2nd International Arts Therapies Summercamp
The 2nd International Arts Therapies Summercamp (now called 4ArTS) took place 27th - 30th August 2007 at the Hogeschool Amersfoort, in the Netherlands and was organized by Dries Booten and Tim van Stelten with the help of other arts therapies students of the Hoogeschool Amersfoort.It was supported by ECArTE (European Consortium of Art Therapy Education), the Hogeschool Amersfoort and the Fachhochschule Ottersberg, Germany.
Well-motivated students of the 'HU Amersfoort' decided to work voluntarily on an ambitious venture; The Summercamp 2007. But if it were not for the helping hand of the HU then the continuation of the summercamp would have been in danger. Students, professors and educational coordinators all seem to fall for the charm of The Summercamp idea.
During the Summercamp 2007 students from all over Europe (England, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) came to Amersfoort to widen their views on arts therapies through the exchange of practical and theoretical knowledge. The 'common ground' (theme of 2006) was rediscovered, although the students also learned a lot from the diversity that the different schools throughout Europe brought with them. But the real success of the summercamp lies in the spirit of these camps. An arts therapies 4ArTS Summercamp is more than a place where you share knowledge. It is a place where there is appreciation for personal expression, a place where students with similar interests meet in a cheerful gathering.
Programme
Lectures held by professionals:
Prof. Henk Smeijsters
Prof. Leni Verhofstadt-Denève
Student led workshops in all arts therapies:
Dewi & Birgitta: "Feel it in your body" (Music and Art)
Carolina Alejos: "Somatic empathy, rhythm and contact in non verbal communication approach" (Dance)
Cettina & Melanie: "Messpainting" (Art)
Yvon Taken (a professional) "One day I made my own fairytale and it made me feel happy again" (Music)
Birgitta - African Dance (Dance)Mark Teunissen - About penises and pistols. Aggression in Art Therapy (Art)
click here to see all previous lectures and students lead workshops
The organizers statement
What makes The Summercamp so appealing?
As we experienced it, this project is an answer to the growing need for international networking and recognition for arts therapies. The Summercamps have proven that internationalization of arts therapies is not only a matter for professionals. For us, it was a challenge to put our daydreams into reality and organize a camp that would be as good as the past one in Ottersberg in Germany. Even though we, of the organization, weren't able to participate in all the workshops and lectures, we were delighted to be a part of the joyful group and we had a great time.
On behalf of the team we can conclude that the organizational effort does not outweigh the personal satisfaction of a successful, creative Summercamp. The charm of The Summercamp has even spread to the south, and we are very proud that in 2008 the spirit of The Summercamp will live on in Spain.
Dries Booten and Tim van Stelten
