Education activities
Building Bridges Through Art: Cultural Exchange and Learning at Kode
Through the Erasmus+ project, in collaboration with Cultiv, Kode has explored how art and culture can build bridges between people and create spaces for learning, inclusion, and community.
The project has shown how museums, in partnership with schools and cultural organizations, can serve as meeting places for creativity, language, and intercultural understanding.
As part of the Erasmus+ exchange initiativ, Kode has had the pleasure of collaborating with Cultiv, a non-profit organization that develops art and culture projects focusing on inclusion, creativity, and social sustainability.
Together with international partners, we have explored how art and cultural experiences can promote learning, community, and active citizenship.
Exchange activities in Portugal and Bergen
The exchange began in Portugal, where representatives from Kode and Cultiv took part in professional meetings, museum visits, and workshops with Portuguese partners.
Participants gained valuable insight into how art institutions in Portugal work with inclusion, language, and participation among young and adult immigrants. This visit laid the groundwork for idea development and future collaboration.
The Norwegian part of the exchange took place in Bergen, where Kode and Cultiv invited newly arrived adult students to a day at the museum. Through guided tours, art workshops, and conversations about identity, culture, and belonging, participants experienced art as a bridge between people and cultures.
Both students and teachers described the visits as inspiring and deeply meaningful — a day that fostered learning, confidence, and connection beyond the classroom. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive – many described the day as “good for the heart,” expressing joy at meeting new people and experiencing art in new surroundings.
New Perspectives and Lifelong Learning
The collaboration between Kode and Cultiv has been a key strength of the project. Through joint planning and co-creation, the partners have explored new ways of combining art education, language learning, and social engagement.
The partnership has also offered valuable insights into how museums and schools can work closely together to support newly arrived citizens and strengthen their participation in cultural and community life.
The project has also been an important learning journey for both Kode and Cultiv. It has deepened our understanding of how museums can take an active role in promoting inclusion and lifelong learning, and how international collaboration can open new perspectives on educational and curatorial practice.
Art as a Common Ground
The results and experiences from the project will be shared with colleagues through internal presentations, professional networks, and national museum seminars, contributing to a wider dialogue about the museum’s social responsibility and the role of art in building inclusive communities.
Through this Erasmus Plus collaboration, Kode and Cultiv reaffirm their shared commitment to using art and culture as tools for connection – creating meeting places where learning, creativity, and understanding can flourish across borders.