FRIDAS - Freedom in Rights Identities driven through Arts and Sport

FRIDAS (Freedom in Rights Identities driven through Arts and Sports) wants to intervene combining healthy sport competition and contemporary art, in order to: break down the gender bias, promote physical and mental health, challenge the discrimination in sports, fighting social exclusion and educating coaches and decision makers in sports organisations on GE issues. Frida Kahlo, symbol of many battles, inspired the title of this project. We believe that art together with sport are a fundamental combination to strengthen the roots of an individual, to achieve independence and break down the barrier of prejudice. We want to intervene in the rugby sector since nowadays this sport, is considered eminently masculine with a rough approach, nevertheless is considered the discipline of the body and the spirit, therefore we want to enhance the practice of reflection where to find ourselves. Furthermore, rugby being a game that fosters loyalty and trust amongst players, becomes a useful tool to combat discrimination and gender inequalities. We decided to combine it to art, as sport is not only based on physical well-being but also on the experimentation of life in a “protected environment”, while art is a way of crossing mental and physical barriers. Performance Art, as an innovative element, will foster the link between rugby athletic gestures enhancing the self-empowerment. Through art the rugby rough contact will be metamorphically transformed into a moment of knowledge and comparison to tackle prejudices and situations of never-ending impasse beyond gender differences. FRIDAS will provide alternative models to the current ultra-competitive and categorized society through a series of workshops and artistic performances. The activities developed aim to educate young members of two grassroots rugby teams, pupils and adults, in Italy and Croatia. The methodology applied will be focused on a multidisciplinary approach encompassing non-formal and informal teaching methods.