PRESS RELEASE #1

On April 8, 2022, the kickoff meeting of the partners of the European project Critical Arts Education for Sustainable Societies, which is funded by the Erasmus+ KA2, took place at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. The coordinator of the project is Dr Victoria Pavlou, Associate Professor of Visual Arts, Chair of the Department of Education, Frederick University, Cyprus.

Project CARE/SS is about widening the access to the arts through online and blended learning and enhancing arts education with education for sustainable development elements that will promote creative thinking, critical and systemic thinking, reflection and development of skills, attitudes and values.

The project aims to enable Higher Education Institutions' digital transformation, to support the development and delivery of teacher training programs that will empower school teachers in arts teaching and thus strengthen their teaching profile. At the same time teachers/future teachers will develop their digital and soft skills and acquire quality experience of learning-teaching situations in a digital environment that could be transfer in primary/secondary levels of schooling. Thus, through the content of the trainings, CARE/SS responds to the need to support educational programs that enhance social and intercultural competences, critical thinking and creativity. Education through the arts, especially with the integration of education for sustainable development (particularly the social and cultural aspects), reflects the transition into the 21st century education where emphasis is placed on an integration of competences, knowledge, values and attitudes.

The project has a duration of 28 months and apart from Frederick University, its partners are the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, the University of Malta, Malta, the University of Barcelona, Spain and the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland.

• The press release was disseminated in the media and the European Office Cyprus' Newsletter (ISSUE 130, 16 - 23 May 2022)

Frederick University

1. September 2022. The progress of the CARE/SS project, including information about the 2nd Transnational Project Meeting and the Train-the-trainer event in Cyprus, was disseminated through the Newsletter of the European Office of Cyprus
2. December 2022. FU team disseminated information about the CARE/SS project and invited teachers to participate in the training: emails & communication via phone or personal meetings with members of CySEA and the Art group of POED. Both distributed information to their members.
3. January 2023: The FU team announced (press releases) opportunities for in-service professional development to local educational sites & newspapers:
   1. Announcement 1
   2. Announcement 2
   3. Announcement 3
   4. Announcement 4
4. January 2023: The FU team disseminated information about training opportunities through social media:
5. January 2023. The FU team announced opportunities for training to teachers through its website
6. February 2023. The FU team provided further information about the CARE/SS project to its academic community through the internal newsletter, issue 21
7. August 2023. Information about the progress of the project and recent activities were included in the Newsletter of the European Office of Cyprus.
8. September 2023. The FU team announced to educational local media information about the training outcomes of the CARE/SS project.
9. November 2023. Presentation of project outputs and activities to the Faculty members of the Department of Education at Frederick University.
10. February 2024. Presentation of project outputs and activities to representatives of secondary public art teachers.
11. March 2024. Announcements to social media about the Dissemination event in Cyprus. Registration for participation was done through google forms.
12. April 2024. Social media post about the Cypriot Dissemination Event.
13. May 2024. Press releases about the implementation of the Dissemination on the University website and to local news (Paideia News).
14. July 2024. Press release about the end of the project on the University website.
15. July 2024. Press release - News of the European Office of Cyprus about the end of the project.

University of Malta

1. April 2022. The UM team announced to its academic community the Erasmus awarded project.
2. March 2023. The UM team disseminated information and invited teachers to participate in courses through social media.
3. June 2023. Professor Raphael Vella referenced the CARE/SS project during an online panel discussion about International Issues for Inclusivity, organised by Goldsmiths, London, including the participation of Miranda Matthews, Kevin Tavin and Andrea Karpati.
4. July 2023: Faculty of Education newsletter about the CARE/SS project.
5. June 2024. Issue no. 95 of the Faculty of Education newsletter of the University of Malta includes an article describing Dr Maria Cutajar's and Dr. Charmaine Zammit's recent visit to Poznan, Poland, for the final CARE/SS meeting and conference. The Faculty of Education newsletter is published online every week and includes information about events in which staff members have been involved.

