To the Youth Fund Culture East: increasing equal opportunities through culture page

Culture East: increasing equal opportunities through culture | 8 July 2021

Culture East: increasing equal opportunities through culture

"I want every child in Gelderland to be able to enjoy culture." That's what drives Miranda Siemelink of Cultuur Oost, the Gelderland advisory organization for arts and culture and a partner of the Gelderland Youth Fund. "As a cultural education advisor, I'm committed to promoting culture in schools. It's incredibly important because it contributes to increasing equal opportunities. We share this mission with the Youth Fund, and that's why we work together as partners."

Strengthen through culturer

Learning, participating, growing, and strengthening through culture and art. These are the pillars of Cultuur Oost, and cultural education makes a significant contribution to this. This is achieved primarily through the Gelderland program "Culture Education with Quality," the new, expanded program of which runs from 2021-2024. Currently, there are 65 ongoing projects, 405 participating schools, and the organization reaches approximately 75,945 primary school students. "As a sparring partner, I ensure the connection between the arts sector and education," says Miranda. "This is especially important for the 26 cultural points in Gelderland, who are actually in contact with schools, is crucial. Together we ensure that we can offer culture to everyone."

Connect network

Miranda is keen to raise awareness of the Youth Fund within the network. “We recently held the biennial meeting of the cultural hubs. At that meeting, essentially a professional learning community, we inform everyone, connect organizations, and outline provincial priorities. At the last event, the Youth Fund gave a presentation, and we hope that the network will also commit to increasing equal opportunities. We hope that they will highlight the Youth Fund's potential and potentially recruit new intermediaries.”

Finding elephant paths

The cultural education advisor notes that this network is all about partnership. “For everyone, the artists and cultural centers, the urgency of 'art for everyone' is paramount. We work together as partners. The beauty is that the program is based on daily practice, from the classroom. It's truly customized. For example, if a primary school doesn't have transportation for a performance organized by a cultural center, I sit down with everyone. We look for solutions; sometimes you really have to think outside the box—I call it 'looking for shortcuts.' Together, we always find a solution!”

Key experiences

Why does she think culture is important for children? “Shouldn't every child have the opportunity to learn to enjoy themselves? And the opportunity to be amazed or confused by art and to discover and develop talents? That makes you a richer person! Art is also a way to connect with each other and learn to understand the person you're with.” She remembers how a whole new world opened up for her when her class accompanied her French teacher to theater performances. “I now call such experiences 'key experiences'; those moments when a window opens for you. Events that make you think. It's my drive to offer as many children as possible as many of these key experiences as possible.”

Art is self-evident

If she had magical powers, she would change one thing immediately. “That art is self-evident and accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, people often experience it as elitist and think it's expensive. I'd love to see what happened to the popularity of football happen to culture. That all children in Gelderland gain as much experience as possible with all facets of the arts. From making their own film to attending a dance performance, from a math/music lesson to a technical mess, at school and beyond. Experiencing culture together, singing together, for example, is important for development. Just like in football, you don't all have to become a star player; enjoying the game is also important. Everyone needs something to express themselves, and just like food, you can't live without it!”

More information: Culture East website

Photo caption: Teacher with students from the Mauritius School during a cultural lesson. (Joppe Photography commissioned by Cultuur Oost)