„Youth Culture and Democracy – Engine of Civil Society“ was the title of ART CAMP 2024. Over 60 young people gathered for 11 days in Northern Germany, specifically in Lärz, a small town in the Mecklenburg Lake District.
What defines youth cultures? How have youth cultures evolved over the years? What democratic and anti-democratic perspectives exist within youth cultures, and what roles have youth cultures played and continue to play in processes of societal change? These were just some of the questions discussed and explored during the camp.
These questions were addressed through various workshops in non-formal political education. Participants examined the historical and current situations in the different countries from which the young people came.
Following the content-based workshops, participants continued to engage with the topic in creative ways. These art-based workshops served as a complement, offering diverse opportunities to process and express individual perspectives and thoughts creatively.
One of the goals of combining content-oriented workshops with practical, art-based exploration of the topic was to create a final theater and performance piece. Through intensive collaboration on a performance that incorporated various cultural practices, participants engaged in diverse forms of cultural education and opportunities to develop media literacy. This approach allowed the young people to get to know each other on a deeper level.
At the end of the youth exchange, the performance was presented to an audience.
The young participants engaged in reflection on the topic using non-formal methods. During the theoretical workshops, they delved into the subject based on the situations in the countries where the youths reside. Following the theoretical workshops, the participants continued their work in creative ways. These art-based workshops served as a complement to the theoretical approach. The goal of combining theoretical and practical, art-based engagement with the topic was to create a final theater and performance piece.
The intensive collaboration on a performance piece, incorporating various cultural practices, resulted in a diverse range of forms of cultural education and opportunities for the development of media literacy, enabling young people to become acquainted with each other on a profound level.