Engaging with Art and Community
During the summer of 2024, Art is Home returned to All You Can Art (AYCA) as hosting artists, leading workshops, and showcasing new works during the Zomercarnaval exposition at Kunsthal Rotterdam.
AYCA is a long-standing collaboration between Kunsthal Rotterdam and Instituto Buena Bista (IBB) Curaçao, founded in 2015. Over the years, it has become an indispensable part of Rotterdam’s cultural landscape, highlighting the essential role of art in fostering social connection and dialogue.
Under the leadership of David Bade and Tirzo Martha, our team collaborated with local artists, students, residents, entrepreneurs, and social institutions, including Reakt, Pauluskerk, and Laurens elderly care to explore themes of home, belonging, and community.
Activities and Highlights of AYCA 2024
From July 19 to August 31, 2024, Art is Home’s studio became part of the open ateliers in the Kunsthal auditorium. Key activities included:
- 308 hours of visitor research: Members of the public were invited to answer, “What does home look like to you?” Their contributions formed small pieces of visual art in our Art is Home huisje.
- 35 students of all ages: Participants worked alongside us in workshops, presentations, and a summer school project exploring personal and collective visions of home.
- 3 partner organizations: Collaborations with Reakt, Stichting Mano, and Pauluskerk enriched our workshops and exhibition contributions.
- 1 finissage parade: We created a roadpiece for the AYCA parade, blending our individual art practices with the collaborative research gathered over the summer.
- 1 week final exhibition: All artworks from the summer were displayed in the Kunsthal Auditorium, giving students, partners, and the public a chance to reflect on the shared artistic experience.
Reflecting on Home Through Art
Our participation in AYCA 2024 allowed us to explore home from multiple perspectives. Visitor research offered insights into personal and collective ideas of home, shaping our workshops and collaborative projects. Students contributed creativity and diverse perspectives, particularly in the creation of the roadpiece for the finissage parade.
The exhibition celebrated the collaborative nature of art, emphasizing the diversity of experiences and ideas shared by students, local organizations, and the public. Through this engagement, we demonstrated how art can connect people, spark conversation, and foster community.
Art as a Connector
The Art is Home project at AYCA 2024 highlighted how individual experiences can become shared artistic expression, showing the power of creativity to:
- Encourage reflection on belonging and identity
- Build community connections
- Support collaborative creativity across generations
- Foster dialogue between artists, students, and the public
Join Our Creative Initiatives
Explore how Art is Home continues to create participatory projects, workshops, and exhibitions that bring people together and celebrate diversity, creativity, and community in Rotterdam.
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