University of Barcelona

1. April 2022. The UB team posted information about the project on the website of the research group Esbrina:
2. May 2023. The UB team disseminated information and invited teachers to participate in the in-service training through the Institut de Ciències de l’Educació (ICE). Email messages and communication were contacted via the ICE web.
3. July 2023. Information about the project and the in-service training in social media: https://twitter.com/EsbrinaRecerca/status/1681994519342923776
4. April 2024. Announcement of the dissemination event “The social turn of the arts in school and the paper of digital technology” on the news webpage of the Institute for Professional Development of the University of Barcelona: https://www.ub.edu/idp/web/ca/noticies/simposi-el-gir-social-de-les-arts-lescola-i-el-paper-de-la-tecnologia-digital
5. May 2024. Mention of the project in the annual activity report (2022-2023) of the Institute for Professional Development of the University of Barcelona: https://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/204040/5/Mem%c3%b2ria_IDP_ICE.pdf#page=30

Aristoteleio University of Thessaloniki

1. October 2022. The AUTH team provided information about the program on the official website of the University’s Quality Assurance Unit
2. October 2022. Members of the AUTH team met with art councillors and informed them about the CARE/SS projects.
3. January 2023. The AUTH team sent messages and invitations for a live information meeting for school counsellors & cultural stakeholders through the CAREfull platform
4. September 2023. The AUTH team created official information pages for the CARE/SS project and the activities of the team on Facebook & Instagram. There announcements and updates will be posted.                  
5. October 2023. Announcement of the project’s progression and Training Courses on the CAREfull platform. The platform will have updated news every 1-2 months.
6. October 2023. AUTH’s Official Research Projects website – The AUTH team reports on the project progress and includes aTraining announcement. Volume #40
7. November 2023. To enhance the dissemination of information, supplementary networks and specialised events have been established in collaboration with the art-educational group Sxedia stin Poli https://www.sxediastinpoli.gr/y, which actively engages in numerous European forums and programs. This initiative is supported by the Cultural Committee of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the Children's Museum of Thessaloniki, and the Thematic Museums of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation.
8. March 2024. Workshop for pre-service teachers (by Martha Ioannidou, 26 March 2024, Faculty of Education, Tower Building, AUTH, Thessaloniki, Greece. 
9. July 2024. E-journal “Dialogoi”-July -https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/dialogoi/index
10. July 2024.. Complete presentation of the outcomes and the freely accessible resources provided in the special edition of the programme issued by the Research Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
11. Additionally, information on the project, its results, and further events are disseminated through bi-monthly newsletters on the interactive artistic educational platform, which can be accessed at https://carefull.web.auth.gr/
12. Forthcoming
    
    Training Course / Life-Long Learning
    Critical Art Education for Sustainable Societies
    November 2024- March 25, Faculty of Education-School of Primary Education

    The upcoming Life-Long Learning Training, a significant part of the CARE/SS project, is a continuation of our collective efforts.
    It will involve the support of the CARE/SS project's contributors, the AUTH research team, and guest speakers from the academic and artistic communities. This collaborative effort is a crucial step in furthering the goals of the European research project CARE/SS.
    The Life-Long Learning Training presents a unique opportunity to expand the intervention's reach to as many teachers, schools, and relevant organisations as possible. With inclusivity as a central focus, the programme offers a blend of distance-based (synchronous and asynchronous) meetings and in-person workshops/seminars. These virtual and physical interventions aim to support schools through remote assistance/connections and in-person artistic/activist activities, providing a comprehensive learning experience.
    The project's implementation was announced to teachers during the Dissemination Event in May 2024, and press releases were distributed to stakeholders to ensure effective communication. We are committed to keeping all those interested informed, and detailed invitations and programme information will be distributed at the beginning of the school/academic year, providing them with all the necessary details for their participation.
    Expanding the Professional Learning Community (PLC) is a pivotal step in our journey of exploring the boundaries of artistic social practices. This extension will not only enhance educators' and students' understanding of the unique characteristics of these practices but also demonstrate how they can be harnessed in the school environment as a transformative tool for personal development and societal impact.
    Professional certification will be given for participation and completion of the programme.

