The GET CLOSE TO OPERA project will develop and promote inclusive and multicultural arts education and training programmes seeking to support best practice in migrant and refugee contexts. The training methodology will use Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory and focus on Opera as the delivery artform.

Materahub (Italy)

GET CLOSE TO OPERA is inspired by opera as an artform that embraces multiple languages and engages it’s audiences emotionally through music. We believe that through opera we can unleash the potential to reach across barriers, creatively communicate, and explore what we have in common.

GET CLOSE TO OPERA recognises the wide range of activity that has already been created in this context, and seeks to engage with opera houses, opera companies, singers, musicians, opera creatives, dancers, actors, cultural mediators, facilitators working through the arts in migrant and refugee contexts, and educators interested in non-formal education methodologies.

Over the next two years until 2019, we will develop and test with them a new methodology, which applies the Theory of Multiple Intelligence to Opera. After a preparatory research phase, we will design an innovative training programme for educators and trainers, which will take place in Matera (Italy) in 2019. We will then apply the methodology developed through a series of pilot actions involving migrants and refugees that will be carried out in Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium and United Kingdom.

We will try to open the doors of Opera Houses reshaping them into laboratories for inclusion and social innovation, cultural exchanges and learning. For everybody.

We will share our experience and our tools on an online platform open with all those who wish to experiment and share the GET CLOSE TO OPERA methodology throughout all Europe.

What is this survey about?

This survey is part of the research phase of the project GET CLOSE TO OPERA which targets educators and artists working on the education and outreach programmes of Opera companies and Opera Houses, and arts professionals and artists involved in creating work with migrant and refugee groups using any artform.

The research aims to draw on sector experience and expertise to help design the methodology for our training programme. We will be exploring how you design your activities, and what skills you use to deliver your work. We will also be asking you what your training needs are.

The research is the initial phase of the GET CLOSE TO OPERA project. The next stage includes the development of an innovative training package and the opportunity to participate in an European training course which will take place in Matera (Italy) 2019. We will be sharing more information very soon.