The project in a few words
As humans, our relationship with our environment is crucial to our lives. Although it is often not acknowledged within our current social and economic systems, our survival depends on the health of the natural world around us, and when nature enjoys a good relationship with us, we benefit greatly from the gifts it gives us – clean air, nutritious food and relaxing ambience.
However, too often we take too much of what nature offers us, or we destroy and pollute natural habitats, causing problems for ourselves and other earthlings. Our relationship with the environment is unbalanced and we don’t respect nature as being something much more than the things we take from it.
Art and Nature
In this youth exchange, we want to work with young people to address this problem by connecting with the environment through making art and music in and about it. Through exploring our connection with nature creatively and irrationally, we believe we can change hearts and minds and raise awareness about protecting natural spaces.
Through taking inspiration, sounds, images and materials from the natural world around us, we will ask what it means to exploit and objectify our environment but also what it means to live in harmony with nature. The overall aim is to look at how we look at nature – to look at the looking glass – to explore that relationship and play with it through art.
During the project participants will:
- Learn concrete skills in making art and music
- Gain experience in new artistic and musical methods
- Spend time in nature, and reflect on our relationship with it
- Get to meet other young people in an international environment
- Practice working and living together with other young people
Main Objectives
During the exchange, we would like that the participants achieve the following goals:
- learn from each other about environmental problems and solutions in other countries;
- reflect on their own relationship with the environment on a personal level;
- gain a new perspective on their impact on environment;
- develop new skills in making music and/or art;
- produce works (and present them to peers);
- produce work that thematically explores nature and our relationship with it;
- gain inspiration and confidence for producing and presenting future work.
Who can apply?
Youngsters (18-30 years old) that…
- … interested in making music or art and eager to actively participate. (If you are already experienced, skilled musicians or artists, that’s great, but prior experience is not required.)
- … Speak some basic English. (It will help you to follow the program. If needed you can be supported by another participant of your national team.)
- … Are residing in Germany.
- … We encourage the participation of participants with fewer opportunities. (Participants with fewer opportunities will be prioritized.)
Hosting Organisation
The Lojtra Association, founded in 2014, is a young and dedicated organization for young people. They divide their work into two pillars: #YouthWork and #SustainableDevelopment. These topics are at the heart of various activities carried out locally and internationally. In the field of youth work, their main goal is to support and encourage young people to become active members of their own local communities, to identify and actively address their needs and interests, and to take full responsibility for their own actions. In the field of sustainable development, their main goal is to co-create a community that lives more in harmony with nature and is aware of its limitations. In addition, they want to expand the potential of the natural environment in supporting the learning processes of young and old.
