Culture in the school!
In 2016, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Communications, Culture pour tous launched the Hemispheres, a network of elementary- and secondary-level cultural schools across Quebec.
Mission: To fully integrate arts and culture in teaching and school activities with an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach.
The Hemispheres program is implemented daily in the classroom and in extracurricular activities with personalized coaching provided by a team of cultural advisers whose backgrounds are in the arts and cultural mediation. They provide their expertise to member schools to facilitate the integration of culture in all subjects and the creation of cultural activities throughout the year, while developing ties with regional organizations and artists. In addition to this coaching, the program provides members schools with financial support as well as exchange and networking opportunities, training and tools for school teams in order to support them in their initiatives.
Why Hemispheres?
A hemisphere forms one half of a whole, while hemispheres plural comprises the entire whole. The network’s name refers to the Earth’s hemispheres as similar to the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Complementary by definition, they refer to the complementarity between the me and the we, the rational and the emotional, acquired knowledge and innate knowledge, science and art, theory and practice, culture and development, and so on.
The Hemispheres project has four focus areas:
- DISCOVERY
Hemispheres develops the students’ sensitivity and sparks their curiosity by increasing their exposure to many forms of artistic and cultural expression and experiences, either from the past or contemporary, and happening close to home and elsewhere. - CREATIVITY
As well as developing their creativity, students in Hemispheres schools develop their divergent thinking skills, which enables them to be innovative and imaginative and, in turn, to enrich the culture, as well as put themselves in the creator’s shoes. They will use these skills to generate new ideas, take a critical look at various issues and be flexible in new situations. - COMMUNITY
The community is an inexhaustible source of talent, resources and support. In this focus area, parents and community members (artists, organizations, retailers, seniors’ residences, etc.) are encouraged to participate in the school’s cultural activities. In addition to making it possible for schools to make use of various types of know-how, expertise, facilities and infrastructure, the Community focus area promotes the development of feelings of belonging in everyone and the enhancement of each person’s role. - PLURALISM
Pluralism enables students to discover the world around them by making them aware of differences and similarities, ways of being and living, and various cultural viewpoints and forms of expression. It initiates a dialogue to enhance their understanding of the world.
If you have any questions, please write to us at hemispheres@culturepourtous.ca.
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The Hemispheres cultural schools network is a Culture pour tous initiative implemented with funding provided by the Quebec government.