Video Recap of Make Art Great Again
Topic
Visual Arts
Activity Dates
06.02 – 12.02.2025
Countries
SK CZ HU PT LT
Location
Peniche, Portugal
A Meeting of Young Creatives in Peniche
In February 2025, the coastal town of Peniche, Portugal, became a hub of creativity as young people from Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic gathered for "Make Art Great Again", an Erasmus+ youth exchange. But this wasn't just an art retreat; it was about using creativity to tackle big societal issues like misinformation, populism, and inclusion.
The exchange was a mix of deep discussions and hands-on artistic exploration. Participants reflected on how art can challenge narratives, encourage critical thinking, and bring communities together.
From Ideas to Artistic Expression
To deepen this reflection, the group welcomed Inês Almeida Mats, known artistically as Out IAM, an illustrator and street artist whose surreal, nature-inspired work explores human behaviour, gender, and social issues. In a short talk, she shared how art in public spaces can provoke thought and foster community engagement.
But rather than just talking about it, they put their ideas into action, experimenting with painting, graffiti, photography, drawing, etc. Everyone, regardless of experience, had the chance to express themselves, learn from others, and step outside their comfort zones.
Leaving a Creative Mark on the Community
One of the highlights of the program was the creation of several murals at the local youth centre in Peniche, in collaboration with Associação Juvenil de Peniche, inspired by the creative brainstorming the participants took part in beforehand. It wasn't just about adding colour to a wall; it was about leaving a lasting message, something the community could connect with and enjoy long after the exchange ended. Working together, the participants turned their artistic skills into a powerful form of storytelling and made a huge impact on the local community. The walls create a more fun and vibrant environment for the children to grow up in.
Art as a Catalyst for Change
As the program came to a close, there was time to reflect on everything they had learned; not just about art, but about themselves, teamwork, social responsibility, and the impact of creativity. The final day was filled with celebrations, laughter, and the exchange of Youthpass certificates, marking the end of an unforgettable experience.
Make Art Great Again proved that art is more than just aesthetics; it's a tool for change, a way to spark conversations, and a bridge between people and ideas. And for those who took part, Peniche will always be the place where they saw that in action.
Results
Some of the cool things we did during this activity:
Painting Murals
As a final project, participants created murals at the local youth centre in collaboration with Associação Juvenil de Peniche. The artworks brought colour and meaning to the space, leaving a lasting mark on the community.
These are the flipcharts and other artworks created during the activity:
Photo Gallery
A few more moments from this activity 🙂
Disseminação
Os nossos participantes organizaram eventos, nas suas comunidades, para disseminação e partilha de resultados, partilhando o conhecimento, as competências e a experiência que obtiveram durante as atividades de mobilidade.
Agualva-Cacém, Portugal, Fev. 2025
Disseminação por Catariana Chaves na Escola Básica S. Marcos Nº1.
Ostrava, República Checa, Fev. 2025
Disseminação por Richard Kosa na Universidade de Ostrava através de posters espalhados pelo campus.
Bartninkai, Lituania, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Pedro Ramalho em Babeckyne, para 45 jovens.
Bratislava, Eslováquia, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Paulina Boleková na Universidade Comenius de Bratislava para 14 amigos.
Zilina, Eslováquia, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Laura Carna e colegas na Escola secundária "Gymnázium Františka z Assisi."
Debrecen, Hungria, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Boglárka Gecso no seu dormitório para 12 amigos.
Holanda, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Laura Katkauskaite, da Lituania, durante um encontro na Holanda.
Trnava, Eslováquia, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Adam Benca para 10 colegas na escola "Stredná Zdravotnícka Škola".
Rijeka, Croácia, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Zoltan Tamas em Rijeka, Croácia, para 22 tecnicos de juventude e voluntários.
Covilhã, Portugal, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Luisa Carreira numa associação local para 12 ativistas.
Vilnius, Lituania, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Matas Lasauskas para 4 amigos no Centro de Juventude Skirgiskes.
Vilnius, Lituania, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Nastja Keppler na "SMK College of Applied Science".
Budapest, Hungria, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Eszter Hudák na escola "Janos Xantus Bilingual High School" para 15 colegas.
Budapest, Hungria, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Anna Cselenyi na "National University of Public Service" para cerca de 13 colegas.
Brno, República Checa, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Timotej Sojak na Universidade Masaryk, desenhando e distribuindo posters pelo campus.
Praga, República Checa, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Amalie Bradacova na faculdade "Fakulta Humanitních Věd, Univerzity Karlovy", através de posters espalhados pela escola.
Brno, República Checa, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por David Severa e Tereza Šimčíková através das redes sociais da organização estudantil "Friends of the Faculty of Education MUNI"
Brno, República Checa, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Vendula Holčáková e Anna Gryčová na Universidade Masaryk, criando e distribuindo posters pelo campus.
Pilsen, República Checa, Mar. 2025
Disseminação por Rozalie Mlcochova na "University of Art and Design SUTNARKA" em Pilsen, onde entrevistou vários colegas sobre Erasmus+, culminando num video.
Budajeno, Hungria, Abr. 2025
Disseminação por Nándor Pataki em Budajenő, que organizou um workshop de arte na floresta para 14 amigos.
Colares, Portugal, Maio 2025
Disseminação por Adriana Ferreira no hostel "Oasis Sintra Surf Aldeia da Praia", para 30 jovens.
Bartninkai, Lituania, Maio 2025
Disseminação por Adriana Ferreira em Babeckyne, para 40 jovens.
Financiado pela União Europeia. No entanto, os pontos de vista e as opiniões expressas são as do(s) autor(es) e não refletem necessariamente a posição da União Europeia ou da Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Juventude/Desporto e Corpo Europeu de Solidariedade. Nem a União Europeia nem a autoridade que concede a subvenção podem ser tidos como responsáveis por essas opiniões.