Case Studies

The case studies are the spaces and time in which the Case study Methodology is explored, adapted, and implemented. PULSE-ART works with seven projects that, from different disciplinary fields, develop processes aimed at promoting Cultural Awareness and Expression (CAE) with young people (ages 16-30). The seven case studies gather data for PULSE-ART research on the impacts of arts in education to foster CAE.
The Case study Methodology is structured as a three-part process that aligns with the lifecycle of participatory artistic projects:

(1) Discover: contextual grounding and needs assessment,
(2) Create: participatory artistic action and curriculum integration, and
(3) Reflect: reflection, evaluation, and learning.

This structure ensures alignment with the nine methodological criteria, including needs assessment, inclusivity, interdisciplinarity, curriculum integration, diverse artistic mediums, inspiring guest artists, reflection, assessment strategies, and professional development for educators. Each organisation implementing a case study adapts the methodology according to its artistic discipline and context. This section provides a general description of each case study, along with updates and materials produced during implementation.

Collaborative game design with youth and creative communities in Malta

Implemented by: University of Malta

This case study explores game jams in Malta as spaces for Cultural Awareness and Expression. Young adults from diverse disciplinary and cultural backgrounds co-create digital games inspired by Maltese heritage collections. Through participatory and interdisciplinary creative processes, participants strengthen cultural reflection, intercultural dialogue, and inclusive artistic expression.

The Shift - video games art practices with youth in Paris region.

Implemented by: Institut de Recherche et d'Innovation

This case study explores Cultural Awareness and Expression through the concepts of urbanity and future archaeology, transposed into video game environments. It also examines the impact of fictional shifts on a locality and draws on this process to build digital "shifted" twins and excavate traces. The goal is to guide young people towards a better understanding and expression of a locality through its cultural, historical, and social layers.

All Earth is your motherland. Live Arts and Eco-cultural Identity with Youth at De Zeehoeve Farm, Amsterdam

Implemented by: Waag Futurelab

Waag and artist Rosalie Bak work with young people aged 16-27 at De Zeehoeve farm in Diemen through performance and live arts. Using embodied, somatic, and ecological practices, participants explore eco-cultural identity using soil as a metaphor. The aim is to foster Cultural Awareness and Expression by making personal and collective stories experiential rather than informational.

Art and science in a shared space: young people illustrating knowledge in Madrid

Implemented by: National Museum of Natural Sciences of Madrid (MNCN-CSIC) in collaboration with Ilustraciencia

Around one hundred high school learners are exploring, through drawing and scientific illustration, workbooks, and participatory activities, the relationship between art, science, and heritage between a natural history museum and a university engineering school that share a historic building. These activities strengthen inclusion, critical thinking, and social cohesion in an area recently designated as the Science District (Madrid).

Daugavpils in Motion - Our City, Our Story

Implemented by: Daugavpils University

Through the medium of dance, the case study highlights the complex history of the city within the broader development of the state, while emphasising the idea that, as an embodiment of memory, resilience, and diversity, the city remembers its past while choosing its future. At the core of each session are co-creation and youth engagement, enabling participants to strengthen their sense of belonging and develop creativity, self-expression, and reflection.

Visual Tech Art and Interactive Heritage Mapping with Youth in Thessaloniki

Implemented by: Anatolia College

Secondary school and university students co-create an interactive 3D scale model of the city, embedding Near Field Communication (NFC) tags linked to digital narratives about six culturally significant landmarks. Through Visual Tech Art, participants explore the multilayered heritage of Thessaloniki, strengthening Cultural Awareness and Expression and integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) skills.

Young Voices, Living Roots: Co-Creating Music in Morocco

Implemented by: Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA)

Young people aged 18-25 in urban and rural Morocco co-create music inspired by Amazigh oral heritage, storytelling, and contemporary composition through participatory workshops. Through collective music-making, reflection, and intercultural dialogue, the project strengthens Cultural Awareness and Expression and collaborative creativity.