Press release

Europe's “Youth Art for the Earth” transforms cities through street art and environmentalism – and releases open-source curriculum

16 December 2024

A bold initiative blending creativity with environmental advocacy, Youth Art for the Earth (YAFE) concludes two years of engaging 120 young people across Europe to address ecological challenges through community-driven street art and educational workshops.

With a legacy of six murals across three countries, plus a documentary film and an open-source educational curriculum released today, YAFE was spearheaded by Serbian humanitarian and educational non-profit Fund B92 in Belgrade and co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

"Youth Art for the Earth has been a remarkable journey of creativity, learning, and collaboration," said Nebojša Glišić, YAFE Project Coordinator on behalf of lead partner Fund B92. "We engaged 120 young people across three countries to explore the vital intersections of art and environmental activism, and we’ve transformed urban spaces into vibrant expressions of hope and change."

A trailer for the film, Dreaming of a Greener Future: One Wall at a Time, was released today ahead of submissions to international film and arts festivals.

Maziar Bahari, founder of the Paint the Change street art and social change charity, which also supported the YAFE project, said: "Paint the Change has produced hundreds of workshops around the world. We’ve noticed that young people understand issues much better in art workshops than in reading books or simply listening to their teachers. Drawing, painting, and sketching ideas that become large murals and landmarks in their neighbourhoods, give young people a sense of agency and ownership, and motivates them to be more proactive."

"We are delighted that Youth Art for the Earth has taken this to the next level across Europe," he added.

New Curriculum Combines Environmental Education and Creativity

A groundbreaking education guide by educator Aleksandar Weisner, Youth Art for the Earth: A Creative Guide to Environmental Education and Activism, is now available for free online to inspire young people to address ecological challenges through art and activism, using versatile framework combining street art, multimedia resources, and interactive workshops to foster critical thinking, creativity, and active citizenship.

Bor & Pančevo, Serbia: Envisioning a sustainable future

Imagining their city 50 years into the future, students from Bor Technical School collaborated with artist Maja Stojanović Zmaja to create a mural addressing themes of recycling and species protection.

"After this workshop, I’m much more aware of how much we’re harming our planet. I used to have a neutral opinion about everything, like pollution levels, the state of our planet. I knew it was bad, but I thought I had no influence. Now, I realize that I do have a voice, and every voice is important," said school pupil Sara Jovanović, who participated in the Pančevo workshops and murals.

"We wanted the students to think abstractly about the future of their environment," added Aleksandar Weisner, a teacher at the school. "The resulting mural reflects their vision of a cleaner, greener world, where local ecosystems thrive and the community embraces sustainable practices."

Maribor & Ljubljana, Slovenia: Artistic responses to ecological crises

In Slovenia, Maribor students celebrated biodiversity with "Birds from the Island", while a project in Ljubljana emphasized teamwork to combat environmental crises. Using sustainable materials, students collaborated with artists Fedja Šičarov and Paolo Spinazzé to create works that inspire reflection and action.

“These events highlight the urgency of addressing climate change and protecting our natural world,” Šičarov said. The mural combines a variety of artistic styles, including Art Nouveau and pop art, to represent the evolution of industrialization, consumer culture, and digital pollution.

“It was my first time doing something like this, and I found the workshop to be very informative. It taught us a lot about our local environmental concerns and how they can be represented through street art," said Anja Vizjak, a student at SŠOM and Maribor workshop participant.

Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France: A celebration of diversity

Illustrator Elsa Martino collaborated with students from Joséphine Baker Middle School to create a vibrant mural on the universal impact of climate change. "The goal was to show that the environment is a universal concern," Martino said.

Workshops led by Martino and climate trainer Chloé Chesnau fostered students’ creativity and awareness, culminating in a mural that celebrates ecological awareness, diversity and the need for collective action.

Montargis, France: Changing habits for a healthier environment

Amid severe air quality challenges, students in Montargis tackled the issue of pollution with street artist Atma. The resulting mural, situated near a major highway, emphasizes the importance of clean air and eco-friendly habits.

"Art has shown me the power of conveying messages. Workshops like this are invaluable for spreading awareness," said Liaam, a student at the school.

Visit paintthechange.me for examples of past projects and multimedia content, or reach out to collaborate at be@paintthechange.me.

Co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

Contacts:

International: Risham Wasseem, Paint the Change, London UK

risham@paintthechange.me, +‭92 3454128519 ( Available on Whatsapp)

Serbia: Marija Čečen, Director, Fund B92, Belgrade, Serbia

maja.cecen@fondb92.org, ‭+381 60 4050 484‬

France: Matt Dufour, Artist and Creative Lead, Paint the Change, France

atma.creation@gmail.com, +44 7454443451

Karolina Lukomski, Project Manager, Urban Art Crew

karolina@urban-art-agency.com, +33 6 77 31 14 59

Slovenia: Anita Hrast, Director, IRDO, Ljubljana Slovenia

anita.hrast@irdo.si, +386 31 344 883

Youth Art for the Earth is a collaboration of cultural organisations across Europe empowering young people to express messages of social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Over 2023 and 2024, 120 students participated in artist-led workshops across France, Serbia, and Slovenia, exploring local sustainability challenges and climate change concerns. Their efforts culminated in the creation of six impactful murals and the development of a curriculum to educate young people about environmental sustainability.

Our activities took place in France, Serbia and Slovenia through a partnership of diverse cultural organisations (please see details below). We have documented the workshops and mural painting in 12 short films. A short documentary telling the story of the project entitled "Dreaming of a Greener Future: One Wall at a Time" will be released in the new year, following festival participation. Its trailer is available to view here.

The project developed a teaching guide and curriculum to empower young people (15-18) to tackle ecological challenges creatively through a dynamic environmental education program featuring multimedia tools, street art, and adaptable resources—perfect for educators and youth leaders! The English version of the guide is available, with Serbian, Slovenian and French language versions to follow shortly.

A short documentary telling the story of the project entitled "Dreaming of a Greener Future: One Wall at a Time" will be released in the new year, following festival participation. Its trailer is available to view here.

Partners:

Lead partner: Fund B92, Serbia, a non-profit non-governmental organisation leading creative, cultural and philanthropic campaigns to effect positive social change. Established in 2004, the Fund has continued the B92 mission of promoting a decent, responsible and fair society in Serbia and the wider region. Fund B92 was the project lead for YAFE and was responsible for the workshops and murals in the cities of Bor and Pančevo as well as for taking the lead in the curriculum development on environmental sustainability which was a key deliverable of this project.

France: Nobulo and Urban Art Crew, have a mission to promote international culture and art, with a special focus on street art. Facilitating international and cross-cultural collaborations they have moved and promoted urban artists around the world since 2007. They were responsible for conducting the workshops and developing the murals in Montargis and Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine.

Slovenia: IRDO, the Institute for the Development of Social Responsibility, Slovenia, has focused on research and accelerating the development of social responsibility in Slovenia and beyond since 2004. IRDO provides a hub for key activists in this field, whether in government, business, or other organisations, and coordinates awareness-raising activities. They were responsible for conducting the workshops and developing the murals in Ljubljana and Maribor.