Clowning Connects Us - ClowNexus

Overview

The main target groups of ClowNexus are:  

• people living with dementia and 
• children having to cope with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 

The project wants to tackle a lack of interactive artistic performances developed with and for people with dementia and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). New artistic formats and approaches will be developed by the clown artists with the sensitive involvement of the target groups, parents, families and caretakers.

The project will facilitate transnational artistic laboratories where clowning artists from different organisations will exchange on good practices and develop new methodologies to co-create with people with dementia and children with ASD, based on state-of-the-art education and with the collaboration of international experts.

Partner

ClowNexus is led and coordinated by RED NOSES Clowndoctors International (RNI) and implemented with seven other partner organisations:

Lead: RED NOSES Clowndoctos International

• Austria: Rote Nasen Clowndoctors
• Croatia: Crveni Nosevi Klaunovidoktori
• Finland: Sairaalaklovnit
• Hungary: Piros Orr Bohocdoktorok Alapitvany
• Lithuania: Raudonos Nosys Gydytojai klounai
• the Netherlands: Stichting CliniClowns Nederland
• Spain: Pallapupas

The European Federation of Healthcare Clown Organisations (efhco) supports the project as associated partner.

Background

For more than 25 years healthcare clowning organisations in Europe are reaching out to children in hospitals, and more recently also to elderly people, children with disabilities, refugees and other vulnerable groups. 

The artistic interventions have increasingly become recognized as complementary approach in health and social care. 

Still, Europe is not yet using the full potential of clowning art for the health and well-being of European citizens. In order to strengthen the “Healthcare Clowning” movement, new spaces and opportunities for cooperation on a European level must be created.

Encouraged by the great strives already made in the past, the ClowNexus partners want to bring more innovation, professionalism and visibility to the healthcare clowning sector. 
 

The ClowNexus project co-funded by the European Union as part of the Creative Europe programme.