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In the Celje Youth Center, a youth exchange called "(h)ArtBeat" took place from July 20 to 27. The event gathered 30 young people aged 18 to 30 from Slovenia, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia. A third of the participants came from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, enhancing the diversity of the group and encouraging tolerance and proactive communication.

The primary goal of the "(h)ArtBeat" project and youth exchange was to explore the impact of musical art and creation. Throughout the exchange, participants gained essential information to recognize music as a means of spending leisure time and creating. Various workshops provided insights into different genres and methods of musical creation.

During the week, participants learned about the influence of music on youth through numerous perspectives, guided by several young professionals:

?With art teacher Anka Rener, they explored creating drawings and paintings inspired by music.

?Dancer and dance group FORCE teacher, Anika Brežnik, highlighted the importance of dance art in connection with music.

?Music educator Nina Kreče emphasized the importance of breathing exercises and vocal warm-ups before singing.

?Members of the band LPS, Filip Vidušin and Žiga Žvižej, assisted participants in writing lyrics for their song and experimenting with different melodies.

?Young costume designer Zala Jenček discussed the importance of costume and set design for concerts and various performances.

Participants were also given a weekly task to present their composed song and lyrics in a jam session format. This presentation included scenography, costume design, and dance choreography.

“The project was an incredible and creative journey. From the first day, we engaged in energizing games that helped us bond with participants from different cultures. A highlight was the session with Philip and Ziga from the LPS music band, where we learned about songwriting and even created our own lyrics and melodies. Exploring Celje and its historic castle was another memorable experience, providing us with a deep connection to the local culture. Each day was filled with diverse activities, including dance classes, art workshops, and nature walks. We also enjoyed multicultural nights, which allowed us to appreciate different traditions and cuisines. The most special moment for me was collaborating on our final song. The chemistry and communication within our group were amazing, and it was truly satisfying to see our hard work come together in a beautiful piece of music. Overall, I enhanced my artistic skills and formed lasting friendships.”

Katerina

“During this erasmus+ youth exchange ,I discovered new cultures, learned how to dance,made lifelong friends and gained valuable skills.It was a transformative and an unforgettable journey!”

Apostolos

“In the project H-ART-Beat we focused on art and our expression for 7 days, we got to know Celje of Slovenia, we danced, sang, created.

Workshops were all about us participants getting to know therapy through art, crafting our own costumes for the final show, composing songs and melodies, and also learning choreography we all enjoyed. We got familiar with every country's culture, hence polyphony infused each night of the project. Special place in my heart holds the performance of our original songs with lyrics in everyone's language at the final show. It was such a forming, unforgettable and special experience.”

Sofia

The program is co-funded by the European Union.

Do you want to experience this unique opportunity too? Check out all the opportunities we post on our social media and find the one that suits you the most.