Cultural sectors are significant pillars for Europe’s economic prosperity; creating jobs, international trade and being an international pole of attraction. Although the EU has been successfully recovering from high unemployment rates of recent years, the lockdown and consequences of COVID-19 had a significant impact. HeART of EU aims to enhance the competencies and skills of Artists and individuals working in Culture and Creative Sectors and secure their inclusion to the labour market and society in general. To achieve this, the project will focus on the main capacities below: 1. Employability, Entrepreneurship and Business Administration Skills (digital skills, marketing, social media promotion, work advertising, goal setting, communication, collaboration, negotiation) 2. Psychological Capacities (character strengths, empowerment, stress management, emotion regulation) OBJECTIVES The objectives of HeART of EU Project are to: - Combat unemployment in the creative sector - Equip young artists with skills and competencies needed to enter art labour market and sustain a stable income - Build the skills of young artists in the areas of entrepreneurship and digital skills - Empower young artists and enhance their psychological capacities and wellbeing - Support networking of all artists in the EU among partner countries and beyond - Provide useful information and guidance to Youth Workers, Trainers, Mentors and others, to better support young artists OUTPUTS To achieve the goals and objectives, HeART of EU Project will develop the following Outputs: IO1: Handbook for Young Artists IO2: Training Programme for Young Artists A. Art Entrepreneurship and Employability skills (financial management, goal setting, creativity) B. Digital Skills (digital marketing, digital communication, negotiation) C. Psychological Capacities (strengths, empowerment, emotion regulation, self- confidence, motivation) IO3: Train the Trainer course (for Youth Workers, Art Managers, Teachers, Educators, Mentors, Career and Guidance Counsellors) IO4: Online Modules and OERs By implementing the project in the UK, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Cyprus, the Consortium will combat unemployment in the creative sector and build the capacities of all stakeholders to promote Art entrepreneurship and creativity.
The concern of the project was to enhance the competencies and skills of Artists and individuals working in the culture and creative sectors so that they could address the challenges presented by the COVID -19 pandemic and sustain their practices through enterprise. In addressing that concern, the objectives were to: - Combat unemployment in the creative sector - Build the skills of young artists in the areas of entrepreneurship and digital skills. - Empower young artists and enhance their psychological capacities and well-being - Support networking of all artists in EU among partner countries and beyond - Provide useful information and guidance to Youth Workers, trainers, mentors and others to better support young artists In delivering on those objectives the project progressed through three stages: creation of a deeper understanding of the preferences of artists when receiving support in sustaining their enterprises, training of trainers, and delivery of a programme of training with artists.
Background: Although the EU has been successfully recovering from high unemployment rates of recent years, the lockdown and consequences of COVID-19 had a significant impact. The crisis hit young individuals the most, with the effects having a devastating impact on youth employment. Research showed ‘Art and Leisure’ suffered most by the measures taken to tackle the Pandemic. At the same time, national research that covered all regions of the UK in 2019/20 identified that even the most successful artists in the UK have often been left to muddle through with no support on how to plan and run their arts business. There was significant scope to support young artists with development programmes that prepare and support them in becoming successful arts entrepreneurs. Needs addressed: Artists practicing in a range of disciplines (e.g. actors, recording artists and sculptors) have been provided with support on how to run their enterprises through a handbook, skills diagnosis tool, workshops, instructional videos, and mentoring. Universities and VET organisations have been provided with training and materials with which to deliver and sustain these activities with artists.