DRUGGED BY ART
Art-therapy workshop

The Kana Theatre and MONAR Centre in Babigoszcz are long-term collaborators. In 1994 the year-long project "Transformatorownia" - a series of theatrical, musical and visual-art workshops for the youth endangered by drug addiction - was accomplished. After completing the project the stable contact was maintained and cooperation continued - the MONAR patients participated in the Kana's projects, took part in workshops, attended performances and concerts. In 2002 and 2003 they took part in outdoor artistic actions realized under the guidance of The Strefa Ciszy Theatre from Poznan at the International Street Artists Festival, in the following years they prepared their own outdoor action in cooperation with actors of Kana Theatre (Bibianna Chimiak, Dobiesław Nowicki, Waldemar Nicek). Many times they attended the series of workshops led by artists of Japanese butoh dance theatre: Atsushi Takenouchi and Hiroko Komiya. In their own centre they organized the so-called "artistic weekends" - attended, among others, by Kana Theatre, Strefa Ciszy Theatre, Dikanda folk band, a group of drummers, Szczecin-based jazz musicians and hip-hop artists: Łona, Jesz, Poziom, WHSB, Ass Kickers, Kraz, Kreda. There were some photography and film workshops organized too. There were some project based on international exchange accomplished in the Centre. Workshops with the youth within the project "High on Art" are organized on regular basis and cover various domains of art.

Working with the youth the instructors use art-therapy as an attractive form of support of treatment and prophylactics of addiction. This method is based mainly on practice, and awakening of the participants' creativity it the main task. Thanks to diversity and direct form of group communication, art-therapy has excellent influence of individual development and motivation of particular participants to further creative work. The project is focused on building interactive communication, including artistic activities such as work with body, movement, voice, rhythm, sound - the work on realizing individual potential of particular participants and ability to act in group, providing inspiration to seek alternative solutions to addiction and possibilities of personal development.

The MONAR patients have been invited very often to active participation in artistic project accomplished in Kana Theatre. Without their help it would be hard to imagine festival and bigger artistic events organized by Kana Theatre.