In November 2025, XsentrikArts will welcome 25 young participants and 5 group leaders from across Europe to Vienna for the Erasmus+ Youth Exchange “Art and Nature Walks Together.” Taking place from 22 to 28 November 2025, the project will bring together young people from Austria, Türkiye, Poland, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria for a week of creativity, nature-based learning, and intercultural exchange.
At a time when young people are living in an increasingly fast-paced and digitally connected world, many are also becoming more disconnected from the natural environment. “Art and Nature Walks Together” was created as a response to this challenge. Through a combination of art workshops, nature walks, and collaborative activities, the project aims to reconnect young people with nature while encouraging self-expression, inclusion, and environmental awareness.
Bringing Young People Back to Nature Through Art
Throughout the exchange, participants will have the opportunity to explore the relationship between art and the natural world. By stepping outside, observing their surroundings, and transforming those experiences into creative expression, they will strengthen both their artistic confidence and their environmental sensitivity.
The programme is designed not only to foster creativity, but also to support personal growth and intercultural understanding. Participants will develop new skills, build friendships across borders, and engage in meaningful conversations about sustainability, inclusion, and active citizenship. Special attention is also given to ensuring that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are fully included, creating a safe, empowering, and accessible space for all.
By combining creative arts with environmental education, the project encourages participants to become ambassadors of both sustainability and social inclusion in their own communities.
The Heart of the Project: A Public Mural in Vienna
One of the most exciting and visible outcomes of the project will be the creation of a large-scale public mural in Vienna. Designed in collaboration with local mural experts and painted by the participants themselves, the mural will become a lasting symbol of what can happen when young people come together around shared values and creative action.
The mural will:
– convey a strong environmental message
– serve as a lasting symbol of sustainability and youth collaboration
– act as the project’s most visible and long-lasting result
– invite the local community to engage in conversations about environmental protection
More than just an artwork, the mural will function as a tool for awareness-raising, dissemination, and community engagement. Local residents will be invited to the unveiling, and the public artwork will remain in place long after the project ends, reminding the wider community of the powerful role young people can play in shaping a greener and more inclusive future.
Project Partners
This Youth Exchange is coordinated by XsentrikArts (Vienna, Austria) and brings together partner organisations from across Europe that share a commitment to creativity, inclusion, sustainability, and youth empowerment:
– 🇦🇹 XsentrikArts, Vienna, Austria – Coordinator & Host
– 🇹🇷 Nicea Kültür ve Eğitim Derneği, İznik, Türkiye
– 🇵🇱 Fundacja Centrum Aktywności Twórczej, Leszno, Poland
– 🇲🇰 Združenie na gragani AMPERSAND, Skopje, North Macedonia
– 🇧🇬 Sdruzhenie Alternativi International, Razlog, Bulgaria
