Page 78 - MY Book - My Voice

Closing remarksSome preliminary conclusionsOver the course of two years and 70 workshops, I have met many di erent people, children, youth, adults, and professionals. Some have been depressed and almost without hope, others just seem to have been waiting for an opportunity to come forward and get involved. Some people have used the opportunity to develop their skills, some the opportunity to be seen and heard, some have joined in order to be part of a group and get a sense of belonging.At the reception centers in Norway, I have experienced that the workshops have helped people out of passivity and relate more actively to their own situation. One of the participants put it like this, in a letter written after the last workshop: “Thank you for taking care of us, we were so glad for you being with us, we were delighted with your company and your idea, that helped us for real, to get out from the situation we were in. We really were in the need of your help to get out of the depressing atmosphere that made us stuck in the room without doing any work.”For me it has been an honor to be welcomed by so many people and rewarding to explore di erent ways art can be used. This project includes teaching and guiding and following up the participant’s individual exploration and desire to express. It has also been a meeting point for communication and shared experiences. In the time to come I will continue exploring the potential and power in the use of art in di erent ways.In Lebanon, there is a huge problem with children dropping out of school at an early age, and a lot of Syrian children are not attending school at all. I think the project here has potential to grow and tobe further developed as a tool for teaching writing and reading in remedial classes or in peer education for these groups. I have also met a lot of children full of life and eager to learn and to engage in creative activity. In general, aesthetic subjects are omitted from the school curriculums, so there is clearly a need for opportunities for children to explore and develop their creative abilities in a safe and supportive environment.The project has developed in the course of the action: I have had to lower my ambitions or change direction several times in adjustment to the circumstances or the participant’s needs. Other times I have had to step up and meet the needs of already quite skilled participants and adjust direction in accord with them. This organic approach to the drawing project is, for me, what art is all about, and the project will continue to embrace all kind of participation.76