L’Atelier d’Aventures Créatives enables children to express themselves
Kids love getting messy and here is a place where they are enabled to express themselves. There is a certain freedom that they won't be able to find elsewhere. We caught up with Giorgina Brown, coordinator for the L’Atelier d’Aventures Créatives (LAAC).
What has been the inspiration for the LAAC?
Creative expression and imaginative play can serve as powerful tools for personal growth, helping children gain autonomy and self-confidence. L’Atelier d’Aventures Créatives (LAAC) aims to provide a space for children to explore, create, as connect with their peers, fostering creativity and social bonds in an informal and nurturing environment.
Have you been working on this idea forever?
The LAAC has been offering creative expression workshops for 20 years, welcoming children aged 4 to 12 during school holidays. It is a project of the Association pour l’Atelier, a non-profit organization that supports artistic initiatives to promote personal development and social connections.
Since 2023, we have also been offering creative workshops for teenagers aged 13 to 16. I have been involved in the project since 2022. After studying philosophy, working as a social researcher, teaching, and being a mum, I realized that “creative living is always more important for the individual than doing well”, as Donald Winnicott so nicely put it. This led me to study Expressive Arts Therapy at L’Atelier in Geneva.
What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
Since COVID, it has been more challenging to reach full enrolment for our creative weeks. Children who attend often return, which is a positive sign. For example, five out of six children enrolled in this month’s holiday week have participated in several of our previous sessions! However, we still need to reach more parents who may be interested. Thank you, Lisa, for giving me the opportunity to connect with your readers!
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