Arts and Crafts across Europe
Aims and objectives
The main aim of the project was to share knowledge and skills about a range of traditional and modern arts and crafts from participating countries and to create archives detailing each craft and how they are made.
Activities and lessons learned
Participants from each country chose three traditional and three modern crafts from their regions. They produced archival materials on each craft detailing its history and how it is made to share with other participants. A series of workshops were organised at the transnational meetings to facilitate practical experience of the crafts and share knowledge and learning. Each country hosted a workshop on a particular craft. At the transnational meetings exhibitions were also organised by the host country to provide participants with an opportunity to exhibit their work and promote the project within the wider community.
Achievements
The arts and crafts project produced a number of outcomes in various forms. These include:
 | Production of archival material; |
| Acquisition of learning and skills by participants; |
| Two successful exhibitions to date, one in Italy and another in England, the third will be in Belfast in October; |
| The development of an intergenerational project within Ballybeen which involved older learners teaching young people about the arts and crafts; |
| Increased understanding of other culture and traditions; |
| Formation of new friendships. |
Materials produced
Given the nature of the project a number of arts and crafts related products were produced. These materials included:
| Information leaflet about the project; |
| Archival materials including written and pictorial history of each craft; |
| Reproduction of the crafts learnt on the project. |
Partnership organisations/ countries
Northern Ireland: community based Women’s Centre;
England: Age Concern;
Finland: Further Education College;
Latvia: Community organisation;
Italy: Further Education College.
Learner involvement
Learners were involved from the outset of the project. They determined which crafts the project would focus on and how to archive them. They have also been responsible for producing the archives and the crafts for display at the exhibitions.
When a country has hosted a transnational meeting, the learners have been involved in the organisation of the events and played a very active role in developing the partnerships.
Impact
On the organisation
Participation in the project has brought a European dimension to the work
of the Women’s Centre and has helped raise its profile in the local
community amongst staff.
On staff
Staff have been given the opportunity to share good practice, knowledge
and skills with staff from other countries. They have gained experience and
benefited from participation in a European project.
On adult learners
The learners have gained invaluable skills and knowledge of a range of
arts and crafts. They have developed relationships with people from other
cultures and backgrounds. The learners have also enjoyed the opportunity to
exhibit their crafts in various countries.
On outside organisations
Outside bodies and individuals have been able to experience the arts and
crafts produced through the exhibitions.
Contact details
Name, organisation and address:Tanya Hughes/Anne Walker
Ballybeen Women’s Centre
34 Ballybeen Square
Dundonald
BT16 2QE
Telephone no.: 028 90 481632Email: thughesbwc@yahoo.co.uk
Classification data
Project focus
| Active citizenship | |
| Essential skills | |
| Inter-generational learning | |
| Cultural/multi-cultural |
X |
| ICT and learning | |
| Foreign languages | |
| Other* |
Project Type: Grundtvig 2 (Learning Partnerships)
UK project base
| East Midlands | |
| East of England | |
| London | |
| North East | |
| Northern Ireland |
X |
| North West | |
| Scotland | |
| South East | |
| South West | |
| Wales | |
| West Midlands | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber |
X |
