Tackling homophobia and transphobia for young adults through artistic and creative media



Rinova is a partner in the ARES project along with partners from Italy, Netherlands, Estonia and Poland. The project involves identifying Artistic and Cultural Media (ACM) that is related to LGBT experiences and issues. Recent examples of this include the EastEnders' Carter family storyline and the just released documentary film'Next Goal Wins'.  The project is then exploring how this kind of material can be used in non-formal learning contexts in order to promote open dialogue and discussion whilst also raising awareness and promoting positive representations.

This EU Grundtvig Partnerships project is particularly timely given the spotlight on homophobia globally, with gay rights being challenged or denied at state level in countries like India, Russia and Nigeria. In the UK context it supports the equalities agenda and we see it as being particularly valuable in working with diversity young adults.

ARES has 2 central objectives:

1) to demonstrate that artistic education using ACM will help LGTB learning, and also how artistic education can benefit young LGBT adults socially and culturally;

2) to promote a dialogue between local government, adult education providers, cultural associations, experts with LGBT associations, concerning public policies to tackle homophobia and transphobia using ACM as a vehicle.

The project kicked off with a partnership meeting in November and the team at Rinova will join the ARES partners for the second meeting in Poland next week.

For more information please see our recent newsletter  or contact Imogen Slater at Rinova on i.slater@rinova.co.uk .

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.