The UAB hosts a workshop of the European cultural programme Open Up

The initiative also aims to empower the creators to develop their capacities, present their work and create a new business model framework to permit them to continue working even after the project finalises. The event included the participation of Virginia Luzón, Vice Rector for Communication, Promotion and Culture at the UAB, as well as Jèssica Jaques, lecturer in art aesthetics and art theory.

As part of the project, the UAB Open Up team has organised a variety of workshops with which to provide creative professional tools in different areas. The first workshops included Nomadic Dance, directed by Laura Vilar and held online, and Fusion Cooking, which took place at the Picasso Museum of Barcelona.

This year's workshop was prepared under the creative directives of the Teatre dels Oprimits [Theatre of the Oppressed] and focused on the issue of body and power. It was directed by performer Meritxell de Soto and UAB Philosphy Dr Clara Laguillo. It was inspired on the creative methodologies of Brazilian playwright Augusto Boal, and its staging aimed to analyse relations of power. The workshop also sought to broaden the network of resources, contacts and placements of people related to art and creation, a truly transversal network in terms of geographic origins, generations, socioeconomic status and cultures.

Eight universities and cultural centres from different European cities participate in the project: in addition to the UAB, there is the Pierides Foundation in Cyprus, which acts as coordinator of the project, the Publics - Research Centre of Contemporary Art in Finland, the Université de La Picardie Jules Verne in France, the University of Thessaly in Greece, the New Hand Lab Enterprise for the Safeguarding of Traditional Techniques in Portugal, the Valand Academy of the Gothenburg University in Sweden, and the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.