Art 4 Social Impact

Vernissage on Wednesday 17 September at 17:00.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00.

Art for Social Impact is a major exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto ONLUS and the Kids Guernica Foundation, on the theme of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations through Michelangelo Pistoletto's concept The Third Paradise.

Each year, the Centre des arts runs a variety of educational projects, giving students the opportunity to engage with the SDGs using art as a universal language. Under the theme "Third Paradise for Peace: Art with Social Impact", students have worked closely with partners and artists to stimulate innovation and deepen their understanding of social impact in relation to the SDGs.

Since 2017, Ecolint and its Centre des arts have maintained a close partnership with the Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte to develop projects inspired by Pistoletto’s "Third Paradise", as part of the "Art for Social Impact" initiative. The academic year begins with the "Art for Social Impact" exhibition, showcasing students’ creative work aligned with the 17 SDGs, supported by "Kids Guernica".

The Third Paradise carries a powerful message of hope and responsibility, urging us to help build a better world. By integrating the "Preventive Peace Path" into our mission, we aim to provide the next generation with an even stronger platform for creating meaningful and lasting change.

The Third Paradise project raises students’ awareness of ecological, humanistic, and technological challenges through graphic design. Pupils will create their own artworks inspired by the 17 goals, before taking part in a collaborative performance using coloured T-shirts. The project will culminate in an exhibition and a public presentation that fosters creativity, teamwork, and reflection on the balance between nature, humanity, and technology.

The Canvases

On large canvases, students begin by illustrating one of the goals within the Third Paradise symbol. These canvases then travel to public and private schools around the world, where students from different cultural backgrounds contribute their ideas, knowledge, and emotions. Following a global journey involving around 3,000 students, the final artworks will be exhibited across all three floors of the Centre des arts. Inspired by the "Kids Guernica Foundation", the project not only reaches audiences worldwide but also supports local initiatives, such as "Towards Contemporary Art for Sustainable Villages" in Mulabari, Nepal. This collaborative effort, involving Ecolint students, contributed to rebuilding the village after the devastating 2015 earthquakes.

Art4Impact with the Anouk Foundation
The role of art in improving health and wellbeing

Each year, the Anouk Foundation presents an exhibition of Art4Impact award winners, enriching our reflections on the transformative power of art. Art4Impact demonstrates how creativity can help patients deal with anxiety and isolation. Whether you're an art enthusiast or simply curious about how creativity can make a difference, this event is for you. Discover how a drawing created alongside Ecolint teachers can brighten the lives of children in hospital. Since 2008, the Anouk Foundation’s therapeutic murals have been installed in over 280 healthcare settings across 18 countries.

Design Me A Planet

Michel Saloff-Coste’s "Design Me A Planet" collection is a thoughtful artistic endeavour combining children’s drawing workshops, discussions on the future of our planet, and exhibitions. Active between 2010 and 2015, the initiative aimed to raise awareness of global challenges across all generations. Today, Saloff-Coste’s work—part of what he calls "cosmic art"—continues to be exhibited, offering poetic and spiritual visions of possible worlds, where science, aesthetics, and planetary consciousness intersect.

By taking part in Art for Social Impact, students from both the Primary and Middle Schools bring new energy and perspective to the exhibition.

The Preventive Peace Path Project

As part of this new initiative led by renowned artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, we will mark the International Day of Peace on Friday 19 September 2025, in partnership with the Fondazione Cittadellarte-Pistoletto. This collaboration, which has grown steadily over the past ten years through our Art for Social Impact programme, reflects our ongoing commitment to meaningful, positive change.

To celebrate Peace Day, all students from the La Grande Boissière campus will join together to create a peace path across the school grounds, linked hand in hand, to send a powerful message of unity and solidarity.