Artistic mediation as a social inclusion strategy for young immigrants

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. This article describes an action research programme carried out in a social theatre workshop with young immigrants in Barcelona. We describe the group itself and the situation of social exclusion in which they find themselves, and outline the context of the intervention and the nature and the objectives of the research METHOD. In this inductive study, the methodology chosen is a fusion of evaluative research, a participatory approach, and action research. The study has three phases: diagnosis, action and assessment. RESULTS. This study highlights the need for social inclusion among young immigrants, proposes a design of social theatre workshop adapted to this situation, and assesses the relevance of artistic mediation as a tool for social inclusion. CONCLUSIONS. The author reflects on the limits and possibility of artistic mediation, discusses the conditions needed to run an artistic workshop in this particular context, and offers some methodological guidelines for other professionals interested in the application of art in socio-educational contexts.