Art Bus

“It is important to me that what I do has a meaning. And this I find when working with children and youngsters “, Aisha Sabbouh-Eggert says. The 49-year-old visual artist with a degree from the Düsseldorf Art Academy, has been project manager of the art bus since the beginning of 2016.

The art bus has been touring through Düsseldorf since 2011 and stops around playgrounds and in refugee camps. One of the priorities of KRASS in 2016 is the area around Fürstenplatz. The project was initiated in cooperation with the Düsseldorf youth welfare office and the Kulturrucksack NRW. In addition, the bus regularly visits the various accommodations for refugees in the state capital.

A welcome change from everyday life

“Around 20 kids are around when the bus arrives at the Fürstenplatz playground, usually Saturdays 3 to 5 pm”, Sabbouh-Eggert says. Especially the children in the refugee homes are happy about the colorful change whenever the bus arrives. The offer is directed at all children and young people who simply can join instantly without any registration. “We want to particularly give this opportunity to children whose parents might otherwise not be able to afford providing their children with cultural activities”, the artist says.

The bus has all utensils for artistic design on board, ranging from paint, paper and brushes to special things that Sabbouh-Eggert brings along. “Sustainability is very important to me. Therefore, I have already brought packaging material that the children have then upcycled” she says. From time to time she also brings fabric, being an essential part of her own artistic work. “Then the children may also sow”, she says. There are no strict guidelines: “I simply suggest a topic. The children are then allowed to freely develop artistically.”

Praise and recognition for young creatives

The experienced freelance artist with a pedagogue background, who teaches art in many schools, supports the implementation of young creatives’ ideas. And of course there is also a lot of praise and recognition for the small artistic souls.

Educational experience and artistic knowledge are prerequisite in order to conduct this project. The identification with the vision of KRASS is very important. “Of course the preparation takes a lot of time”, Sabbouh-Eggert says. But above all, the lively exchange with the children is not only fun for them, but also for her.

Appointments can be requested

Even on special occasions like the Hohestraßenfest or the NRW-Day, the art bus is on site. For Information on when and where the colorful bus has its next stop, please contact Claudia from KRASS under telephone number +49 170/2416859. Anyone willing to join the project, can also make an appointment for a personal talk at c.seidensticker@krass-ev.de.