The Association of Lithuania's Regions Libraries (LRBA) has embarked on an exciting journey with their Erasmus+ project. "Enlighten, Engage, Empower: Throw Culture to Community" (No. 2023-1-LT-KA210-ADU-000152069) project aims to combine culture and technology to help include socially vulnerable people in community activities, and it kicked off with a vibrant first training event in Sofia, Bulgaria!

What’s the Project All About?

This project is all about coming up with fresh ideas to help socially vulnerable individuals feel more included. By blending cultural activities with modern technology, the project aims to create interactive tutorials that adult educators can use to strengthen the spirit of their communities.

The project focuses on sharing experiences and generating new ideas, hosting international exchange events, and enabling educators to learn from each other. Local pilot training sessions will be held to test these ideas, showing how these activities can bring communities together. Practical digital tools and tutorials will be developed to spread the knowledge far and wide. Building an international network of cultural educators and encouraging other adult educators to use the developed tutorials is also a key part of the project.

The Inspiring First Event in Sofia

The first training and experience exchange event took place in the beautiful city of Sofia, hosted by the "Values, Virtues, Integrity" Foundation from Bulgaria. Participants from Lithuania and Portugal joined forces for an engaging program filled with creativity and technology.

Open Air Creative Workshops with Wool: Participants enjoyed hands-on workshops, creating beautiful woolen crafts in an open-air setting. This activity not only sparked creativity but also fostered a sense of community.

Artificial Intelligence in Art Workshops: One of the standout sessions was the Artificial Intelligence in Art workshops. Participants were introduced to various AI tools that are revolutionizing the way we create and interact with art. Tools like DeepArt and DALL-E were demonstrated, showing how AI algorithms can transform photos into artworks in the style of famous painters or generate entirely new pieces from text descriptions. Participants experimented with creating their own AI-generated art, exploring the endless possibilities of combining human creativity with machine learning. The session also included discussions on the ethical implications of AI in art, such as authorship and originality, providing a comprehensive understanding of the role of technology in modern artistic expression.

Community Painting Event: Everyone got together for a collaborative painting session, which was a fantastic way to build connections and express creativity as a community.

Creating Virtual Exhibitions: Another highlight was the creation of virtual exhibitions. Participants learned how to use various digital tools to showcase their artworks online. They explored platforms like Artsteps, which allows users to create interactive 3D art exhibitions, and Kunstmatrix, known for its user-friendly interface for curating and sharing virtual galleries. These tools not only made the artworks accessible to a wider audience but also opened up discussions on the potential of digital platforms in enhancing cultural education and community engagement.

This first event in Sofia was a resounding success, showing how cultural activities, when combined with modern technology, can create a vibrant and inclusive community atmosphere. The energy and enthusiasm of the participants were palpable, and it set a positive tone for the project's future activities.