Art-Based Intervention Strategies. Perspectives of Social Pedagogy on Community-Based Urban and Rural Regeneration Projects

Social pedagogy stands out as an interdisciplinary field concerned with social and educational interventions, which aim to facilitate human well-being by preventing and improving the deficiencies that lead to the achievement of individual potential and adaptation to society. The practical-applicative nature of social pedagogy involves the involvement of interdisciplinary teams of specialists in approaches aimed at identifying people or communities in difficulty, including, analyzing problems and effects and outlining customized intervention strategies in order to provide experiences aimed at optimizing the capacity of social adaptation. The methodological spectrum of the intervention plans has flexibility and allows applications with different degree of amplitude following the individual axis – community – society. Given the methodological diversity of social and socio-educational intervention projects, in this paper we will focus on strategies based on artistic activities. We will bring to the fore the impact of art consumption from both perspectives, of the warm universe related to the individual creator of artistic products and the cold universe, which reflects the valences of consumerism. In addition, we will highlight the potential benefits of involvement in artistic activities, referring to research evidence that has confirmed the link between art and improving quality of life across multiple sectors of private or community life. Art-based interventions respond to a high degree of applicability, for this reason we have summarized to offer some examples of community projects that capture the innovative approach of urban and rural regeneration on Romanian territory.