R.A.S.T. / A.R.T.S.

Photo: Nino Bektashashvili

R.A.S.T. / A.R.T.S. brings together the arts, African and African-Slovenian community experiences, and dialogue with healthcare professionals to contribute to better healthcare for children and families.

R.A.S.T. / A.R.T.S. is an APIS Institute project connecting the arts, experiences of the African and African-Slovenian community, and dialogue with healthcare professionals. Creative workshops support expression, belonging and self-confidence. Conversations gather experiences of healthcare in Slovenia to help understand the needs of children and families and contribute to more culturally sensitive, respectful and equitable care.

The Slovenian acronym R.A.S.T. brings together four priorities: understanding through art, African perspectives in healthcare, guidance for fairer care, and weaving dialogue between the community and healthcare.

The four priorities of R.A.S.T. Click the graphic to enlarge.

Art, community and health

The project involves girls and young people of African and African-Slovenian heritage, parents and carers, adoptive families, and adults with their own experiences of healthcare. Artistic approaches make space for experiences that can be difficult to put into words. Working with professionals connects these perspectives with reflection on everyday healthcare practice.

Project activities

Artistic and creative workshops

Storytelling, theatre improvisation, movement, rhythm, voice and visual art offer ways to explore identity, relationships and belonging. The girls create alongside recognised artists of African-Slovenian heritage: Maša Kagao Knez, Irena Yebuah Tiran and Lina Akif. The workshops provide a supportive space for conversation, group reflection and expressing their own stories.

Conversations with the community

Community meetings and individual interviews gather positive, difficult and mixed experiences of the healthcare system. Families, adults of African heritage and healthcare professionals are invited to contribute. Interviews are conducted in Slovenian, English and Arabic; participation is voluntary.

Connecting experiences and healthcare expertise

We organise the accounts by theme and connect them with professional perspectives on communication, children’s care, mental health and access to support. We explore barriers, good practice and suggestions for changes that could support families’ care and their trust in the healthcare system.

Recommendations and learning resources

Community experiences and artistic approaches inform practical recommendations and resources for healthcare professionals. These materials are in development. They aim to support understanding of different life circumstances, respectful communication and person-centred care.

What emerged from the Ljubljana conversation?

At the community conversation on 28 March 2026, participants raised routine check-ups, assessments of children’s development, and access to knowledge about darker skin and Afro hair care. They also discussed mental health, racism, stereotypes and privacy, particularly around adoption and family history. Alongside challenges, they shared positive experiences with paediatricians who pursue further learning and actively support families.

Materials from the Ljubljana conversation

Professional support

The National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia (NIJZ) supported the project application through a letter of support. It envisaged professional guidance, exchange of knowledge on intercultural mediation, and opportunities to share the results. Recommendations and educational resources are still in development.

Team

The team brings together experience in developing inclusive community programmes and artistic practice in storytelling, movement, voice and theatre. These creative approaches offer young people of African and African-Slovenian heritage space for expression, exploring belonging and sharing experiences.

Expertise in public health and intercultural mediation supports in-depth conversations about the community’s experiences of healthcare. Knowledge of different languages and cultural contexts helps communication and the development of recommendations grounded in participants’ needs and suggestions.

Continuing our work with the community

The project builds on APIS’s experience with ROOTS × Mladi zmaji and Between Africa and Slovenia: The Art of Dual Belonging from 2025.

Explore the project and share your experiences. For questions, contact jasna@zavodapis.si.

Photo: Nino Bektashashvili

Photo: Romana Zajec