New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most

Email user
evija@noass.lv

Basic information
Initiative title
Art On Wheels

Full initiative Title
Art on Wheels - travelling contemporary art exhibition for children and youth

Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
“Art on Wheels” is a travelling exhibition of 4 new, interdisciplinary, innovative, contemporary artworks for an audience of school-age children. This mobile exhibition, accompanied by well-considered educational programme and located in 2 minivans travels to remote regions of Latvia, mostly schools, thus providing access to contemporary art outside of the capital of the country (primarily aiming to engage those to whom it is the first encounter with contemporary art).

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
National

Where was your intiative implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Latvia

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
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Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
It addresses urban-rural linkages

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
Yes

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organization, in partnership with other organisations
If you are submitting this intiative as part of a group, please provide the contact details of the other individuals or organisations
- Name of the organisation(s): Association “Art centre NOASS”
  Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation
  First name of representative: Kate
  Last name of representative: Zilgalve-Masjukeviča
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Latvia
  Function: Project manager
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Zaubes street 10-3, Riga, LV-1013, Latvia
  Town: Riga
  Postal code: LV-1013
  Country: Latvia
  Direct Tel: +371 29138556
  E-mail: kate@noass.lv
  Website: http://www.noass.lv/en/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/noass.lv
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): #makslauzriteniem #artonwheels
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/noass_riga/
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): @noass_riga #makslauzriteniem #artonwheels
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
“Art on Wheels” is creating a new product of contemporary art – an exhibition of four new, interdisciplinary, innovative works created by artists from Latvia and Norway, in coproduction with pupils.
Exhibition curator Sandra Ķempele says: “With this project, we wish to create a positive image of visiting an art exhibition, which can be a creative, active and inspiring experience for children and young people, as well as to promote the availability of visual art outside the capital of Latvia. The project “Art on Wheels” initiates a dialogue between artists and students, actively involving children in the process of creating a work of art, as well as talking about topics that are important to children and young people.”
The exhibition, located in two minivans, will travel around the regions of Latvia, visiting schools and city festivals, as well as Norway, offering an interactive exhibition and a creative workshop, getting to know the use of technology in art. Four artists from Latvia and Norway will participate in the project, and with the help of children of two pilot schools, will create new works of art in various media. The traveling exhibition will be accompanied by a thoughtful educational programme that will foster children’s creativity in an informal, supportive, and encouraging way. Additionally, teachers’ informative seminars about the process of the project and methods of using contemporary art in the teaching process will be held.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
learning

