1,505,887 people online.
https://fineacts.co/active-citizens2
https://fineacts.co/creative-comms-campaign
https://fineacts.co/weseum
https://fineacts.co/creative-activist-summit
https://fineacts.co/traditional-values
https://creativeplaybook.org/