Name of the organization:
P.I.International Center for children and Youth New Sarajevo

Address: Kemala Kapetanovića 17, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tel-Fax: + 387 33 641 895; + 387 33 641 789

E-mail: mczdions@bih.net.ba

Project Leader: Vanja Nogo, Academic graphic artist

NAME OF THE PROJECT: Pilot Project “Little Artist”

DURATION OF THE PROJECT: Workshops, October 2003-April 2004

INTRODUCTION

HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION:

Public Institution “International Centre for Children and Youth New Sarajevo” was formed on May 14^th, 2001 with a resolution of the Municipal Council New Sarajevo. The main objective of this institution is to congregate young people and cultivate their potentials. Through the spirit of unity and eliminating prejudice, the Centre is working and focusing on cultural progress. We are open for all age groups and welcome members from all ethnic groups. 

Public Institution “ International Centre for Children and Youth New Sarajevo” encompasses a variety of cultural and academic disciplines: Children's Choir, Music workshops, Guitar School, Folklore, Art, Dance, environmental education, anti-drug and alcohol addiction education and humanitarian work ethic. 

Since its formation the Centre has received a range of recognition for its successful initiatives. From art exhibitions, to literary gatherings, to cleaning actions, to collecting aid for poor citizens -- members of the Centre were twice honorary guests of the international festival in Italy for their achievements and left great impressions on their hosts. All the activities of the Centre were outstandingly noted in all media. Last year, over seven hours of television programming, six hours of radio program and over eighty newspapers articles were dedicated to the Centre’s activities and programming.

Today our Center is a place where creative and cultural expression flourish, and Sarajevo’s children and youth have a space in which they can build on their interests to create new projects.

REASONS FOR THE PROJECT:

Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a homeland only to its older generations. Children growing up in the post-war climate do not have the same possibilities that their parents and grandparents did to creatively express themselves, or the perception that they might someday use their artistic abilities to create a brighter future.

Every possibility to remove those Bosnian and Herzegovinian children and youth from the street and enable them to express themselves is both needed and welcomed. Pilot Project « Little Artists», in cultivating artistic expression, opens new perspectives and offers valuable life alternatives to our youth. Considering the fact that most of our population still suffers from Post Traumatic Stress, art can act therapeutically and effective aid in their recovery.

LONG TERM GOALS:

• Education (painting techniques, theory and history of art, contemporary art, etc.)
• Team work (developing a sense of team and togetherness among a group of children and youth across different age and gender backgrounds as well as different national and cultural structures)
• Tolerance and friendship (through team work)
• Promoting basic social values (through art)
• Group and individual exhibitions
• Therapy (through work and education) for children with PTS

LONG TERM GOALS:

• Education of young people for their future professions
• Developing a sense for art and creativity
• Developing potential for creating new ideas based on individual choice
• Creating the safe space for work and play (removing children from the streets)

The practical goal of Pilot-Project «Little Artists» is the art-orienting of children and youth about drawing techniques, sculpture, graphic art and art theory. The project also has a therapeutic effect on children who suffered during and after the war. The art aims towards development of the sense of team work among children of different nationalities, ethnicities, ages, sexes and other social structures. The Centre strives to create a cohesive team of children prepared to promote and build on the fundamental values of their society through artistic expression. The project supports Bosnia and Hercegovina’s future leaders, their cultural enlightenment and confidence-building in taking responsibility for their future. Our goal is to provide them an adequate space, qualified educators and the emotional support in realizing every creative idea they have.

TARGET GROUP:

Children and youth that choose to be educated in this manner are considered as our target group. The project has an intention to rope two groups: a kids group (2 – 12 year-old children) and a youth group (12+ year-old youth). It is planned that each group has ten members and that workshops are held twice a week for a duration of two hours according to the previously agreed-upon terms.

