Empowering deaf communities across Europe through artistic creation.

The Erasmus+ project “Deaf Youth in Action: Empowering Communities Across Europe through Artistic creation” (SIGN’ART) officially launched with the kick-off meeting hosted by the Polish Deaf Association from April 28th to April 29th, 2026. The event brought together representatives from all three partner institutions, marking the start of a collaborative journey aimed at empowering deaf youth by fostering active citizenship through artistic creation.

During the first day, partners agreed on a comprehensive action plan for the upcoming artistic activities and discussed the project’s objectives. They also finalized the structure and timeline of key deliverables, and coordinated responsibilities. The consortium also reviewed and confirmed the frameworks for the project handbooks and work packages, setting the stage for smooth and effective cooperation.

During the second day, Edyta Kozub delivered a 3-hour masterclass on visual vernacular (VV) practices, a hands-on session introducing VV as a Deaf-led storytelling art form that combines facial expression, gesture, pantomime, sign language, spatial movement, and poetic body performance. Moreover, Korina Defteraiou from Web2Learn implemented a digital storytelling lab which incorporated digital tools to enrich deaf youth’s online and offline practices.

The kick-off meeting was a valuable opportunity for team-building and for establishing a shared vision for the project. It helped create a strong common understanding of goals, roles, and next steps from the outset.