“I’m unbelievably amazed over how quickly one could make contact with a previously unknown...

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“I’m unbelievably amazed over how quickly one could make contact with a previously unknown person from the younger generation!”

LONG LIVE ARTS | SK Stiftung Kultur | Intergenerational Blog Workshops

LONG LIVE ARTS | SK Stiftung Kultur | Intergenerational Blog Workshops 2

Institution: SK Stiftung KulturDepartement: Cultural Communication and Education: Media Art and Film Presenters: Birgit Hauska, Dominik Bühler

Intergenerational Dialogue in the Collaborative Blogs of Young and Old

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SK Stiftung Kultur der Sparkasse KölnBonn

• cultural foundation of a savings bank

• founded in 1975• dedicated to

– art photography– dance– Cologne dialect– educational programs with

focus on media art, moving images, literature

• promote, preserve, and inspire• non-profit

Domicile of the SK Stiftung Kultur: Im Mediapark 7, Cologne, Photo: Niklas Rausch


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Cultural Communication and Education: Media Art and Film

• discussions to promote media art

• supporting young media artists

• cross-genre short film programs

• medienwerk.nrw

• communication of media art

• artistic workshops encouraging participants to be creative


Photo by Verena Günther

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Intergenerational Projects

• conceptual focus since 2012

• “mix@ges—Intergenerational Bonding Via Creative New Media”

• initiate and promote the intergenerational dialogue

– workshops + exhibitions

– lecture

– short film program

– photo competition


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Intergenerational Blog (Generationenblog)


• www.generationenblog.de

• purpose

– platform for young and old to present their dialogue and artistic examination

– introduce them to the contemporary medium of the blog

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Intergenerational Blog Workshops

aims of the workshops• solidarity between generations• reducing prejudices and reservations• stimulating the dialogue on joint artistic work• other points of view and lifeworlds• contemporary art and digital culture • creativity and media competence • strengthening the individual• opportunity to participate, to become active

and pass something on to others • having fun and gain positive experience • cross-generational self-development and

shaping the world


Photo by workshop participant

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• learn from, with, and about one another

• process-oriented

• examination of everyday issues

• exchange encouraged through shared activities


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• cooperation with school• open to students in grades eleven

and twelve and to anyone 50+• workshops

– „Suburb—City—Home? My Görlinger Zentrum: The Perspectives of Young and Old” (September 24 to 27, 2012)

– “Work and Money—The Perspectives of Old and Young on www.generationenblog.de” (July 8 to 13, 2013)

– “Friendship and Love—…” (June 15 to 19, 2015)


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Concept and Method of the Intergenerational Blog Workshops

Example „Suburb—City—Home? My Görlinger Zentrum…”

• Day 1: stimulation of the intergenerational dialogue, finding a partner, introduction to technique and photography

• Day 2: focus on subjects, artistic examination, visit to an exhibition

• Day 3: blogging

• Day 4: intergenerational dialogue on the intergenerational blog


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Day 1 - „Suburb—City—Home?“

• overcome initial shyness

– “icebreakers”

• Mood Barometer

• Map of the neighborhood

• Spider‘s Web

• five rules

– self-responsibility

– attendance

– trust

– dialogue on equal footing

– mutual respect


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• playful round of conversation

• lecture: basics of photography

• intergenerational teams

• instruction: tablet computer

• exercise: interviewing each other

• instruction: taking photographs

• exercise: taking portraits



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• presentation of the portraits and interviews to the group

• photograph assignment:

– Find an interesting corner of the neighborhood and take a picture of it!

• feedback round

• write down wishes

• take the tablets home



Photos by workshop participants

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• presentation of photographs– feedback by the group

• detailed introduction into themes – examples from the arts

• brainstorming session

– Home (mind map)

– Suburb/City (ABC)

– Everyday life (times-of-day game)



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• tasks to choose from

– Suburb/City: portrait of your partner in a place you associate with him/her

– Home: pictures related to your concept of home

– Everyday life: imaginary senior and junior daily routine



16LONG LIVE ARTS | SK Stiftung Kultur | Intergenerational Blog Workshops


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• field trip: exhibition Walker Evans: Decade by Decade

• homework: take a picture of the room you live in



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• presentation of the homework + feedback by the group



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• blogs and their history

• develop blog profiles

• how to set up and publish articles

• publishing the homework



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• game: statements about yourself + on intergenerational dialogue

• building & publishing articles

• presentation of the final blog articles to the group



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Challenges

• recruitment of participants

– support of local partners– multiplicators & networks– word-of-mouth

recommendations– exhibition of workshop results


Requirements for a Successful Intergenerational Dialogue

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Do’s

• let the participants take part and make decisions

• repeated feedback rounds

• asking for expectations and wishes

• point out that there is no right or wrong, only personal standpoints

• allow contradictions



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Don’ts

• too many participants

• underestimation of participants

• inflexible agenda

• too much content



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Do!

• presentation to an audience

• exhibition of workshop results

pride & appreciation

opportunity to reflect and become aware of the process

promotion for intergenerational involvement



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• becoming familiar with taking an artistic approach

• experience mutual appreciation– perception of oneself– self-confidence

• new perspectives– different angles of vision– parallels between lifeworlds


Successes

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• initiation of intergenerational dialogue through creative examination

• playful way facilitates reducing reservations and prejudices – among the generations– to current media technology

• encouragement of older people, open up new opportunities


Successes

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• “I’m surprised at how many similarities there are among the generations.”

• “I’m surprised that even older people are familiar with technology and learn new things very quickly.”

• “I wouldn’t have thought that it’s possible. The project changed my perspective. Today, I take notice of young people I never thought about before, and I see them with very different eyes.”


Feedback by participants

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Feedback by the public

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Contact:

Birgit [email protected]. +49-221-88895-107

Dominik Bü[email protected]. +49-221-88895-108

www.sk-kultur.de/medienkunstwww.generationenblog.de

All photos by Janet Sinica if not indicated otherwise.


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