SWAN Project
Supporting People with Additional Needs in Collective Singing
ISWAN stands for Singing with Additional Needs and seeks to draw on best practices from different Europeancountries to include people in collective singing who have additional needs due to disabilities and/or physical orpsychological health issues. These additional needs may be due to disabilities and/or physical or psychological health problems. The project adopts a holistic approach, taking into account the complexity and intersection of people's additional needs and the diversity of skills and approaches needed to accommodate all.
Goals
The SWAN project aims to:
- collect, scale and promote best practices in collective singing for people with additional needs
- provide transnational opportunities for collective singing professionals to engage with the best practicesof other countries
- develop and make use of digital tools to support people with additional needs in participating
- make knowledge internationally accessible
The SWAN project includes activities such as developing digital tools and a database of good practices, sharing research, testing and evaluating some good practices, networking and sharing knowledge through workshops, round tables and conferences.
During the project, partners will develop:
- computer scripts and e-books for visually impaired singers
- reports on research, experimentation and results
- a guide for conductors leading a choir for cancer patients
- recordings of project events
- a database of best practices
The SWAN project expects to benefit hundreds of amateur and professional singers with additional needs, choir and vocal leaders, and organisers of future initiatives. It is also hoped to benefit thousands more through the resources and results created within the project, increasing the quality of inclusion of people with additional needs in collective singing and the quantity of opportunities.
The project partners
The project is coordinated by Norsk Sangerforum (NO) with the following partners:- European Choral Association (Germany)
- Kanker in Beeld (The Netherlands)
- Sing Ireland (ireland)
- Feniarco (Italy)
Sing Ireland will also cooperate with Choral Culture Association (Turkey) for planned activities in Turkey.
When?
The SWAN project will run from 1 November 2023 to 31 July 2026. It is coordinated by the Norsk Sangerforum and will receive EUR 200,000 in co-financing from the European Union. Feniarco has joined the SWAN project as a partner from 27 September 2024!
Feniarco’s Role in the SWAN Project
Through the SWAN project, Feniarco will:
● gather a new set of data (figures and success stories) at the Italian national level about inclusivewelcoming practices for people with disabilities in the field of music, as well as mental health,psycho-social risks and wellbeing for singeri
● host a large European conference in Rome (end of 2024) and workshops (April 2025), to share and analysethe newly gathered results
● carry out new experimentations on these topics with partners in Europe
● deliver documentation about structuring skills certification systems and training paths in this area
