HIV/AIDS: The Creative Challenge - Global

Creative Exchange has developed its strategies based on the notion that culture operates at the following levels in development: as a context in which development takes place, as a source of locally appropriate content for communication programmes, and as a method of building dialogue. The programme began with a focus on the latter. To enable expression and promote participation by beneficiaries, Creative Exchange created a brief questionnaire - available on the Creative Exchange website - to initiate the work of identifying a set of exemplary projects and disseminating lessons learned from these projects.

Specifically, organisers asked people who use creative or cultural strategies for preventing HIV/AIDS to share their experiences. People and organisations whose feedback was sought included those carrying out projects; donors, NGOs, or community-based programme managers who manage such projects; an academic/institute with research or resources to share; and policy-makers with expertise in/primary responsibility for this field. Those completing the questionnaire were asked to send details about their own work or to nominate a project in which they were involved as a donor or beneficiary group.

In addition to basic information about the project itself and the managing organisation, the form included such questions as: "How and why did you decide to use a cultural approach for this project?", "What are some of the good things that have come from using a cultural approach?", and "What are some of the problems you've experienced in using a cultural approach? How did you overcome some of those problems?".

On the basis of the survey results, organisers plan to select exemplary projects and form a contact group to take forward more detailed research and analysis of this field of work.

HIV/AIDS.

As of this writing, the first phase of the project is active. The deadline for submitting the electronic questionnaire - via post or email (please see contact details, below) - is July 31 2004. Click here to access the questionnaire.

Creative Exchange describes the motivation for this project as follows: "In the battle against HIV/AIDS, communication programmes for behaviour change are a frontline: informing, sensitising and involving communities in a dialogue about prevention and care. HIV/AIDS communication has often focused on giving information, rather than building dialogue and sharing knowledge; on influencing attitudes and behaviour through telling, rather than by engaging and empowering people. Little attention has been paid to the crucial role of local cultures, and to the benefits of working creatively with them, as an important part of communication programmes addressing HIV/AIDS."

Creative Exchange - The Network for Culture and Development - is a UK Registered Charity working to connect people and organisations all over the world who are working with arts and culture to achieve social development. The organisation works to share its conviction that "arts and culture are creating a change helping people to overcome hardship, conflict, ill-health, abuse and build a better future."