Art and music in Comenius Project- multilateral school partnership 2013-2015

A project of innovative ideas and methods on using arts in pre-school and school education for European citizenship and European identity formation.

Thursday, 5 September 2013

THE PROJECT

Creativity, imagination and innovation are 21st-century skills that all learning  will need to be successful.
"Music of art and art of music" consists in promoting in European schools children, the active exploration of various techniques of artistic expression and communication, to be able to feel all the different sensations that this experience gives them, with  without following any guide lines previously prepared, or with the aim to realize a precise work of art.
The innovations consist in promoting and using the experimental activity “play and do” (Munari).
Our strategy: “One upon a time, in Europe there was Little Chameleon. Its life was not very exciting until the day it discovered it could change not only its colour but its shape and size: one day he went to a museum "Music of art and art of music". Listening to different music styles, it admired different artistic works (Modern, Contemporary and Impressionist) and it .......”
Creative pupils need creative teaching:  particularly for young students, the project will provide opportunities for self-discovery, creative expression, and problem solving (helping the little chameleon). In this project the arts (music and the visual art), an infinite and unconditional field, will help all children to be free to express themselves without physical, social or attitudinal barriers.
We will generate a blog of project (a bank of innovative ideas and methods on using arts in pre- and school education for European citizenship and European identity formation), booklets for pupils, a manual for teachers and  an "EuKids-art museum" (exhibition space), the newest way to celebrate creativity in the schools and in our communities and get families involved in art education.

There will be cooperation with local artists.


We are living in times of unprecedented change. The globalization, the powerful dynamics of commercial pressure directed particularly at young people, and the increasing interaction between traditional, ethnic, religious and national communities are all creating a cultural climate of immense complexity.  In Paris on 3 November 1999 the UNESCO Director General made an appeal for 'the promotion of arts education and creativity at school as part of the construction of a culture of peace'.
Arts Education is a universal human right, for all learners, including those who are often excluded from education, such as immigrants, cultural minority groups, and children with disabilities. Art is the universal language that has the ability to unite all people, all children. Our schools partners are endowed with a vast repertoire of skills, experiences and needs (geographic location, immigrant pupils with a migratory background, with disability...).
In this project ARTS EDUCATION CAN produce positive learning outcomes, such as creating positive attitudes to learning, developing a greater sense of personal and cultural identity, and fostering more creative and imaginative ways of thinking in young European children. "Music of art and art of music" promotes equality and contributes to combating all forms of discrimination.
Arts-based processes allow all children the opportunity to express their knowledge, ideas and feelings in ways that do not necessarily involve words. Images and music are the language of the psyche: young children will enjoy “drawing” a melody in a paper or in the air, they will “see” colours in the music they hear. They are capable of understanding simple rhythms in music and will see how rhythms can be expressed in art work. Music can certainly inspire young children to express their ideas in a work of art.
In this project Little Chameleon Mascot, the characteristic figure, will helps the pupils to reflect on the importance of differences, on different ways of doing art  discovering Miro's Language of signs and symbols, the  Picasso's cubism style, drawing with texture observing the art of Vincent van Gogh or with the style of pointillism  of French artist Georges Seurat,  or with the vibrant use of colour of Monet's impressionistic style. They will create Mondrian-type balanced compositions and will use  colour and shape  as Henri Matisse or oil pastels to create enchanted villages in the Chagall style.
The music will serve as inspiration for many of their  abstractions.  The student "artists" will both hear and see the connection as they enjoy his fanciful imagination.   They will paint the Celtic or classical music  - relates to impressionism; "Cool" Jazz relates to abstract art; disco music - relates to the cubism style.
The children will create narratives about artworks and drama. We will invite  artists, musicians, poets, and dancers in our workshops stimulating  creativity and creative work at schools and in our communities.
At the end of project our children will love diversity: diversity is colours, shapes, music, diversity is art.......
During this partnership the teachers will compare the educational systems and methodologies, exchange experience, ideas, lesson plans and try to discover new educational opportunities by computer,  blog of project and meetings.
We will motivate parents, representatives of local authorities, media and other organizations to render assistance and empathy for accomplishment of the goals of the project. We will advertise and spread the results of the project activities by organizing meetings and workshops for parents, pedagogues and local institutions.
Information about the essence and the progress of the project will be disseminated by partners through local, regional and national  media, press, radio, TV, pedagogic forums and through Blog of project., ensuring the visibility of the project at local/regional level, but also at national/international level.
"EuKids-art museum" in our schools (but we will propose to local governments a permanent gallery of children's art) will expose the beautiful art made by children in this European partnership, opened to other schools, associations and young artists, to other European countries and the project will continue...