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Description
„Inspiration - art for change“ is a multi-genre project, which brings together professional artists from the State Puppet Theatre in Sliven, teachers from schools, which are located in neighbourhoods with predominant Roma population, professional theatre artists from Norway, as well as children and parents from the Roma community. The project includes performances from the programme of the SPTS and the Norwegian partner, which will be presented in front of Roma students, creative workshops, the creation of a puppet theatre performance with the participation of professional actors and children of Roma origin, which is going to be based on a fairy tale by an author from the Roma community, performance tours in the province and nearby provinces, and the shooting of a film, which shows all the phases behind the implementation of the project. The collaboration aims to increase the access to culture to children from the minority group, to develop knowledge and skills on how to create and utilise art, to encourage artistic talents in adolescents, to motivate other artists working within the field of puppet theater to participate in joint activities with children and adolescents from the Roma community in Bulgaria. The project will contribute towards overcoming the isolation of Roma children and their difficult integration into social life, it will motivate a deeper understanding of Roma culture and history, as well as it will introduce viewers and participants outside the Roma community to a different culture, Roma original music and the cultural life of the Roma society. The project aims to popularise Roma culture, to encourage young Roma communities to be actively involved in the creative processes, to improve access to culture to children and their families; to provide support for cooperation between professional actors and Roma children; to encourage bilateral cooperation and exchange of good practices between Bulgaria and Norway with focus on the Roma community.
Summary of project results
The project''s goal was to develop an interest in the arts in the children from the Roma community, and thus laying the foundations for their future integration into society.
The project was divided into several stages: presenting puppet-theatre performances to the children from VI and VIII Primary Schools, conducting workshops in arts - music, dance, acting, puppetry, literature. Creation of a performance with the participation of children from the two schools, the actors of the State Theatre - Sliven and the partners from "Kompani 13" - Norway. In addition the performance was presented on the stage of the State Puppet Theatre Sliven, as well as dissemination of the stage-visual product to other children of the same age in settlements where there is a strong presence of the Roma community. Performances were conducted in the towns of Plovdiv and Kotel, the villages of Gradets and Yagoda, the town of Nova Zagora, as well as in front of the pupils from the VI Primary School "Brothers Miladinovi" and VIII Primary School "Yuri Gagarin", which had great success.
The project team have established excellent working relations with the teachers and the team of the VI Primary School "Brothers Miladinovi" and VIII Primary School "Yuri Gagarin" in the town of Sliven. They won the interest of the children, their trust and friendship. The undeniable result is the children''s increased interest in the arts - they themselves shared their desire to continue singing, dancing, and acting. They had also adapted to a new cultural environment, learned new principles of communication, etc. The rehearsals on stage, as well as the participation in the performances also helped to develop a sense of responsibility, patience, discipline and communication skills, that will facilitate their social integration.
Summary of bilateral results
The communication with the Norwegian partner - the professional private theatre company "Kompany 13" was very easy, interesting and fruitful. We have established excellent working relations with the teachers and the management of the VI Primary School "Brothers Miladinov" and VIII Primary School "Yuri Gagarin" in the town of Sliven.