Uniwersytet im Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu

1. January 2022. Information about the project posted on the official website of the Faculty of Educational Studies of AMU.
2. June 2022. The AMU presented the CARE/SS project during face-to-face meetings with representatives of local associations promoting art and/or working with gifted youth and local schools (Child Art Center in Poznań, the Foundation of the Design of Educational Space in Poznan, Dezydery Chlapowski Educational Association in Koscian, the School & Theatre "Lejery" in Poznan, International School of Poznan).
3. October 2022. The AMU team disseminated to the whole AMU community the project activities through internal meetings and seminars with units cooperating with the Faculty of Educational Studies (e.g., the University Center for Teachers Education, the Laboratory of Creative Activities in Social Space).
4. February 2023. The AMU team provided information about the project and the activities planned within it to candidates for 2023/2024 Erasmus+ exchange (pre-service teachers) through the website of AMU-PIE courses offer.
5. June 2023. AMU team presented the idea and activities of CARE/SS project in the discussion during a debate dedicated to teachers, researchers and local stakeholders "The debate about educational assessment" [in Polish].
6. September 2023. The AMU team provided information about the progress of the project. Press release about the 4th Transnational Project Meeting in Poznań.
7. October 2023 - May 2024. Students had the opportunity to participate in seminars and workshops and participated in school activities (visiting and conducting classes) thus disseminating CARE/SS activities to local schools (https://amupie.amu.edu.pl/1156/details, https://amupie.amu.edu.pl/1059/details )

8. June 2022/2023 and – now: AMU team, together with pre-service teachers, visited social and welfare institutions, kindergartens and schools to exchange good practices and experiences. The visits were of a varied nature, including: these included presentations of institutions about their activities, presentations of students and teachers from these institutions, inspections and observations of classes by pre-service teachers, and presentations about the project, classes and workshops conducted by members of the CARE/SS team and pre-service teachers.
   1. International School of Poznan  09.02.2024
   2. Piątkowska Community School, named Dr. WandaBłeńska 27.05.2024
   3. CARROTS AND PEAS Kindergarten 03.06.2024
   4. School & Theatre "Lejery" in Poznan 13.06.2024
   5. Stowarzyszenie Oświatowe im. D. Chłapowskiego w Kościanie 18.06.2024
   6. Stowarzyszenie Jesteśmy Wśród Was w Kościanie 18.06.2024

9. 2023/2024. Pre-services teachers practices at kindergartens and schools: Pre-service teachers had the opportunity to practice practical skills from both courses during internships in kindergarten and school. During the internship, they used knowledge, skills and tools prepared during classes conducted as part of the CARE/SS project. They also had the opportunity to observe classes conducted in English, talk to the kindergarten/school staff and learn about teaching methods.
   1. CARROTS AND PEAS Kindergarten
   2. International School of Poznan
   3. Piątkowska Community School, named Dr. Wanda Błeńska 

10. June 2023 and June 2024. Speeches, presentations, prelections for teachers and pre-services teachers in local environments: AMU team presented the idea and activities of CARE/SS project in the discussion during a debate dedicated to teachers, researchers and local stakeholders "The debate about educational assessment" [in Polish]. Pre-service teachers had the opportunity to share their ideas that they created during the course with other teachers, social workers and therapists in kindergartens, schools and during seminars/conferences.
    https://tiny.p\/dpqd6

11. May 2024. Speeches, lectures, workshops for teachers and pre-services teachers abroad: AMU team conducted classes, lectures and workshops on the CARE/SS project activities, the tools used and the effects of work, also during foreign queries. eg.
    Michalina Kasprzak, lectures within Erasmus+ STA visit (Greece, Thesaloniki, 20-24 May 2024) – workshop for Greek pre-services teachers and for teachers
    Mateusz Marciniak, lectures within Erasmus+ STA visit (Slovenia, Ljubljana, 16-21 May 2024) workshop for Slovenian pre-services teachers