Published: 28/10/24, CLICK HERE for the published article
The Cyprus Society for Education through Arts (CySEA) (https://koet.org/) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization whose main goal is to enhance education and culture in Cyprus through the arts. CySEA is the national partner of the International Society for Education through Art (InSEA), which operates under the auspices of UNESCO.
The organization’s activities include, among others:
- Training seminars
- Experiential workshops
- Nationwide and Pan-European conferences
- Cultural events
- Social actions
- Exhibitions
- Competitions
- Volunteering
- Partnerships
- Support for the artistic community
In developing and promoting its European profile, and to address current needs and challenges in society and education, CySEA applied for Erasmus+ funding. The 18-month program (01/06/2023 – 30/11/2024), entitled “Building Bridges through Arts as a Tool to Connect to Oneself and to Others in a 21st Century Sustainable Society”, aimed to:
1. Support and promote the development of the European Education Area. CySEA seeks to become an active member of the Erasmus network, promoting research and cooperation in the teaching and learning of the triptych “with the arts, for the arts, through the arts,” aiming at the exchange of experiences, information, and know-how.
2. Utilize the positive impact of the arts on our well-being. Promoting self-awareness, self-acceptance, inclusion, intercultural understanding, empathy, and democratic values in schools and society has never been more essential.
3. Create opportunities for inspiration, skill development, digital tool training, and the sharing of best practices for art educators and teachers who aspire to use art-related activities in their classrooms.
Participants attended 12 training sessions in Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
Using the program’s resources and to disseminate its results, the participants (Phoebe Antoniou, Dimitra Artemi, Elena Evagorou, Anastasia Kapari, Andreas Kouis, Maria Louka, Dimitris Morfis, and Despina Nikiforou) organized the following three training workshops in Limassol to promote arts education and gradually build the capacity for sustainable, long-term work:
- “Recognizing and Managing Emotions through the Arts” – 28/09/2024
- “Building Bridges, Building Relationships through the Arts” –05/10/2024
- “Art Education in the Digital World” – 12/10/2024
Through these workshops, the 60 participants were trained to:
- Recognize their emotions and “visualize” them using colors or body movements
- Manage pleasant or unpleasant emotions through artistic expression
- Understand which attitudes/behaviors help or hinder the building and maintenance of healthy, harmonious interpersonal relationships
- Discover ways to manage and improve their interpersonal relationships
- Learn about useful online tools and be trained to use them in art lessons
The workshops will be repeated in other districts, with dates to be announced soon.
Networking, collaboration, and training through CySEA’s activities are made possible by becoming a member of the organization.
Members receive electronic newsletters about CySEA’s activities and benefit from reduced participation fees. They are also entitled to take part in the organization’s Annual General Assemblies and to vote or stand for election to the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee.
Anastasia Kapari
Deputy Secretary, CySEA
