Three sessions of “Painting Public Values”

Visual Art as a Tool for Civic Dialogue – April, May, June 2025

Over the past three months, EU Aktivisten has successfully launched the first three sessions of “Painting Public Values”, our new monthly art and participation workshop that invites young people to explore civic themes through creative expression. Hosted every last Friday of the month at our community space in our common space, the workshops bring together youth from diverse backgrounds to reflect on important democratic values using paint, imagination, and shared discussion.

Each session begins with a guided introduction to the theme, followed by an open creative session where participants can paint individually or collaborate in small groups. No artistic experience is required, only a willingness to express ideas and emotions visually. The results so far have been both powerful and inspiring. Below is a short summary of each workshop:

🎨 1st Workshop – “Freedom of Expression in Europe”
📅 Date: 25 April 2025
🕕 Time: 18:30–20:00

For the opening session, we explored the meaning and importance of freedom of expression, both as a fundamental right and a personal experience. Participants discussed what it feels like to speak freely, to be silenced, or to witness censorship in their daily lives or on social media. The artwork produced included abstract paintings, protest-inspired visuals, and symbolic pieces representing broken chains, microphones, and closed mouths.

A few participants shared personal stories of how expressing themselves,  through art, language, or identity has been challenging at school or in their communities. The session created a very emotional and supportive atmosphere, and many attendees said they felt “heard through color.”

🎨 2nd Workshop – “Living Together in Diversity”
📅 Date: 30 May 2025
🕕 Time: 18:30–20:00

In May, our topic focused on inclusion, multicultural living, and shared spaces. After a short discussion about cultural differences, belonging, and what it means to truly be accepted, participants used colors and symbols from their own backgrounds to create paintings about coexistence. Some artworks showed people from different religions eating together; others displayed hands of different colors reaching out to one another, or patchwork-like maps of Europe filled with faces and textures.

Participants said this session helped them feel proud of their identity while also seeing how much we all share. One participant said, “I didn’t expect to talk about my roots tonight, but it felt good to bring that into my painting.”

🎨 3rd Workshop – “Climate Justice as a Civic Duty”
📅 Date: 28 June 2025
🕕 Time: 18:30–20:00

The June workshop focused on climate change and civic responsibility, asking the question: what does it mean to care for the planet not just as individuals, but as citizens? After a brief conversation about environmental justice, youth created visual messages about pollution, activism, and hope for the future. One striking painting showed a melting earth inside a ballot box, while another used deep greens and browns to create an image of hands planting trees in concrete.

This session sparked many conversations about how art can inspire action and why young people feel both anxious and hopeful about the climate crisis. Several participants expressed interest in joining future climate-related campaigns and linking art with activism.

Across all three sessions, we welcomed a core group of 12–15 returning participants, with several new faces joining each month. In total, 29 unique individuals have taken part in the series so far, with sessions held in both German and English to support inclusivity and accessibility.

Many participants expressed that this workshop is the first space where they can connect creativity with civic ideas in a relaxed but meaningful way. Several artworks are now being prepared for a small summer exhibition, and selected paintings may also be shared in EU Aktivisten’s digital gallery.