Creative Voyage

Introduction

The field of arts is often underestimated and perceived as less important compared to other disciplines. Many young individuals prematurely abandon the arts
in their formative years, swayed by external pressures or a lack of understanding of their own passions. The result is a generation unsure of their preferences,
often succumbing to parental influence when choosing a career path.

The “Creative Voyage” aims to challenge these notions by demonstrating that the arts have the power to generate genuine positive impacts
on individuals and communities. Throughout this youth exchange, we will immerse ourselves in a myriad of artistic endeavors, exploring painting, photography, dancing, music, and acting. By cooperating and engaging in diverse non-formal activities, we will not only deepen our appreciation for the arts but also gain a clearer understanding of our strengths, preferences, and aspirations.

Beyond personal enrichment, this activity also aims to discover ways for the usage of arts as potent tools for community transformation.
Join this journey through the seas of imagination, creativity, and self-discovery! Together, let’s challenge stereotypes and unlock the potential of the arts for positive impact.

Activity Schedule

The 24th of March and the 4th of April will be traveling days.
The activity days will be between the 25th of March and the 3rd of April.

Day 1-2: During the first couple of days we will introduce the youth exchange and play some presentation games, icebreakers, and energizers while exploring the area.

Day 3: On this day we will start our approach on the topic of arts. We will evaluate the importance of art in shaping individual self-understanding
and discuss how art can be used to generate a positive impact in communities. Moreover, we will have a painting activity.

Day 4: This day will be dedicated to photography. We will make some photo group challenges in the area.

Day 5: On day 5, we’ll explore body-centric art forms, like dance, as part of our creative exploration.

Day 6: This day will be dedicated to music. We will explore the power of sound as a form of art.

Day 7: On the 7th day will explore the art of storytelling through funny and engaging activities that involve acting.

Day 8: During this day, together we will rehearse and prepare a small “Art Festival”.

Day 9: On day 9 we will put together every form of art that we explored previously and present a small “Art Festival”.

Day 10: On the last day of the activity we will focus on the closure of the youth exchange. For that, we will reflect on what was learned, plan future dissemination activities, evaluate the mobility, and receive our YouthPass Certificates.

Participant Overview

• Resident or citizen from one of these countries: Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Serbia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.
• Aged between 18 and 24 years old (indicative numbers, not exclusive).
• Expresses either passion or curiosity about the topic of arts.
• Open-minded and willing to help.
• Available to actively attend the entire program.
• Willing to disseminate the results of this activity and the Erasmus+ program to other groups of young people.
• Is not receiving any funds from the European Union (e.g., participating in an Erasmus exchange program within the University).

Selection Criteria

We are actively seeking participants who meet the specified criteria, with a focus on achieving gender balance within the group.
As one of the primary objectives of this activity is individual self-understanding, prior experience in the field of arts is not required.
However, we welcome participants with art expertise to lead some sessions and support those who are less experienced in their learning journey.
If you are motivated to be part of this youth exchange, we highly recommend you apply as soon as possible, because the selection process starts right away,
and the availability of spaces per national group is limited.

 

Accommodation

We will be accommodated in Bungalows at YMCA Camp Alambre: www.ymcasetubal.org/reservas-arrabida
Most of the sleeping Bungalows have capacity for 6 people. Each one includes one room for 4 and one double room.
The accommodation exudes a natural atmosphere and is situated at the entrance of the beautiful Serra da Arrábida (Arrábida Mountain Range) in the municipality of Setúbal.

Travel

• The non-Portuguese participants will travel by plane. All the plane tickets will be bought by our organization.
• The official traveling days for this activity are on the 24th of March and on the 4th of April. However, it might happen that a few participants need to
  start traveling one day before, or that they arrive home one day later. Participants who are not available
  during the 23rd of March or during the 5th of April should mention it in their applications.
• There are no guarantees that all participants will travel using the closest airport: Hungarians, Czechs, and Slovaks might use the same airport;
  Latvians and Lithuanians might also travel together from Riga airport.
• If participants need to buy bus or train tickets on their own to reach the city of their departure airport, they should inform the project coordinators in advance
  and send them digital copies of the tickets for reimbursement.
• At Lisbon airport, there will be a charter bus that will take the participants to the accommodation.
• Portuguese participants can either travel by shared car transportation, by regular bus, or use the charter bus that departs from Lisbon’s airport
  (if enough seats are available).
• Once participants are selected and confirm their participation, the project coordinators will work together with the national group leaders to develop a final travel itinerary for each national group.

More Information

Participation costs: There are no participation costs. Travel, accommodation, and food are funded
by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union.
However, participants who are selected will need to pay a 50€ deposit to confirm their participation.
This is mainly to avoid last-minute cancelations and to cover possible damages caused by the participants on the accommodation.
This money is sent back after the mobility if participants attend the entire program and once they complete the follow-up dissemination task.

Health & Insurance: We do not organize insurance for our participants. If they wish to have coverage,
participants must arrange insurance for themselves. However, we ask all participants to bring their
European Health Insurance Cards, which can be used if they need hospital care.

What to bring: Identification Document; European Health Insurance Card; Towel; Comfortable shoes and appropriate clothes based on the weather forecast;
Typical national food, beverage, or vest for the Gastro & Cultural nights; Euro currency or Revolut card to buy some personal items in the local shop;
Some objects that could be appropriate and useful for the activity, such as a camera, musical instrument, dance costume, etc. (optional!); Good vibes (mandatory!).

Terms & Conditions: Refer to www.e29.eu/terms-and-conditions for detailed terms and conditions.

Q&A: Have doubts? Feel free to reach us through our social media channels.

Note: We made some changes to our application portal.
Even if you already created an account on the E29 portal, you might need to click “Sign up now”, validate your email, and create a password.
All your previous data will be synchronized through your email address.

 

This activity is hosted by CJE. Reach us on Instagram!

Curious about what a youth exchange centered on arts looks like? Check this out: