AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry
AREFS art and culture association

review 2016

REPORT 2016

The board of AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry in 2016
Matti Karttunen - chairman
Jukka Tikka - vice chairman
Juhani Palonen - member
Lucien den Arend - secretary
Marja de Jong - treasurer

During 2016 AREFS was operating at the old railway station of Hiirola.

In 2016 AREFS has been active in the field of art education (Hiirola, Rämälä), the SAVON-RADAN päivä of the SAVO rail and involved in the local community of Hiirola. These activities are important for strengthening the cultural awareness of the rural habitat in the region of Mikkeli.
The old railway station of Hiirola is developing into a cultural meeting point through organizing art exhibitions, local events and child art activities.
AREFS cooperates with Hiirolan kylätoimikunta, SAVON-RADAN ryhmä, Vehmaskylä Wanha Koulu, Rämälä school, AllaprimA Foundation (NL) and other organizations in the field of art and culture.
This report is an overview of the activities which were organized by AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry in 2016.
To read more about the different items click on the images and see more information and images.

Related to the goals of AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry and its activities in the past we are developing a various program in the field of art, art education, cultural heritage and rural development. It is our intention to involve local communities in participating in the program parts.

AREFS was planning in 2016 the following activities and programs:

1. Exhibitions with art works from artists in the region of Etelä Savo in STUDIO 23
2. Art workshops ART STEPS FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE at the school in Rämälä
3. Cooperation with Wanha Koulu Vehmaskylä in the field of art and culture activities
4. Cooperation with the the regional railway group SAVON-RADAN ryhmä
5. Preparing the publication TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD
6. International cooperation in the field of art education and artist-in-residence
7. Art lessons on the internet based on the programs of last years

In 2016 different exhibitions in STUDIO 23 have been organized, the number of visitors varied, the KONSTRUNDAN was attended by over 40 persons, the SAVON-RADAN päivä by around 150 persons, comparing e.g. with minimal attending persons during the Christmas presentation in December this is a sign that these kind of events are matching more with the interest of people. Still it is important to find a key to let people share in what the gallery offers and what can enjoy them or what can bring new and other views.

To execute the planned art education program AREFS has applied for grants at TAIKE and Etelä-Savon kulttuurirahasto. Through a grant from Taike it was possible to start the pre-project ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE. The program parts are executed at the school in Rämälä and during the summer camps at Wanha Koulu. In different classes art workshops have been developed and the last part will be done in spring 2017. In that series of workshop it is the intention to develop an artistic route to feel and understand how separation and cooperation are working. It will be a challenge to find some art-based solutions for it.

The cooperation with Wanha Koulu in Vehmaskylä is growing and the workshops are experimental parts of the program ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE. The difference between a regular school and summer camps makes it possible to introduce other points of view and to offer a mix of techniques and materials during a shorter period.
Both the school as well as the summer camp have shown that a curriculum for the program is complicated and will need more experiences during a follow-up. Just as we thought when we started with this program.

The cooperation with SAVON-RADAN ryhmä has resulted in a new SAVON-RADAN päivä. The local kylätoimikunta has participated actively in it. It is a great pleasure to see how this event gets a

Activities and programs

a. New Year Meeting

The first activity in 2016 took place on January 9 with a celebration of the opening of the exhibition Elämä on Mukavaa with the works of Marjaana Valve and the 2016 program at Hiirola Railway station.

New Year celebration at Hiirola with opening exhibition Marjaana Valve - Elämä on Mukavaa

b. renovation railway station

Every year the old building gets renewed parts. This year we started with an outside workspace to use for workshops, art activities and meeting.

outdoor workspace at hiirola railway station

at the backside of the old railway the new outside workspace is located in the cornet of the building

c. gallery STUDIO 23

In the second year of this new gallery different presentations were organized. The first one in January with the drawings of Marjaane Valve os Leppänen, in September, during the Konstrundan art works by Marja de Jong

the Konstrundan is part of a national organization that activates the artistic values in a region, this year the region of Mikkeli has taken part for the first time

The results of the art education program ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE have been exhibited in STUDIO 23 in October.

the works of 47 children were presented on the walls of the gallery

The gallery in Christmas atmosphere, an inviting ambiance to meet each other and to share good Christmas thoughts.

Christmas exhibition in STUDIO 23

during Christmas time 'Christmas at Studio 23' with arts and small presents

In 2017 it is the intention to start new ideas to invite people into the art scene of Hiirola railway station.

d. art education symposium NATURALLY ART

The group of Portuguese teachers which have participated in the art education symposium NATURALLY ART in May 2015 have organized a virtual session with Skype.
At their school in Portugal they have shared their experiences during half a year. In February they contacted with AREFS to setup a meeting in which we could discuss about the way art education can be educated to children and to reflect on their own experiences. It was an interesting meeting with the wish to continue one day.

e. ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE - pilot project art education

After the art education programs THIS IS OUR NATURE and THIS IS MY BACKYARD AREFS has initiated a follow-up with ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE. During this project it is the intention to develop series of art workshops in which children are able to connect their own history and the history of the society. The past as a source for knowledge and as roots on which their future can develop. Through art workshops new paths and structures can be offered and tested and finally it can end in a 'manual' for teachers to use in classes.
TAIKE has awarded a grant to AREFS to start with this experimental art workshops and in 2016 different session have taken place at the primary school in Rämälä and during the summer camps at Wanha Koulu in Vehmaskylä.

e.1. art workshops Rämälä school

During spring 2016 it was possible to start with the new pilot-project ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE
In this program participated: 47 children and 4 adults

In class 1/2 the subject was WHEN I WAS A BABY. Through reflection by reproductions of art works children were confronted with difference is visualization, expression and motive.
A photo of themself as a baby/young child is used as a reference for their visualization. It is important to offer new sources to children to enlarge their visual environment in different directions.

