More Inauguration impressions

Santos juggling with appleballs...

Practicing and showing Batucada know-how...

Circus activities waiting to be executed!

My new colleague Sharon during the inauguration.

Arte Acción's new location

Yesterday was the inauguration of the new working space. There were interactive demonstrations of all creativity taking place in Arte Acción... Visitors could learn how to recycle bottles and other material that usually ends up as garbage. They could paint, drum and join the radio group. They could take home their own puppet, made of a paper-bag. Also, juggling techniques were introduced and people could experience how to walk on stilts. I offered a short session, presenting a common art-therapy method: painting on music.

It was a nice, colourful day - with not as many visitors as expected - yet we had a successful inauguration of the new space and a enjoyable meeting with friends and family of Arte Acción. The day was closed by a short but impressive parade in front of the office, followed by a nice acoustic concert, given by nationally well-known musicians. I think, thanks to this beautiful, refreshing day, next week, we'll work even more motivated and as a strong team.
Of course I hope the energy at work stays positive for longer! Maybe I can contribute to that by a retreat that we will soon organize to strengthen team-spirit and -function. I hope we can stay a night close to a national park, near the capital city, to breathe some fresh air and experience our team's abilities and weaknesses - outside our usual working location.
I will try to make a plan for this retreat together with my new colleague: Sharon. She's psychologist and will work as my direct counterpart. I am sure she will attribute lots of important actions to Arte Acción. For a long time, they've been looking for psychological support - for the target group and the team. Now she is finally there! Right now we are still in introduction phase, but I already feel relieved to finally find personal support in establishing the psychosocial component of Arte Acción.