Photo by Raquel Balsa: Raphael Vella discussing the use of the arts to engage with societal challenges 

Prof. Raphael Vella, Prof Milosh Raykov and Dr Isabelle Gatt presented papers at the AMASS Symposium III: A Critical Context: Issues that Matter held at the National Gallery, Trade Fair Palace in Prague between 23 and 25 November, 2022. Acting on the Margins: Arts as Social Sculpture (AMASS) is an arts-based action research Horizon 2020 project that aims to create concrete opportunities for people to come together and accompany artists as agents in creative projects and interpretations.

 Photo (Raquel Balsa): Isabelle Gatt presenting Word Matters, Words Matter: Reflections on Working Alongside “Seniors” 

The other presenters were from all the partner institutions in the Amass Project: the University of Lapland, FINLAND, the Corvinus Egyetem, HUNGARY, the Associacaão de Professores de Expressão e Communicacão Visual (APECV), PORTUGAL, the PACO Design Collaborative, Italy, the Högskolan Borås UNI, Sweden, the University of Leeds UNITED KINGDOM and Charles University, CZECH REPUBLIC. Mr Jarkko Siren and Ms Christina Sarvani from the EU Commission delivered the closing speech.

Prof. Raphael Vella, Professor Milosh Raykov and Dr Isabelle Gatt’s presentation entitled; Acting on the Margins: Lessons Learned" included reflections on the use of the arts to engage with societal challenges, the impact of socially engaged arts on attitude changes and the use of politically-correct, respectful labels with the elderly demographic as opposed to personally relating with individuals through the arts. Their presentations were followed by a highly interactive Q&A with the audience.

 Photo (by Raquel Balsa): Milosh Raykov and Isabelle Gatt answering questions during the Q&A