The Shadowing Programme 2026 is an intensive, hands-on international exchange in Bologna, Italy, supported by the CultureAndHealth Platform and implemented locally by Associazione Oltre…APS. The programme brings together artistic research, collaborative production, and community-based participatory workshops to explore how art can support collective well-being, social inclusion, and cultural welfare in local neighbourhood contexts. It will take place from 20 September to 4 October 2026.
At the centre of the 2026 edition is the participatory art project ‘Threads of the Social Fabric’, developed through a cycle of workshops in Bologna’s Cirenaica district and culminating in the creation of a collective textile artwork. The final artwork will be permanently installed in an indoor public space connected to the city’s social policies or public health sphere, making the outcomes of the residency visible and lasting, both artistically and civically.
The exchange hosts three international artists: two visual artists and one photo/video documentation artist who follows the entire process and produces a cohesive multimedia output. The programme is anchored at Camere d’Aria, a cultural centre and community hub in Bologna that serves as the participants’ base for daily life and work.
Applicants must be citizens or legal residents of one of the Creative Europe participating countries.
All core costs are covered. Participants will receive free accommodation at Camere d’Aria in shared dormitories, as well as three meals per day shared with the artists, volunteers, and wider community of the space. Travel is reimbursed (250–450 EUR) with top-ups for green mobility, island travel and for family/caregiving needs.
