Culture & arts
Use creativity as a tool for change — in art, media, theatre and cultural heritage.
Culture and arts within ESC is about more than aesthetics — it is about how creativity can build bridges, heal wounds and create community. Projects exist in everything from municipal cultural centres and folk education organisations to street art projects, community radio and historical archives. If you have a creative heart and want to use it for something bigger than yourself, this is your area.
What do you do as a volunteer?
What might it look like?
Theatre workshop with young people
You facilitate an improvisation exercise with 15 teenagers in a suburb. The theme is discrimination. It starts cautiously — an hour later three of them are in tears and everyone is applauding.
Archive work
You sit with an 80-year-old and record her stories about life under communism. Her voice must be preserved. You are the bridge to the future.
Community radio
You produce this week's programme on the local community radio station. The interviews, the mixing, the broadcast — all yours. And 2,000 listeners are tuned in.
Skills you develop
Creative facilitation methods and artistic processes
Cultural production and event management
Media production — audio, video, photo and text
Cultural heritage documentation and archival methods
How art and culture are used as tools for social change
Example projects in Europe
These are examples of real types of ESC projects. Current vacancies can be found on the European Youth Portal.
Arci Napoli
Social cultural work in Naples' historic centre. Theatre, music and art as tools for reaching young people at risk. 6 months.
Prostor plus
Community media project in Ostrava. The volunteer produces radio and documentary film with young people from marginalised groups.
La Ligue de l'Enseignement
Cultural folk education in rural communities in Brittany. Exhibitions, talks and creative workshops for the elderly and young people.
Does this sound like you?
Search for projects in culture & arts directly on the European Youth Portal.