Art for change

UNICEF assumes that 167 million children worldwide will live in poverty by 2030, and not only in developing or emerging countries. This poverty not only manifests itself materially, but also robs these children of a place and a voice in society.

10CHILDREN is an ambitious and driven global project by Dennis Meyer and Liesbeth Colthof. Both are on a mission, a mission to give a voice to all these often wordless children. She finds that voice together with the children and local partners in 10 cities around the world. Not to arouse sympathy, but to show the strength of these children. Projects are currently underway in the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, India and Germany.

Krokusfestival is proud to be a partner of 10CHILDREN and will annually host this unique and interesting project in the festival, which investigates how art and art institutions can contribute to making social injustice visible and tangible.

#1 exhibition
daily / festival center CCHA / free entrance
During the 2024 festival edition we will present an exhibition of all ongoing current projects.

#2 seminar

Program

• Introduction by Dennis Meyer
• Photo reportage of the children in Cleveland's neighborhoods by LAND Studio and Metro Health / photography Amber N. Ford
• Documentary Lead in the land (directed by Cigdem Slankard with students from the CSU School of Film and Media Arts Cleveland)
• Live fragment from the performance Watching butterflies (Cleveland Play House, text Eric Schmiedl, director Liesbet Coltof) by actors/musicians from Cleveland
• Text reading of excerpts from Das Pommesparadis (Junges Haus Düsseldorf)
• Panel discussion with Pamela DiPasquale & actors/musicians from Cleveland and Stefan Fischer-Fels and Kirstin Hess from Düsseldorf about the 'art children poverty' effect
• Discussion 'Poverty in Europe and how art (institutions) can play an important role in it.'

BACKGROUND INFO

In 2030 UNICEF estimates that 167 million children around the world will be living in extreme poverty. It’s an astounding number; so astounding it doesn’t even seem possible. Imagine when this number becomes reality. Think of the real children behind the number, their lives, their struggles, their stories.

We want to advocate for them. We are on a mission to make the unfelt, felt; the unspoken, spoken; the hopeless, hopeful. We are 10CHILDREN and we are determined. But how can you bring the enormous reality and the many faces of childhood poverty, closer to the heart?

10CHILDREN will share the stories of children in ten different cities around the world. Stories that will represent ten facets of child poverty and will honor the voices of the millions of children experiencing inhumane life circumstances. Take for example Eduardo from Curitiba, Brazil; an indigenous child enduring poverty, because his family was forced to move to the city. Or Emma from Düsseldorf, Germany who is one of the thousands of children in Europe suffering from hunger on a daily basis. Other children live in Cape Town, Mumbai and Cleveland. They show how poverty affects their health; what it’s like to grow up as a girl in a society where only men count; or how living with a disability impacts their chances. One has parents that are never at home. Another only knows the backdrop of constant war.

Their stories must be told and we will use the arts to do so. Art touches the heart and can make the lives and obstacles that these children encounter every day tangible. Not to raise pity. On the contrary. We will show the potential, the resilience, and the strength of the world’s children.

In each city, theater makers, filmmakers and visual artists will partner with local organizations and individuals committed to the children’s welfare. Together they create a safe place where children can speak freely. As experts of their own lives, they will share their stories to inspire the creation of a theatre play, a visual art exhibition, a documentary and an educational program. This will create a buzz of excitement. We aim to give the children and their parents the respect they deserve and end their invisibility. We seek to raise awareness within governments, organizations and communities who can provide real change.

After all the art projects in the 10 cities are complete, we will gather for the 10CHILDRENfestival, a culminating celebration of the worldwide projects we created and the stories that have been shared. The festival will feature a congress about childhood poverty and honor the voices and solutions of the children themselves. This is when we will all stand as one and say out loud: you have to act. NOW!

CONTEXT: CHILDREN IN THE WORLD

Although it is agreed that the most vulnerable in our society should be protected, the fate of these children easily disappears from the attention in the turmoil of the daily adult news. If we really want to make a serious effort to improve the lives of these children, we have to describe the circumstances they live in continuously and tell their stories profoundly and inescapably. Art and artists can play a significant role in this endeavour. Alongside the analyses, statistics and political intentions, artists are capable of depicting the stories of these children on a personal and emotional level. 

Art touches the heart and can make the lives and obstacles that these children encounter day after day tangible. Not to raise pity, but on the contrary to show the potential, the resilience and the strength of these children. The aim is to create involvement and awareness by a general public, by regional and international leaders and by social and political institutions, to evoke necessary and concrete actions to give these children a fair chance in life. 

10CHILDREN IN ACTION  

In 10 cities in 10 countries, an international and local community of children, young people, professional artists, museums, theaters, film schools, as well as universities, humanitarian organizations and NGOs will work together on various art projects. The stories of the children and their perspectives are central. They are the authors and the experts.

A performance made by professional actors, dancers and/or musicians created and performed in close collaboration with the children. The performance will be presented in the local language and will address in a high quality and meaningful way the inevitable consequences of poverty. 

A documentary will portray the daily life of the children and their families based on what they would like to show. The main focus is the voice of the children, their struggle and courage, their concerns and dreams. The documentary will be made by talented local professionals. 

A photo- and visual arts exhibition where local and international artists  work together with children. The exhibition contains all kinds of visual work: Video, painting, sculpture, installations and more. The quality of the artists and the raw sincerity of the children will create exciting and powerful work.  

An educational program will be developed in close cooperation with the local partners and will be available for schools, theatre's and NGO's. These programmes will also be part of the general educational 10CHILDRENbox.

A context program: meetings with experts, discussions, lectures, workshops. Here the collaboration with the different NGO’s and universities will be crucial.

A big opening night, where all the art-projects are presented to a general audience, to local and national politicians, NGO’s, influential members of the community, press and of course to the children and their families. After this event all the art projects will stay available for a long period for schools and a general audience.The goal is to generate publicity for the stories of the children and hopefully create some change in the way their lives are perceived, locally, regionally and globally.