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
accessibility

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
community

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
beauty

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
sustainability

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
“Art on Wheels” is a travelling exhibition of four new, interdisciplinary, innovative works created by artists from Latvia and Norway for children. This mobile exhibition located in 2 minivans travels to remote regions of Latvia.
The exhibition is accompanied by kids-to-kids type of informative videos, an educational programme that will be brought to children by an art mediator that will also act as a mentor and lead the tour through the exhibition. Artworks are beautiful, interactive installations that encourage children to connect with art, play with it and ask questions, provide remarks, and interrogate art in order to inspire curiosity and critical thinking.
This project was created with the aim to lessen the regional divide and make contemporary art more accessible. Considering that for many children, visiting this exhibition will be one of their first encounters with contemporary art it is a socially important project: contemporary art is difficult to reach outside of Riga. The place of residence significantly affects cultural consumption. According to "Eurofound" data, the proportion of Latvian residents who have difficulty accessing cinemas, theaters and cultural centres due to physical accessibility, distance, working hours or other reasons is 32%. This shows that access to culture is limited for about every third inhabitant of the country.
Based on this data, the project team believes that at least 30% of the children who will visit the exhibition will have one of their first encounters with contemporary art. One of the basic tasks of the project is the creation of an environment that is safe and inviting for children in the process of learning about art, cooperation, reflection, and the creative process, thus becoming a positive first encounter with contemporary culture, in a collaborative and creative way. The project promotes public involvement in cultural events, raises children's creativity in the digital age and increases the general joy of life.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
As stated above, cultural and art spaces are mostly available only in the capital city Riga, and some other large cities in regions. Even with these limited spaces art is often being censored and vandalized due to a lack of understanding that could be caused by insufficient communication and education on contemporary art (publications (language - Latvian) on a few of these events lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/kulturtelpa/skalakie-kulturas-skandali--2021-gada-apskats.a436399/,lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/maksla/pec-daugavpils-domes-spiediena-rotko-centra-no-izstades-iznem-darbus-ar-krustiem-dzimumlocekliem-un-ierociem.a484480/,lsm.lv/raksts/kultura/maksla/launpratigi-sabojats-indrika-gelza-makslas-darbs-pie-hanzas-perona.a425413/).
The goal of this project from an architectural perspective is the transformation of a concept of traditional “gallery space” as a static space. We are expanding art space to what transcends the limitations of place using two repurposed mini-vans - that serve in a multifunctional way: a) as a gallery; b) as a learning space, that can reach remote regions.
It also changes perception and thinking about what is a gallery, an art institution, a creative space, an artwork, and its accessibility.
This goal also begins to address regional problems, and work towards non-formal education on arts and culture in regions starting with the most crucial audience that is still developing their understanding and is not afraid to ask questions and learn - children and youth in a way that is not permanent, intrusive but rather inviting, playful and open. This exhibition is designed to bring joy and create a space where children can ask all kinds of questions thus sparking curiosity and promoting critical thinking and judgement.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Art is often taught in schools offering a systematic approach to learning starting from the pre-historic era and ending with modern art. But what is relevant and currently happening is contemporary art that has not yet been put in school curriculums. “Art on Wheels” is an attempt to cross regional boundaries that limit opportunities for cultural enjoyment and bring contemporary art exhibitions to all regions of Latvia (providing free, multi-functional, mobile place for art and educational programme).
“Art on Wheels” provides a safe learning environment for children by creating an inclusive space that emphasises the abilities and creative potential of each child (not highlighting only the most skilled and talented children), a friendly space for promoting reasoning and expression skills with the help of trained art mediators, as well as laying down sustainable research and guidelines for a non-formal educational project that aims to avoid concepts that might be too complicated for children that are experiencing contemporary art for the first time.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
"Art on Wheels" methodology foresees a direct involvement of the audience in the creation of the project product - four contemporary artworks. Applying this methodology has resulted in many coproduction workshops - schoolchildren working with artists to create artworks that are appealing to this demographic and reflect their interests, problems, and topics of interest. Two schools have agreed to participate in these coproduction workshops and are currently working on the project. These pilot schools will also be the first ones to experience the exhibition and help to adapt it for their needs if that will be necessary in order to make it accessible, easy to navigate, and presentable to all further participants/visitors.
“Art on Wheels” is a project that directly involves the target audience (children and youth) in the creation of the exhibition that they would like to see and be proud to bring to their peers all over the country. The goal of this project is to reduce the regional divide of educational and social opportunities and connect children in Latvia with a common contemporary art experience that encourages creative expression, inspiration, and critical thinking. The community in this project is not viewed as residents of one specific location but rather as a community developing in the age of digitalization and social changes all over the country, that will grow up, pursue education or other life opportunities having shared a common experience - a beautiful exhibition filled with curiosity. We hope this project could inspire a wave of initiatives that will bring more equal opportunities to children in all regions.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
“Art on Wheels” is a traveling contemporary art exhibition that is located in two minivans. It is a unique approach to bringing art to places outside the capital that do not have the necessary venues for hosting contemporary culture and suffer from an overall lack of infrastructure that would connect rural regions to the capital city Riga. This approach to exhibition organization was chosen with consideration of accessibility and simplicity to promote inclusivity and equal possibilities to access important social and cultural events that provide learning opportunities.
This is a two-year project that we hope to extend and expand. Our organization has experience in cooperation with state, local, and regional authorities, as well as schools and universities, and different industry (tech, physics, architecture, research, etc.) learning hubs.
This project is supported by EEA funds and the Ministry of Culture. It was chosen as one of the 6 projects from more than 30 submitted which we see as an acknowledgment of our efforts to communicate culture to new generations. The project closely works with regional and local institutions (governments as well as schools) in order to bring this experience to everyone interested to learn and see something new. All financing and participating parties are directly involved in the design and implementation of this initiative.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
This project could be developed only because of interdisciplinarity and actively engaging in participatory processes.
The organization of the project is created on experience in different fields: project management, societal research, curatorial work, architecture and design, technical development, and mechanics. The diverse project team works together in order to provide the best possible results by exchanging ideas, providing new perspectives, and gathering evidence and data on the needs of our target audience. This interdisciplinary team also brings together various artists that work with illustration, virtual reality, interactive digital processes, and interactive art installations whose works need to be incorporated into van designs and layouts for the exhibition to be coherent and beautiful.

