workshop – Satu Miettinen

Collaborative Mandala Art with Bridge to Nowhere

The collaboration with the Bridge to Nowhere Arts Association in Port Pirie, Australia, brought together artists, including Melanie Sarantou, to create mandalas woven into a recycled gate. This project fostered friendship and community, reflecting on life cycles through shared stories and creative expression, culminating in a six-week installation.

Co-authoring

Sustainable Art Workshop in Cape Town

The "Flowers of Cape Town" workshop, held in November 2018, involved CPUT's Faculty of IT & Design. It focused on sustainability by exploring personal feelings about recycling. Participants created flowers using recycled plastic, inspired by Cape Town's natural beauty, culminating in a roadside installation in District Six.

Arts-based research

Arts-Based Reconciliation in Sámiland

The University of Lapland, the Giellagas Institute, and the Saamelaisalueen Koulutuskeskus conducted a reconciliation course for aspiring mediators in Sámiland. In 2018, I participated in the training led by Antti Pentikäinen and Anne Nuorgam, practicing arts-based reconciliation with Hanna Guttorm, and co-authoring an article on this method.

Arts-based research

Arctic Railway Impact: Sámi Concerns at UNPFII

The Sámi Parliament and youth organizations participated in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to address concerns about the Arctic railway's impact on Sámi culture, land, and reindeer herding. The PARTY project showcased a poster exhibition to raise awareness about environmental challenges and promote dialogue on service development for indigenous youth.

Exhibitions

Empowering Women Through Art: Margin-to-Margin Project Highlights

The Margin-to-Margin project highlighted how art empowered women in remote areas to redefine their identities. Involving 98 women from 10 countries, the initiative facilitated workshops focused on craftsmanship and cultural engagement, enhancing self-worth. The related exhibition showcased their creative journeys, addressing challenges like isolation and migration, and emphasizing the value of networking.

Arts-based research

Participatory Development: Art and Youth Engagement

The PARTY project focused on enhancing youth involvement in service development to combat unemployment in South Africa and Namibia from 2015 to 2019. It emphasized art-based methods for self-expression among the San youth, culminating in community workshops, poster creations addressing social issues, and performances that provided local solutions. Artistic and scientific outcomes emerged.

Arts-based research

Finding Wings: Storytelling Journeys Toward Empowerment

In 2016, the Wings to Fly workshop engaged youth in storytelling and textile art to explore personal histories, resilience, and empowerment. Through visual, verbal, and artistic expression, participants transformed experiences of loss, trauma, hope, and aspiration into a collaborative textile installation.

Exhibitions

My Dream World: Innovative Tools for Youth Inclusion

The My Dream World project engaged young people in Namibia and South Africa in creating services and visualizing their ideal environments through service design. It aimed to enhance inclusion and promote well-being by collaborating with various organizations and employing participatory tools. The project featured multiple exhibitions and published research papers.

Arts-based research

Storytelling as a Tool for Youth Empowerment

The Youth Empowerment installation, created during the 2014 Participatory Design Conference in Namibia, engaged youth in collaborative art to express their challenges and aspirations through storytelling. Led by Vikki du Preez and several universities, the project emphasized service design and empowerment, fostering dialogue on significant youth themes through creative installations.