WORKSHOP PLAN:

• Theory of Art / 4 workshops- kids group and 5 workshops - youth group
• History of Art/ 5 workshops - kids group and 6 workshops- youth group
• Painting/ 4 workshops- kids group and 4 workshops- youth group
• Sculpture/ 9 workshops- kids group and 8 workshops- youth group
• Graphic Work/ 5 workshops- kids group and 6 workshops- youth group
• Introduction to the materials/ 6 workshops- youth group
• Experimenting/ 4 workshops- youth group
• Contemporary Art/ 7 workshops- youth group
• National Art/7 workshops- kids group and 8 workshops- youth group
• Free drawing/19 workshops- kids group and 11 workshops- youth group

One workshop for the kids group will last 1.5 hours and for the youth group 2 hours.

PLAN OF VISITS TO HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ART INSTITUTIONS:

• Visits to Sarajevo Museums
• Visits to the Necropolis
• Visits to city historical buildings
• Visits to current exhibitions
• Visits to graphic art workshops and graphic art ateliers
• Field trips outside of Sarajevo

2 staff members will be responsible for taking care of the children during these visits and to be their guides.

HUMAN RESOURCES:

1. Vanja Nogo- academic graphic artist -art manager

Project Coordinator / project (Little Artists). Education: Academic graphic artist. Masters Student in Scenography. At the Centre she is entitled to work with a section « Little Artists», with design and artistic elaboration of the materials concerning the activities of the Centre, in the workings of other related sections, correspondence and all other activities tied to the Centre. 

Vanja conducts 4 workshops per week (7 hours), as well as organization and preparation of the material (5 hours) for a total of 12 hours per week. Additionally, she holds meetings with parents of the kids group once a month for a duration of two hours. Preparing exhibitions and taking children to visits of art institutions (hours TBD).

2.  Danijela Dugandzic- Project Assistant

Writes and translates projects, prepares financial reports and corresponds with local and international organizations.

Danijela studied International and European Criminal Law, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Foreign Policy at the Law Faculty in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Also completed Women Studies in Sarajevo and was a trainer for «Gender Perspective, Gender Equality and Equal Rights». Participated in V-Day, New York (Stop rape contest), 2001.

In the (Little Artists) Project she is in charge with writing and translating projects, organization and management, administration and participation in project activities, as well as taking children to visit art institutions and preparing exhibitions. In the Center, Danijela acts as project manager/volunteer.

3. Slobodan Spuzevic – Trainer

Graduated high school at Gymnasium in Mostar. Studies Product Design at Art Academy in Sarajevo. Slobodan also works as a professional graffiti artist, participating in Graffiti jam sessions across Europe. He participated in the Mostar Youth Festival, worked in the Pavarotti Center in Mostar with children with special needs. He will have 25 workshops, including graffiti and other contemporary design classes.

4. Sandra Vukovic – Trainer

Graduated Art School (metallurgical art technician), now a student at Art Academy in Sarajevo (sculpture). Sandra will be a trainer for 17 workshops, from working with metal forms to sculpture, and others depending on student interest.

5. Aldijana Hodzic – Trainer assistant

Degree in cosmetics, worked as a model, participated in beauty contests and has titles of Miss Photogenic, Queen of Canton Sarajevo, and Elite Photo Model. Aldijana has worked as a volunteer in the Centre for four months. In the Project she works with children and youth. Also runs the “Little Models” class.

She will be an assistant at 48 workshops.

CENTER CAPACITIES:

Our partners and tenants in the Centre:

• HEALTH NET/The Netherlands
• SAVE THE CHILDREN/Norway
• OBRAZOVANJE GRADI BIH/Bosnia and Herzegovina
• ARC International/USA
• PRINCEZ KROFNE /Bosnia and Herzegovina
• The Noel Baker Centre for Business and Management studies

Centre offers a space and main office equipment for project activities, as well as the support of all employees/volunteers of the Centre.  

EXPECTED RESULTS:

We expect around 60 participants to take part in the workshops during the project period (6 months). Demand among children for this type of programming is very high, so we are anticipating some increases in these figures. After their 3-month session is over, children educated through the “Little Artists” program will have their own exhibition. These exhibitions will be covered by the media to promote their artwork and to raise the cultural awareness of the people living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As for the children educated here, they will receive acknowledgment for their work through media and instructor recommendations, affirmation through exhibitions organized in the Centre, and potential for future professions in the spheres of art. 

Project makers: Danijela Dugandzic and Vanja Nogo
Project translation: Danijela Dugandzic

B U D G E T