Music is one of the most universally understandable tools for communication, capable of conveying any emotion. In music, it’s not necessary to understand the words; it’s enough to feel the rhythm and hear the resonating sounds. From August 1st to 5th, the summer music camp “Rhythm and Sound” in Kaunas invited youth from various nationalities to come together, create, perform, and share world music.
The “Artscape” partners, organized by the Kaunas Artists’ House, brought together a creative group of young people aged 16-20 for a week-long camp. During music and creative sessions, the focus was on various areas of the music industry, including rhythm, lyric writing, production, and recording. The participants not only performed well-known pieces but also showcased their own music creations. Throughout the camp, musicians engaged in collaborative jam sessions, completed tasks in groups, and worked individually on their creative projects.
“Artscape” creative missions attracted the participation of boys from Afghanistan, Guinea, Ghana, Cameroon, and Congo, who are unaccompanied minors from the Rukla Reception Center, to join the camp. Participating in activities organized by the Kaunas Artists’ House, these young men took the initiative to conduct music workshops and create their own music. With the assistance of “Artscape” volunteer and producer Gajus Jogaila Milkeraitis, the young performers visited his recording studio “Ritmas ir Baublys” in Vilnius this year. There, they recorded their music and performed at the World Refugee Day celebration “ESU SAUGUS – GALIU KURTI” (I am safe – I can create).
The musical summer camp activities culminated on Friday at the Kaunas Artists’ House with an open musical session called “Susipynę,” organized in collaboration with the Lithuanian Red Cross – Kaunas Branch and the Kaunas Center for Various National Cultures. The session not only invited attendees to listen to the pieces prepared during the camp but also encouraged everyone to join in music-making, communicate through music, and feel its essence together. Participation in the musical session was open to all interested individuals, both professional performers and those who had never participated in such events before.
We extend our gratitude to our dear friends at Kaunas Artists’ House, the Lithuanian Red Cross Kaunas Branch, and the Kaunas Center for Various National Cultures for bringing together an open and creative community. Special thanks to UNHCR and the Lithuanian Council for Culture for their support of the Artscape social integration program.
Photographed by Vytautas Paplauskas