CUTURE ON PRESCRIPTON is the name and motto of the project of which SHINE 2Europe is a partner and which hosted, on 26 and 27 June, its consortium in Coimbra. This project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission, aims to prevent and combat social isolation and loneliness through the prescription of art and culture.

In April 2023, the Portuguese pilot of the project started in Coimbra, bringing together once a week a group of eight participants and two animators who are together developing theatre-related activities. With this initiative, the expected impact will be the reduction of isolation and loneliness among the participants. This pilot course is being implemented at A Trincheira Theatre Company, a company from Coimbra, which identifies with the objectives of CULTURE and therefore was the perfect choice to collaborate with.

The transnational consortium meeting in Coimbra was attended by partners from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Romania, who were able to experience the theatre course’s methods for combating social isolation in person. They tested their imagination and tried to get out of their comfort zone, as is expected of course participants. At this point the participants are already able to break down some of their personal barriers, feel more creative, open up to the group and thus break the isolation by feeling more comfortable in their interaction with their peers.

This work has been developed by Pedro Lamas, from A Trincheira Theatre Company, in collaboration with ASOS – Associação Soltar os Sentidos. These results will feed the curriculum of the CULTURE project.

During the meeting days there was also space to discuss the evaluations made by the participants in their local courses that will help to improve the Training Kit of the CULTURE project and also the definition of the content and interactive functions that will be integrated in the Learning Platform that will also be one of the results of the project.