Moving Statues Towards Gender Equality: an artistic methodology

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gender equality

The Moving Statues Towards Gender Equality” (MuST GEn) project, funded by the Erasmus+ program (KA210-YOU), is a collaboration between 2 organizations: MICCE APS from Italy and ROES COOP from Greece. The project aimed to address gender stereotypes through the exploration of public statuary in Italy and Greece. By using art as an educational tool, the MuST GEn project provides youth workers with non-formal educational methods to promote gender equality and engage young people in social reflection.

Why Public Statues and Gender Equality?

Public spaces, often dominated by male statues, subtly reinforce gender stereotypes by underrepresenting women or portraying them in limited roles. Statues influence how we understand history and gender roles in society. The MuST GEn project focuses on reinterpreting these statues as a way to reflect on gender stereotypes and gender-based inequalities. Youth workers, through artistic workshops, encourage youth to critically examine public symbols, fostering awareness of how they shape societal narratives.

The project aims to:

  • Train youth workers in inclusive non-formal education methodologies.
  • Use art as a tool for raising awareness about gender stereotypes and promoting equality.
  • Involve young people in artistic reflections and performances related to gender equality.

Key Strategies for youth workers

  1. Art as a medium for gender reflection: art offers a universal language that can foster social change. The MuST GEn project provides youth workers with tools to use visual art and performance to challenge gender stereotypes. Workshops encourage young people to observe and reflect on statues in their communities, creating dialogues about what these representations say about gender. Through body movement, improvisation, and performance, participants embody new narratives that question traditional gender roles.
  2. Non-Formal Education on gender issues: the project promotes non-formal education, allowing for interactive, creative learning processes that engage young people in active participation. Youth workers can integrate the MuST GEn approach into existing youth programs, focusing on gender representation in public spaces. These methods go beyond the classroom, encouraging young people to critically engage with their environments and challenge societal norms.
  3. Research and desk analysis: before the workshops, youth workers conduct desk research to analyze public statues in their cities. This research provides a foundation for discussions about gender representation and helps identify which statues to explore during workshops. Youth workers can map local statues, examine their historical and cultural contexts, and assess how these symbols reflect or challenge gender stereotypes. This preliminary research strengthens the educational impact of the workshops by linking the artistic exploration to local realities.
  4. Engaging local communities: the MuST GEn methodology emphasizes the importance of community engagement. Youth workers are encouraged to involve local associations, cultural bodies, and experts in gender equality to enrich the dialogue. Public performances, which are the culmination of the workshops, provide a platform for young people to present their artistic interpretations of gender issues. These performances, set in public spaces, spark conversations among community members, promoting broader awareness of gender inequality.

Practical applications for youth workers

As a youth worker, you can adapt the MuST GEn approach to fit your local context. First, download the toolkit. Start by conducting research on the statues in your city or neighborhood, and organize workshops that focus on how these statues reflect gender roles. Encourage participants to use movement and performance to reimagine these public symbols, offering new narratives that promote equality. You can also connect with local organizations to build partnerships and enhance the workshop’s social impact.

For more inspiration on how to incorporate artistic methodologies into your youth work, you can explore this toolkit on Intercultural dialogue and Arts, developed by Associazione Joint in 2023.

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