Social inclusion through music

The program was created with the idea that music can be a tool for much more than just learning to sing or play an instrument. Music has the power to connect people, amplify the voices of those who often go unheard, and foster empathy, solidarity, and tolerance. It can unite individuals from diverse backgrounds and help them explore and appreciate different cultures. For years, we have passionately worked to develop an approach that enables people to learn about each other and cultivate mutual support through shared artistic creation.

Projects

Svi UGLAS – Everyone in Unity 

Svi UGLAS (Everyone in Unity) is not an ordinary choir. It brings together marginalized, street-involved Roma children and youth with members of Serbia’s majority community of all ages, creating a space for collaboration, cultural exchange, and the nurturing of intercultural and intergenerational learning.

The choir has received numerous awards for its contributions to social inclusion in Serbia.

Who are our participants?

The Romani children and young people we work with often come from extreme poverty, are partially or entirely excluded from formal education, and are at risk of labor exploitation. These children live on the margins of society and have few opportunities to socialize and engage with others outside their community. Through singing, professional recordings, concerts, and other activities, our choir helps them build confidence, develop work habits, and strengthen psychosocial skills. They learn to work as part of a group, support each other, build trust, nurture a sense of community, and take pride in their cultural heritage.

The choir is equally meaningful for members of the general public who sing with us. Participants of all ages connect directly with Roma culture and gain insights into the challenges Roma people face in Serbia. Through artistic creation, this shared experience bridges gaps, fostering friendship, mutual understanding, and learning across communities.

Are we just singing?

Beyond musical activities, this project emphasizes the presentation and celebration of Roma culture and community. 

Project Activities

  • Intercultural Choir Svi UGLAS: This choir brings together Roma and non-Roma community members in shared artistic creation. To date, it has engaged over 500 participants from the Roma community and 300 participants of all ages from the general public.
  • Professional Production of Videos and Songs: High-quality videos and musical recordings, showcasing the project’s impact and available for viewing here.
  • Educational Program: Aimed at both participants and the wider public, this program fosters awareness of Roma culture through public events and educational content.
  • Concert Organization: Regular concerts serve as a platform to showcase the choir’s work and celebrate Roma culture.
  • Trainings and Workshops for Teachers and Youth Workers: These sessions share methodologies for social inclusion through music and emphasize the role of art as a powerful tool for building community and inclusion.

Work with youth from the refugee population

Refugee population faces many difficulties on the way to a better life, which often makes negative impact on the psychological health of the people on the move. Spending sometimes several years in Serbia before continuing the journey to the EU, members of the refugee population often live isolated from the local community, which has a very negative effect on both them and the whole society. Due to the segregated life, it is common that racist and discriminatory attitudes in the majority community occur, due to which cultural diversity becomes impossible.

Art Aparat dealt with this problem through several projects, which helped connecting members of the refugee population with people from Serbia and encouraging intercultural learning and building togetherness.

Art Aparat participated in the organization of several concerts with members of the refugee population, we produced theater plays and other artistic content such are video works and songs. Our partners for this topics are the most recognizable organizations in the field – We collaborated with Belgrade Center for Human Rights, ADRA Serbia and others organizations from Serbia.

Work with seniors

Members of the elderly population in the entire Balkan region, due to various reasons, very often face loneliness and exclusion, which makes a negative impact on their psychological and physical health. Also, people from all generations don’t get enough opportunities to meet and interact the elderly and in that way get a eider perspective about the society. We find the intergenerational exchange and dialogue very important in order to improve the quality of life of the members of all generations and believe that there is much to learn from the members of the elderly population, so we designed a project that focuses on these topics trough music and art.

The project –Ima neka tajna veza (There is a secret connection)- is made together with the Association Naš most from Zenica (BiH). The projects gives the members of the elderly from BiH and Serbia the opportunity to respond to this problem through singing and painting workshops and they are encouraged to learn and express themselves creatively and find their own artistic expression. Besides that, people of all generations can participate, learn about joint cultural heritage of the Balkans from the elderly and familiarize with aging and everything that aging brings with it.