Class 3-4 got an introduction about their previous generation. Parents or grandparents as subject to investigate. Their life was different than that of this generation and how can this be visualized? To get information and references they used images of their parents/grandparents. By using that for a painting they need to observe different than when they see the photo on the chimney or in an album. An intensive dialogue during the painting sessions will bring new elements in their appreciation of the persons on the photo and new view on the time they lived.

Class 5 was offered a subject in which the environment from the past was highlighted. Some art works showed the landscape differences and they started to think about living in the past. It seems easy to imagine how people were living, but to realize that there was no electricity, no public transport and everything has to be done by hand is complicated.
This class painted a landscape as they were thinking it would have been 100/150 years ago.

e.2. art workshops in summer camps

The youth art camps in Vehmaskylä are a great opportunity to offer some experimental art workshops based on ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE. Children and young people confronting through art with their environment and how the past has created their habitat and how they will work on it in the future.

In this program participated: 34 young people and 6 adults

During the first camp youngsters were working on banners, paintings, and temporary installations by using natural materials, preparing their own paper underground and created several art works related to the environment to reflect on it. Through this process they start to imagine their relation with the environment. It is important for the new generation to be aware of what add to it, as it will last for a long time and influence their future. The art activities are inviting them to collect what is important for them this moment and does not have the intention to give final solutions or being moralistic. The works are the result of their process and maybe progress in an artistic way.

Making are in different ways is a challenge for children and young people, they develop new expressions to different topics and are able to test other solutions than they did before. Using challenge as a tool in art activities means that easy solutions are often not the ones which are useful. Searching for new and experimental solutions is demanding an attitude of an open mind. It is very interesting to see how children anticipating on new and unknown tools and challenges. The subjects during this camp are based on some well-known aspects combined with something in contrary with it. The outcome was impressive.

f. Hiirola community program SAVON RADAN päivä

On Saturday October 1st the SAVON-RADAN päivä has taken place. This annual event takes place in Haukivuori, Kalvitsa, Hiirola, Mikkeli and Otava. People can visit the stations and go by train from one station to the others. During the year the old train is the only train that stops on these stations. Many people are interested in the old stations and their activities.
In Hiirola the building was open for public and the exhibition ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE with art works from children from the school in Rämälä was free to enter.
The railway building could be visited by the visitors.
The local Hiirolan kylätoimikunta has their coffee and snack stand and there was a fair.
Around 150 people have attended this event.

SAVON-RADAN päivä with the museum train an original Lättähattu, refreshments, an exhibition with child art, activities for children and some arts and craft.

Impressions of the annual SAVON-RADAN päivä in Hiirola, a steam train entered the program

g. international cooperation

Russia

With the Wanha Koulu Vehmaskylä AREFS is working on a program for art, culture and nature in rural Finland.

Netherlands

From the beginning AREFS collaborates with the Dutch AllaprimA Foundation in the field of art education and publications in this field.
Both organizations are interested in developing new ways in embedding art and culture in the school curriculum. Through an exchange of expertise and views they are able to offer interesting and inviting programs for artists, art teachers and teachers of elementary school and free time programs.

h. planning publications

1. It is the intention to edit and publish a publication about the art education THIS IS MY BACKYARD.
2. The results of the different art education programs are valuable for a larger audience, it is the intention to set up a digital database which will be open for (art) teachers.
Both plans are under construction and need funding to be able to finish them.

i. promotion

During 2016 the following promotion has been printed:
1. invitation SAVON-RADAN päivä
2. time table old timer train on SAVON-RADAN päivä

j. meetings

During 2016 the board has had no meeting.

k. financial review:

A financial report about 2016 will be ready in spring 2017.

AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry has 35 members
175 persons are following AREFS on Facebook

During 2016, about 19 copies of the book THIS OUR NATURE are sold.

The special contribution promotion in combination with a piece of art of the series "Hiirola-Homage to Knut Nylander " has been used 2 times. The promotion will continue in 2016.

In 2016 AREFS has been awarded by TAIKE for the pilot project ART STEPS FROM PAST TO FUTURE.

For 2017 AREFS is not planning to apply for any grant.

Financial support in 2016:
Annual contribution of AREFS members
Donations through the action "Hiirola-Homage to Knut Nylander"

l. PLANNING 2017

Related to the goals of AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry and its activities in the past we are developing a various program in the field of art, art education, cultural heritage and rural development. It is our intention to involve local communities in participating in the program parts.

In 2016 AREFS is planning the following activities and programs:

1. Exhibitions with art works from artists in the region of Etelä Savo in STUDIO 23
2. Art workshops ART STEPS FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE at the school in Rämälä
3. Cooperation with Wanha Koulu Vehmaskylä in the field of art and culture activities
4. Cooperation with the the regional railway group SAVON-RADAN ryhmä
5. Preparing the publication TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD
6.Cooperation with regional art and culture groups

See more about membership and membership fee on the contribution page of AREFS

AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry AREFS art and culture association