Culture days, where children actively participate
This list of Culture Days is the result of years of our institution's creativity and hard work in the fields of language and culture. When designing our programmes, we combine the knowledge, skills and wishes of our mentors, co-workers, course participants, festivalgoers, and other programmes.
During the course of one of our Culture Days, students don't just observe as passive bystanders, but become active participants in the cultural programme.
We emphasise a hands-on approach and gaining experience because we believe it is the only way in which to spark a child's interest and encourage them to be deeply and continuously invested in art and culture.
Furthermore, learning languages becomes a lot easier and, most of all, a lot more fun when you're discovering and being moved by the stories of great musical authors or when you figure out why Japanese architecture is so different from our own.
Children find out that with a little imagination, some inquisitiveness and a bit of equipment, they can make their own cartoon or comic and that they can express their deepest emotions through art. At Pionirski dom, we want to enable them to do exactly that – we want them to feel art.
Visual arts
Let's animate a story! (all classes)
In collaboration with The Elephant: Educational Animated Film Programme, children will become familiar with the entire process of animation, with an emphasis on developing an original idea and conveying a message through visual art.
The workshop is split into several parts; the first part serves to prepare the story, characters and setting, while the others feature a pair of computers and cameras or video cameras. This way, children change their working environment a few times. Working in smaller groups means time is spent as effectively as possible and that children familiarise themselves with all stages of animated film production. What is shot at the workshop is then edited and equipped with sound and text. Students can therefore take home a long-lasting memory.
Printmaking (all classes)
During Culture Day, we will first learn about the basics of the graphical medium in modern art; it has been speaking to us for centuries precisely because of its specificity in repetition and reproduction. We will take a classic relief printing technique – linocut – as the basis. Our students will become familiar with the transformation of the graphical medium based on the matrix, which we will print onto some sculpting material, creating a relief and a sculpture-like object. Today, graphic design is included in a wide array of artistic expression and various artists incorporate this classic medium into their painting, design and sculpting.
From stone to figure (all classes)
This art workshop will feature finding out about different ways of making a composition and envisioning new artistic solutions – all through making a MOSAIC. The aim of these workshops is to encourage a passion for artistic expression, to promote individual artistic expression, to discover materials and techniques needed for making a mosaic and to develop a cultured attitude towards the heritage of mosaics. A practical and empirical approach to the creation and expression of artistic ideas is greatly promoted while working in the sculpting workshop. The mentor prepares the required space and materials – suitable circumstances for the work at hand and motivates the participants to take an interest in creating the mosaic.
Visiting an artist (all classes)
Culture Day will also offer a visit to a painting/sculpting studio or a visit to a modern art exhibition. The diversity of artistic pieces is also apparent in the diversity of the artists' workspace. Coming face to face with a work of art in a gallery often means the viewer is robbed of a plethora of information that they could obtain if they had a chance to discuss the work with the artist. Culture Day will also feature a practical part, where we will become familiar with various modern creative processes.
From bricks to bivouac shelters (all classes)
Architecture might seem self-evident; it is often overlooked and people don't often realise just how important a well-designed space is for a better quality of life. "From Bricks to Bivouac Shelters" in collaboration with Center arhitekture (Slovenian Centre for Architecture) wishes to bring attention to examples of quality construction work through playing with different materials. Young people will also find out answers to questions such as "What is architecture, even?", "What is urbanism?", "What is landscape architecture?", "What is interior design?" and why all of those fields are important in our daily lives.
Music
My school band (first three years)
First, we will listen to a brief, fun performance of "From classical to tango" by two musicians from Pionirski dom, which will serve as a wonderful introduction to the practical workshop, in which we will search from rhythms and melodies. Later, we will make some simple rhythmic and melodic instruments from natural and scrap materials (castanets, drums, string instruments, washboards etc.). Finally, we will show our newly acquired skills on the real stage of the Festival Hall.
Performing arts
In front of the curtain (all classes)
This Culture Day presents theatre to children in a more fun and dynamic way. We will learn the basics of theatrical expression through group improvisations or short improvised plays, with miming and breathing exercises. By actively entering the theatrical world, the child will more easily combat their stage fright, develop creativity, imagination, speaking skills, keep their cool and become part of the stage, where they can take on a variety of roles that they either aren't able to or aren't allowed to in real life. This part of Culture Day can also be combined with seeing a performance (Creepshow, Lena and Lenart, 'till the End!) and shorter theatrical workshops.
Foreign languages and cultures
German Language and Music Workshop: Wie geht's, Beethoven? (all classes)
In our musically-linguistic workshop, students can discover the basics of the German language, its rhythm and melody through music and musical creation in a fun and playful way. The majestic works of German greats will serve as a backdrop and leading motif. The workshop is full of playing joyful notes, singing and language. Students will also become familiar with Orff instruments.
Japanese Architecture Workshop (all classes)
Through play and various activities, this workshop intertwines the Japanese language and architecture in a relaxed way. Students learn the basics of interior design (for example, a traditional Japanese room) and different approaches to creating a good floor plan and working with different materials (such as making a fan). This way, they discover the basics of the Japanese language, culture and social behaviour as well as learning words for beings, things and materials that have to do with architecture.
Spanish Language and Painting Workshop – ¡Hola, Gaudí! (all classes)
This workshop takes students on a painting-themed trip through Spain. We find out about the basics of painting or drawing images of animals or people and painting portraits. Through these, we find out the common traits of portraits and try to create a self-portrait in our own way. We also become acquainted with famous Spanish artists before our final stop with the renowned architect, Antonio Gaudí.
Prices:
Culture days:
2 school hours € 7,5
3 school hours € 9,5
4 school hours € 11,5 per child.
Contacts:
Vesna Tripković, Head of the Department of Culture
Tel.: 031 702 802, 012348200
vesna@pionirski-dom.si
Nina Pfeifer Pušnik, Administration office
Tel.: 012348200, 031682134
