News
19.11.09: Major performance by MUS-E children and the Ustinov Theatre School
On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the programme, organised jointly by the Federal and State governments, on “Die Soziale Stadt – Stadtteile mit besonderem Entwicklungsbedarf” (The Social City – Districts with a special development requirement”, the NRW Social City Network (Städtenetz Soziale Stadt NRW) hosted an event in the Choreographisches Zentrum PACT in Essen on 18 November. The aim of the public event was to celebrate what the programme has already achieved and discuss future challenges and requirements together so that the programme can be developed further. The programme, which is organised jointly by the Federal and State governments, is a programme for urban building by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) with the Federal States. It was started in 1999 with the aim of achieving a comprehensive improvement of local living conditions in disadvantaged city districts, for example as a result of poor infrastructure or integration problems.
The NRW Social City Network, which hosted the conference, took on the task to promote knowledge transfer and the sharing of experience between the municipalities concerned. Over thirty towns in North-Rhine Westphalia are already members, including the city district of Essen-Katernberg.
The multicultural, social and artistic school programme MUS-E is a project which is part of the “Soziale Stadt” (Social city) integrated urban development scheme. MUS-E (Music for Schools in Europe) is an artistic programme for children and puts special emphasis on the integration of children with foreign roots. Under the leadership of professional artistes, the children play music, dance, produce drama and design things as part of routine lessons.
The performance of the children from MUS-E and the Ustinov Theatre School was the artistic highlight of the anniversary conference today and living proof of the success of the NRW Social City Network. The children were supported by the Katernberg drum group.
Apart from supporting the MUS-E programme, the Peter Ustinov Foundation established the Ustinov Theatre School in 2007. This is an artistic programme for nurturing children at problem schools. The aim of the Ustinov Theatre School is to build bridges between various cultures and thus combat prejudice through experiencing art together. This, in turn, lays the foundations for people of different ethnic or social origins to work well together, in particular in disadvantaged city districts.
