From August 29th to September 8th, we hosted the training course Art for Change: Creative educational methods to build global awareness and local impact, bringing together youth workers from five different countries to explore how artistic methodologies can be used in their work with young people.

The course went far beyond our expectations. For six inspiring seminar days, we immersed ourselves in the peaceful countryside of Großhennersdorf, surrounded by nature, the perfect setting to unleash creativity and connect. Participants engaged in a wide variety of artistic practices, including collage art, stop-motion video making, upcycling (which culminated in a spectacular “trash fashion show”), performance art, and Land Art.

Each day was guided by a facilitator with years of experience in their field, leading participants through interactive sessions that invited reflection on global challenges and encouraged the use of art as a means of raising awareness on issues they deeply care about. The artistic outcomes were truly outstanding, our group was full of creative, motivated, and talented individuals. The seminar was beautiful, intense, and fulfilling: a shared journey in which trust grew, connections deepened, and ideas flourished.

After six days in the countryside, it was time to move to Dresden for the Political Art Days Festival (PAD). The transition from the seminar to the festival was a great success! Participants appreciated the change of scenery, the opportunity to present their creative work to a wider audience, and the inspiration drawn from other artists and educators at PAD.

During our days in Dresden, we also dedicated time to reflect and evaluate the mobility experience. The group shared powerful ideas for follow-up activities, from local workshops and street actions to small festivals and even new project concepts. The energy, synergy, and collaborative spirit that emerged were truly remarkable, and we are confident that many of these ideas will continue to grow at both national and international levels.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our international partners: Brno for You from the Czech Republic, Advocates who Thrive from the Netherlands, Associazione Amalgama from Italy, and Fundacja Wymiany Kulturowej from Poland — for their invaluable collaboration throughout the project. A warm thank you also goes to the Erasmus+ program for making this experience possible.

And last but certainly not least, we would like to thank our inspiring trainer, Katrina Munder, for guiding the learning process with passion and expertise, Maristella Witt and Francisca Betel for sharing their knowledge, and impressively accompanying the group on the land art and performance days. Many thanks also to our wonderful cook, Melissa Wagner, for delighting us every day with delicious vegan meals during the seminar.

Art for Change reminded us once again that creativity can be a powerful driver of awareness, connection, and transformation.