Social commitment

ARTIS+. ART FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION

WHAT IS ARTIS+?

ARTIS+ is a cooperation project between the south of France, the Basque Country and Catalonia, promoted by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya, within the framework of the European programme of territorial cooperation POCTEFA. 

GOALS

• The main objective of ARTIS+ is to provide a response to the challenges of inclusion and accessibility of cultural facilities in the cross-border territory through the creation of specific programmes aimed at groups at greater risk of exclusion for reasons related to disability (visual, hearing, cognitive and motor) as well as for social reasons.
• ARTIS+ aims to position itself as an instrument of social cohesion that will increase the participation of the most vulnerable groups in cultural activities.

WHO IS PART OF ARTIS+?

These are the partners within the project:

• Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya
• Department of Culture and Linguistic Policy of the Basque Government
• Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Occitanie Pyrénées Méditerranée Region
• Basque National Orchestra
• OPPB-El Camino (Orchestra of Pau)
• Consortium of the Auditori and the Orchestra (OBC)
• National Orchestra of the Capitole de Toulouse 

ARTIS+. THE POCTEFA PROGRAMME

ARTIS+ falls within the following goals and axis of the POCTEFA programme:

• To strengthen the roles of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation.
• To promote the cross-border territory as a sustainable tourist destination, develop common culture and heritage, and also foster the activity and capacity of its agents.
• A more social and inclusive Europe.

ACTIONS OF THE PROJECT

1.Sharing of actions and good practices developed by each territory/facility to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and training between participating institutions and actors, with the aim of establishing a shared strategic framework and a network of exchange and collaboration between professionals.

2.Elaboration of a cross-border work plan between the partners and design of common accessibility and inclusion programmes aimed at the groups most at risk of exclusion for social or health reasons, as a result of the previous diagnosis action.

3.Implementation of the work plan. Possible actions:

• Training and education of cultural agents: cultural mediation with third sector entities, training for cultural facilities, professional conferences.
• Actions aimed at people at risk of social exclusion for socio-economic reasons: projects in qualified schools of maximum complexity to bring them closer to cultural resources (through the offer of shows, access to heritage or even scenic-musical workshops).
• Actions aimed at people at risk of social exclusion for health reasons in museums and theatres.

ACTIONS IN MUSEUMS AND SCENIC SPACES

• For people with visual impairments (beacons, audio descriptions, materials in Braille format, creation of itineraries that can be touched with gloves, easy reading, accessible exhibitions and more).
• For people with hearing impairments (visits through sign language, audio guides, implementation and revision of magnetic loops, subtitles and more).
• Introduction of elements for self diagnosis and to measure the accessibility of facilities (through digital applications, with the aim of finding improvements around the accessibility that can then be implemented).

ACTIONS IN SCENIC FACILITIES

• For people with cognitive diversity (adaptation of spaces and implementation of relaxation areas, sensory backpacks, specific activities for people with degenerative conditions and intellectual disabilities).
• For people with functional diversity (expansion of spaces for people in wheelchairs).
• Monitoring results and promoting the adaptation of of methodologies and protocols to ICTs within cultural spaces (tablet devices, virtual reality experiences, virtual visits) to ease the pathway to access heritage.

FUNDING OF THE ARTIS+ PROJECT

• The ARTIS+ project has a total budget of € 1,988,980 €.
• The Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra Programme (POCTEFA 2021-207) of the European Union, with ERDF funds, co-finances 65 % of the total budget:  ‎‎1.292.837 €‎. The aim of POCTEFA is to strengthen the economic and social integration of the Spain-France-Andorra border area.‎

IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD

• From January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026

GERTU KULTURA. A GATEWAY TO INCLUSION

Gertu Kultura Gipuzkoa is a network of cultural programmers who have come together to make it easier for vulnerable persons to access culture. This not-for-profit initiative seeks to improve people's quality of life through culture. To that end, collaboration with cultural programmers and social organisations is used to generate unique cultural experiences and spaces at very low prices, with priority access and personalised treatment based on listening and responding to the needs of different groups.

Gertu Kultura has grown out of the Apropa Cultura network, which was set up by the Auditori de Barcelona. With a track record dating back 20 years in Catalonia, it has become a benchmark for inclusive networks, now comprising over 190 cultural programmers, more than 1800 social organisations and at least 54 municipalities.

Gertu Kultura is starting up in Gipuzkoa with the intention of spreading to the rest of the Basque Country. It has recruited 15 cultural programmers and 20 social organisations. The Basque National Orchestra was one of the first organisations to join the network as a cultural programmer.

In joining Gertu Kultura, the Basque National Orchestra remains true to the efforts to support full inclusion which it began in 2009 in collaboration with FEVAS (the Basque Association of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities). The partnership between the two organisations has since resulted in projects centred on persons with functional diversity. In that context. workshops have been run in Bilbao, Vitoria and San Sebastián and concerts staged at the orchestra's home base at Miramon. These activities have earned them a Good Practice Award from FEAPS (the Spanish Federation of Organisations Supporting Persons with Intellectual Disabilities) and have served as the basis for initiatives such as the Sound Mosaic, which was extended to 14 Spanish orchestras in a pioneering project to turn music into an instrument for personal development and social inclusion.