OK'TAVA Open Arts - Open Hearts (www.oktava.ch)
Art Healing
We offer open arts group activities where friends and participants come together to express themselves through drawing, knitting, dancing, sewing, sculpting, and other creative forms. Regardless of language or background, these shared artistic practices help build meaningful connections, create a sense of community, and support integration, making everyone feel welcome as they engage with one another through the joy of creating.
Peace Lean-ins
This project transforms bed linens, donated by the Red Cross into canvases of creative and emotional freedom. A reminder of comfort and security, as well as a safe space for artistic expression, the Lean-ins have become a refuge from trauma and pressure, as well as a source of hope and happiness for hundreds of people. Through the strokes of paint, simple drawings and heartfelt messages
spread across a vast open canvass, they speak volumes about our experiences, fears and dreams.
Since 2021, Peace Lean-ins have become an enriching and responsive space for new voices. We have
taken lean-ins and tees to performances and exhibitions. With the guidance of artists and art therapists,
participants have used lean-ins to respond to the art they were seeing and experiencing – be it a painting,
a play, a sculpture or a dance. They were expressing the impact of a creation by responding to it through
art. Instantly, powerfully, and genuinely.
Co-creations at Art Institutions and Cultural Venues
We collaborate with renowned institutions and venues such as the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Geneva, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, CERN, TATE Modern, Art Genève, EPFL, Art Basel, le Grand Theatre de Genève, the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, Culturerunners, MAMCO and more to create unique, healing spaces for artistic expression. Our groups visit exhibitions, but the experience doesn’t end with viewing. Under the guidance of artists, participants are invited to respond to the artwork through their own creative acts—whether by movement, painting, singing, or other mediums.
This immersive, responsive process not only fosters a deep emotional connection to the art but also opens pathways for personal healing, co-creation, and a sense of community. Our unique co-creative 'open arts - open hearts' approach makes these encounters truly transformative and accessible to all.
Kid2Kid Club
Kid2Kid is a safe and happy place. We create an immersive and multicultural environment where kids choose their activity, engage, share and learn through play.
In addition to creative clubs, we are welcome guests at universities, museums, nature parks, science labs, libraries, theatres and festivals.
We also have vacation clubs and exciting outdoor adventures. We foster curiosity, freedom and self-expression.
We are lucky to learn from kids how to love the world in all its diversity.
Lets speak games!
U4U CareVan
The U4U CareVan brings essential support directly to those in need, focusing on individuals who face challenges in accessing aid due to health conditions, mobility issues, or other barriers. By reaching underserved areas, the CareVan provides vital resources such as food, medical supplies, warm clothing, and hygiene items. However, the programme goes beyond meeting basic needs—it creates opportunities for meaningful human connection. Through compassionate, face-to-face interactions, volunteers offer emotional support and help foster a sense of dignity and healing.
Each year, the CareVan organizes a CareFair, a weekend-long community gathering that brings together vulnerable individuals and their families. At CareFair, participants receive warm clothes, nutritious meals, and care packages, while also engaging in fun social activities aimed at promoting community bonding and uplifting spirits. This event highlights the heart of U4U’s mission: to not only address urgent needs but also to build bridges of empathy, inclusion, and collective well-being.
U-Volunteer
The U4U Volunteer programme connects individuals from vulnerable communities with opportunities to volunteer at partner organizations, including companies, art institutions, cultural venues, festivals, and non-profits. This initiative offers participants a chance to rebuild their sense of self-worth, restore dignity, and foster personal growth through meaningful work.
Volunteering serves as a powerful tool for healing, helping individuals regain a sense of purpose and belonging. By contributing to local projects and engaging with diverse social networks, participants also experience smoother integration into society, cultivating confidence and skills that enhance their future prospects. This programme not only empowers volunteers but also enriches the communities they serve, creating a cycle of mutual support and social cohesion.
