KULT - Project for Art and Culture Dissemination to Children in Daycare
The KULT project (2016-18), financed by the Danish Ministry of Culture, is conducted by the consortium of University College Lillebaelt, University College Northern Denmark and University College Absalon (lead partner) in association with Kulturprinsen in Viborg. It is developed and carried out in collaboration with a number of artists, museums and daycare centers in ten Danish municipalities.
Briefly, the main objective is to create and try out a new concept for greater use and involvement of arts, culture and culture heritage in the daily education and care work for 1-6 year old children. The concept involves both art based ‘hands-on’ courses for professional social care workers and the establishing of long-term collaboration between artists, museums, day care centers, arts- and cultural institutions, municipalities as well as university colleges in the regions.
Finally, the KULT project results are transformed into a new arts and culture dissemination module for students of Social Education and some continuing education courses for professionals. Other outcomes are some inspirational materials (an e-book for free download) and a national conference in 2018, featuring the Danish Minister of Culture among others.
Social care staff is highly central to this project as 97 % of all Danish children are in daycare. Recent research has clearly demonstrated that stimulation during the first years of life is crucial for the child's development and future prospects. Here, aligned with the parents, the professionals bear the responsibility for the young children's development, education and general quality of life. While currently a growing public focus upon small children's learning is becoming evident, there is still a limited awareness of their needs for cultural socialization and formation when encountering arts and culture. Here, the KULT project offers a much-needed, practical competence boost, potentially involving all six curricular themes mandatory in Danish daycare – however emphasizing the latter:
1. Versatile personal development
2. Social skills
3. Language development
4. Body and movement
5. Nature and natural phenomena
6. Cultural expression and values
Free e-book in English on Danish children meeting art and culture in many forms and ways:
