Widening the Lenses
Making Space for Alternative Visions
Widening the Lenses: Making Space for Alternative Visions
ESC Solidarity Project (Litu x Down Tenerife)
San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, España
This project aims to provide a platform for individuals with Down Syndrome to express their inner worlds through filmmaking. By means of creative expression, the project seeks to raise awareness about Down Syndrome, challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion.
Throughout the project, Down Syndrome participants will be invited to learn more about different filmmaking techniques and to develop different narratives about their own identity, experiences and dreams. Meanwhile people without Down Syndrome will be invited to explore these worlds and engage in discussions with the participants, be it by joining openworkshops sessions or by attending the final showcase of the participant’s work.
Project Description
The project will consist of a series of workshops spanning a 6 months period, preceded by a 3 month preparatory period and a 3 months evaluative period. Below is an overview of the planned activities:
Preparation Phase (July – September 2024):
In the initial three months, the project focuses on preparation. This involves refining the project design, creating essential documents, gathering materials, improving the dissemination strategy, establishing an online presence, and initiating collaborations. During this phase we will be working closely with the Down Syndrome association in Tenerife, who will help us refine the project and engage in discussions with the Down Syndrome participants (who will also be providing feedback on the project design).
Implementation Phase (October 2024 – March 2025):
The implementation phase spans six months and includes a variety of creative sessions aimed at building group-cohesion, exploring different artistic mediums, and encouraging self-expression. During this phase, the goal will be to explore the desires and perspectives of the participants and their visions for the future. Throughout the six months, the participants will partake in creative workshops, discussions and reflection sessions, including open sessions with the wider-community. The phase will end with an open showcase of the participant’s final work and a discussion.
Evaluation and Sharing Phase (March – May 2025):
In the final phase, spanning months ten to twelve, the focus shifts to evaluation and sharing of the project’s outcomes. During this phase we will reflect on the project’s development and work on the creation of the dissemination material, including a DIY guide in which the key takeaways of the project will be shared with the wider-community. The goal is that this guide could then be used as a tool to replicate and improve our project.
Profiles of the group
We all decided to be part of the project because of a common interest in the promotion of inclusion and creativity. Tales, brings to the project his own perspective as someone with Down’s syndrome, while Luna, Rubi, Catalina and Breogán bring experience in cultural and social projects.
Luna:
Video artist and cultural manager. Luna’s work often focuses on the exploration of identity and community action. In their work, they like to cross the boundaries between film and theater and explore the relationships that form between the actors and the camera. During this project, they will assist in the design and facilitation of activities, as well as the overall administration of the project.
Tales:
Player and active actor. Tales is a radical “imaginer” and creator of fantastic realities. He likes to play with objects and singing to the rhythm of music. Passionate sock puppeteer and social communicator, during this project he will be acting as an advisor and responsible for dissemination (together with Luna and Breogán).
Rubi:
Set designer and theater professional. Rubi often works with theater as a tool for non-formal education and world building. They like to explore the relationship that people establish with space and the methods that can be used to rethink that relationship. During the project they will help design and facilitate some of the activities.
Catalina:
Trained in pedagogy, Catalina has experience in non-formal education and promoting social inclusion in communities at risk of exclusion. She has also worked as a coordinator of local and international projects, promoting solidarity among different social groups. Catalina will provide advice to the project in all aspects related to inclusion. In addition, having worked for 2 years in the development of inclusion programs in high schools, with a focus on self-management, she will also contribute to the design of the DIY guide, making sure that the guide is useful and inclusive.
Breogán:
A sociology student with an interest in social projects, Breogán will assist in the development of the questionnaires and the evaluations as well as in the search for collaborators. Breogán, together with Luna, will be in charge of doing the analysis of the quantitative and qualitativeand qualitative data of the project and writing reports on the development of the project.
Project made possible by:
Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Injuve, the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.