On 14 August, the international symposium “Creative Connections” will
take place at Narva Art Residency NART. The programme brings together
experts in the fields of art and creative therapy who support the
social and emotional well-being of children, young people and adults
around them. The focus is on the cooperation of art and creative
therapies with communities and possibilities of their application in
cultural education.
Teachers, museum educators, creative therapists, social educators,
curators and other professionals in the fields of education, culture
and mental health who are interested in hearing about the latest
developments at the intersection of these fields are welcome. The
symposium will provide an opportunity to gather inspiration, gain
practical tools and make valuable connections across disciplines.
Participants can expect a packed programme of presentations,
discussions, workshops and creative activities. All of this will take
place in the special atmosphere of the NART residency building and the
surrounding park.
Check out the programme HERE.
Hanna-Liis Kont, head of the platform “Creative Connections”, says:
“Rising social and emotional challenges highlight the need for
innovative, evidence-based practices that strengthen resilience,
empathy and social cohesion. Arts and creative therapies provide
concrete, practical tools to achieve these outcomes.”
The event brings together the latest knowledge and experiences from
Estonia and around the world: Kjell Caminha (HDK-Valand, Sweden),
Emily Goldstein Nolan (Syracuse University, USA), Jose Antonio
Gordillo (Cultural Inquiry, Switzerland), Julia Volonts (Maryland
University, USA), Anna Golubeva (Narva College), Frederik Klanberg
(Kumu Art Museum), Dagmar Narusson (University of Tartu), Mariliis
Tähepõld (Creative Connections, Haldjapere) and a host of other
exciting practitioners share ideas and methods that can be used in
schools, museums, cultural projects and many other places.
Symposium presentations and discussions will be held in English;
parallel sessions will be held in English or Estonian.
The participation fee for the symposium is 40 euros and you can
participate both on location and online. If you participate on
location, the participation fee also includes a hot lunch. The number
of places for on-location participants is limited and registration is
open only while places last.
To participate, register no later than 01.08.2026 HERE.
The day before the symposium, on 13 August, it is possible to
participate in Kjell Caminha’s workshop “Kreenholm in Motion” for
free, which will take place from 2–5 pm. To participate in the
workshop, register HERE.
We thank: the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Baltic-American Freedom
Foundation, Embassy of Sweden in Tallinn, Narva Art Residency and
Smart Future Foundation.
See you in Narva!
Additional information:
Marju Kask
Project manager of the symposium
marju.kask@gmail.com