Youth Queerators was a small-scale partnership for youth project between 2024 – 2026, within the cooperation of Active Rainbow (Latvia) and You Simply Can Foundation (Poland).
The project aimed and achieved to empower young adults to express themselves and advocate for the causes which are important to them through various artistic tools like audio-visual arts, theatre and performing arts, crafts, and other creative means.
We focused working mainly locally and through transnational cooperation and exchange with the complimentary objectives:
1. Increasing the active participation of young people, specifically LGBTQIA+/Queer from intersectional backgrounds, in their local communities.
2. Exploring and identifying the impact of artistic forms of activism on the learners.
3. Enhancing the well-being of participants using art as one of the main forms of expression.
4. Improving our organizational capacities and competencies in using artistic tools in our youth work, thus increasing LGBTQIA+ inclusive education
5. Co-creating a sustainable local and transnational impact through the activities, outcomes and produced results.
The project explored how art can become a tool for (youth) empowerment: not only as a way of developing creative skills, but also as a method for encouraging active participation in society, strengthening community connections, and creating more inclusive societies.
Through the local workshops, community and creative events implemented in each partner country, the transnational youth trainings, and continuous partner exchange, we developed, and elaborated on a series of working formats and approaches that can be transferred to other learning contexts in youth work, education, training and adult learning.
Art is inevitable.
Youth Trainings
Part of the activities that were organized within the project was two youth trainings, which focused on exploring creative activism through specific forms of art that each partner is working with in their practice.
The first Youth Training took place in Warsaw, Poland, between 26th of March and 1st of April 2025, in which participants got to learn and explore theatre and performing arts in queer activism, meeting with other local queer artists, activists and organizations.
The second Youth Training took place in Riga, Latvia, between 13th and 19th of November 2025, in which participants got to learn and practice how to use audio-visual tools for creating social impact in their communities, while also meeting with local queer activists and organizations.
Each of the activities brought together 12 queer young adults and representatives from the organizations.
Both the activities offered a safer and braver space, where participants could exchange their stories, cultures, queer history and realities, while discovering by experience different forms of artistic means connected to queer realities and communities in their countries.
The methodology was focused on experiential learning approach, peer learning, intercultural exchange, systems for daily reflection, group work, workshops and events meeting with local activists, as well as creating a variety of results, such as performances, short films and more.
The trainings contributed to the personal and professional development of the young queer participants, enhancing their competences in creative means of activism, self and collective empowerment, and increasing the competencies and organizational capacities of the partners and coordinating teams.
PHOTO GALLERY
Local Activities
One of the main activities throughout the project was the organization of local activities that were organized in the participating countries, bringing together the young communities.
The focus was for both organizations to create and offer creative spaces, where young queer people from diverse backgrounds, would be able to participate, express themselves, learn and explore different forms of arts.
Within the safer and braver spaces, participants were able to participate in a series of workshops and events, and having also the opportunity to organize their own initiatives and bring their ideas to life.
In total 49 local activities were organized in the span of the project period, and additionally mini festivals about queer arts and sharing the holistic results of the project, which took place respectively in Warsaw in February 2026 and in Riga in May 2026.
Through the implementation of local events, both partners, we aimed at engaging our communities and creating a sustainable network of young queer activists interested in non-formal learning, activism, social change and artistic expression.
Specifically Polish partners worked with theater, performing and performative arts, while the Latvian partners worked with arts and crafts, theater, and audio-visual. In both cases, there was an exchange of good practices, and methods through the transnational trainings, as well as through online meetings, where the coordinating teams worked on testing and developing learning models and approaches for using creative activism and empowering LGBTQIA+/Queer/Flinta* communities, with the direct involvement of the participants.
The power of non-formal learning combined with the power of art was a catalyst for the growth and development of competencies of all participants.
PHOTO GALLERY
QUEERATOR STORIES
Video Recap - Into the Wonder Festival
Getting in the atmosphere of the 2-days Queer Youth Arts festival that was organized by the queer crew and community of Active Rainbow in Riga, in May 2026.
Click below to watch the recap video.
Video Recap - Queerators Festival
Get behind the scenes of the one-day festival that was organized by the queer community of You Simply Can Foundation in Warsaw, February 2026.
Click below to watch the recap video.
Vidcast | Conversation on queer art
Meet Cathy (co-creator of Youth Queerators) and Rachel (YQ team member and co-creator of Into the Wonder festival) as they discuss and exchange about the importance of queer arts and representation, creative spaces and the holistic impact of the project.
Click below to watch the vidcast which was filmed during the festival.
Learning Approaches on Creative activism & Queer Empowerment
Creating Spaces for expression and participation through art. In Youth Queerators project we developed five key learning approaches for implementation.
Click below to read the article at EPALE adult learning platform
Testimonials - Queerators Festival
A visual recap with testimonials from participants of the Queerators Festival organized by You Simply Can partners.
Follow the link to the post to find out more.
Creative Arts as tool for agency
Key takeaways when young adults are given space to host, organize, and curate their own stories and communities. This time using arts and crafts as a tool.
Click below to read the article at EPALE adult learning platform
The project was organized between 2024 – 2026 with activities in Latvia and in Poland. It was co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme and the Jaunatnes starptautisko programmu aģentūra (Latvian National Agency). It was an Erasmus+ KA2 small-scale partnership for youth project.
Partners: Active Rainbow – coordinators (Latvia), and You Simply Can Foundation (Poland).
Disclaimer: The information and views set out in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.