The Smile Project

Even if the attitude towards happiness of the Western and African culture might differ, the way of expressing it remains the same: Laughing, smiling, showing teeth. The Smile Project is based exactly on these common characteristics: What makes you laugh? When was the last time you cracked up laughing? What makes you happy?

Over a three-week period we will offer a Theatre Experience School in Livingstone / Zambia for about 40 vulnerable children and young adults, giving workshops in dance, music and theatre. With professional support of theatre facilitators and musicians they will be dealing with social and philosophical questions about happiness and thereby start to set their creativity free: In the theatre workshop they can perform scenic debates of daily moments of happiness, in the music workshops they try to answer the question of how you can transform happiness, luck and laughter into music. The same is possible for dance: How can you translate good feelings and memories into movement?

The created pieces and results of the children will be presented on a festival, The Smile Festival, at the end of the project and will be discussed in open workshops with the public. Afterwards the artistic pieces can be presented in different contexts and can be used for example for presentation on other theatre stages or for workshops and discussions on happiness in schools and other institutions of education.

In addition to offering a platform for creative practice, The Smile Project aims to create a space for intercultural dialogue, wants to look out for cultural similarities and cultural encounters of European and African theatre work and aesthetics.

Target group:

Because of the bad social and economic conditions, only 50 percent of the children in Livingstone get the chance for education. Moreover, many of the children lost one or both parents due to the high HIV/ aids-rate. Therefore, they have to disclaim on parental care, live in children homes or on the street. In many cases the distress of the children drives them into criminal activities, drug abuse and early pregnancy.

The Smile Project addresses unprivileged and orphaned children and young adults without familiar support, who want to join an African art-winter with us.

Targets:

• Expansion of the children's horizon, so they can discover new interests and skills and get new perspectives for their own future.
• Strengthening of the childrens self-confidence.
• Seek and find new encounters of European and African culture regarding not only aspects of society, but also artistic methods.
• Development of artistic pieces in dance, music and theatre which will be presented in the final Smile Festival. Subsequently, they will serve as a base for a dialogue with the public and can be shown in new contexts.

• Yes men! Because besides looking for differences it is particularly looking for similarities.
• Future, here we are! Because besides a good feeling during the workshops, the children will learn how to deal with challenges in their future in a creative way.
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained: Because the children and young adults get the possibility to get involved into an artistic process witin a protected environment with professional guidance. They will be able to use dance, music and theatre as an artistic platform for their personal development and deal with questions of happiness.
• Talk! The Theatre Experience School and the final festival provoke and support a dialog. Here is space for intercultural exchange and the development of new encounters between professionals and the creative ideas of the children.
• Long live the theatre! Because artistic pieces will be created that have the possibility to transport a message that provokes a new discussion of the comprehension of happiness.
• Think positive! Instead of focusing on the negative as in daily news this project focuses on the positive. Maybe there is more beauty as we think?
• You live and learn! The African theatre work will may give new inspiration for my work as facilitator for theatre for children, adults, refugees, disabled people and other inspiring groups in Germany.

All earnings will be spent on the implementation of the project in Livingstone/Zambia and are required to guarantee that the Theatre Experience School and the final performances, parade and visits of the artists all work well together.
Money can’t buy us happiness, but instead:

• Come in! Rent for rehearsal rooms in the Museum Hall.
• Refreshments for the day.Those who work the whole day will need energy for heart and brain.
• A tourbus. As the local transport system does not work well, the children will be picked up.
• Recruitment: The helping hands of local musicians and artists have to get paid.
• Let's celebrate! Support for the Smile Festival, so that the performances, parade and visits of the artists all work well together.