VIA- Art Education as a Common Language

Delphine Mae`s art installation in Ottakring Festival 2008, explores ethnicity and prejudice. Through Micro cinema at Schmiede 06 and with workshops devised in the project VIA-Values, Identity, Art through the initiative: ACES Association of Central and European Schools a project set up by Erste Foundation coordinated by Interculturelles Zentrum.

In conversation, we discuss the power of Art Education to increase intercultural dialogue through innovative workshops with artists and art educators and to find a common language through art. Furthermore, how we can explore concepts of nationality, politics, religion, culture on an emotive level. On the micro level, in small groups and intimate settings, reconciliation, dialogue and understanding can be reached. 

The secret lies in breaking loose from the constraints that tie us, of talks choreographed entirely by boundary images , where negotiators are locked in as spokespersons and representatives of preset counterposed categories. Through these workshops teenagers can access broader parts of their humanity and activate a range of other images and identites especially by facilitating some individual bonding across that boundary. The consequence is a deep restructuring on an emotive level, one that previously has been dominated by political boundary and fact.