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
When researching the current accessibility of cultural activities (scale - Latvia), it can be concluded that many initiatives aim to improve their work by integrating educational activities created for younger audiences. As many of these cultural learning spaces are located in Riga, it does not address the problem of overall accessibility of art and culture in regions of Latvia. Many local/regional initiatives have attempted to create their own cultural spaces but the current political and economic situation does not provide full support and longevity for these projects.
“Art on Wheels” aims to start a multi-level engagement activity by introducing the benefits of a cultural space into a regional, rural location that could initiate the development of communities’ own cultural space, and travel across the country, expand travels in Europe to connect people with experience of this initiative and continue to inspire and allow to see art from a child's perspective.

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
Many countries struggle with the centralization of cultural and social activities in large cities. This project allows following our application of the idea that by repurposing materials (in this case - minivans) it is possible to work towards evening-out opportunities for less-populated regions to allow them to experience culture the same way large city inhabitants can. This project could provide a pool of experiences that can be shared with any interested parties - learnings, research, educational practices, methodologies, and creative approaches to exhibition design, technology, and processes.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
The exhibition and the accompanying educational program is created by NOASS with the partner `Fargefabrikken`, using wise techniques and methods of contemporary art and technology to address the young audience:

Audience development and methods:
We will provide explanatory materials, concepts of artworks, artists' bio with the help of video interviews (kids-to-kids approach), while the children of the pilot school will explain the curatorial concept (informative, explanatory part) in their own words to their peers - visitors (video media). Thus children who participate in the co-production are also introduced to the steps of a creation of a contemporary art exhibition. Their participation is essential in testing a new audience development method, which has so far been little used in Latvia.
Audience engagement activities and elements:
The program will create new content and a new environment, using exciting interactive techniques and tools giving the children an opportunity to learn about the diversity of contemporary art, the methods and techniques of creating artworks, and most importantly to get inspiration! The program includes elements of participation, where children - visitors will be invited to get involved in the creative process. The program introduces children to ways in which different media and techniques can be used to create new content and develop creativity, including the application of STEM skills acquired in the learning process.
Method of operation of the traveling art gallery and creative workshop:
The accompanying mediator will act as a mentor and will conduct tours, introducing the content of the exhibition and the work of art. Mediator - a professional who knows the field of contemporary art. In the continuation of the tour, children will be invited to participate in the prepared interactive activities. At the end of the tour, the mediator will talk to the students, inviting them to share their experiences and thus provide feedback.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
This project aims to start changes on a local level that are also a challenge globally. Art on Wheels is directly related to educational activities. Art is used as a tool to share new experiences, bring joy and a sense of festivities to children and youth. It seems like a valuable initiative in times when the stress levels of school-age children are unprecedented. The exhibition provides an example of interdisciplinarity (represented in creation and artworks), it leaves a space for inspiration and learning opportunities, it lays out a model for an unusual but effective non-formal educational tool.

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
“Art on Wheels” project started in November 2022 and currently is under development. It was created to prioritize disadvantaged people, and share resources and opportunities. The exhibition itself will be an aesthetic sensory experience that, moving from one rural region to another, will provide a collective experience and foster a sense of belonging. “Art on Wheels” team is currently designing and creating the exhibition in coproduction with children to reflect their interests, current topics, and experiences. The exhibition will be ready to go on tour in April in two repurposed minivans transformed into art spaces.

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
Both
PDF
- pdf-1-34917.pdf
Web link
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
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Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below.
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By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed initiative has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the initiative and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their initiatives, initiative, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted initiative, initiative is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes