Community-Based Living Lab for Inclusive Culture, Skills and Social Participation

Saint Lazarus Centre for Adults with Disabilities (Kentro AmeA “Agios Lazaros”) – OID: E10045250 is a licensed, community-based non-profit organisation in Larnaca, Cyprus, supporting adults with intellectual disabilities through Day Services, Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Living.

This Project Cooperation entry is linked to Horizon Europe Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society, particularly the destinations “Innovative Research on European Cultural Heritage and Cultural and Creative Industries”, “Innovative Research on Social and Economic Transformations” and, where relevant, “Innovative Research on Democracy and Governance”.

Our main interest is to contribute to projects that use culture, creativity, skills development, lifelong learning and community participation as practical tools for social inclusion. Adults with intellectual disabilities should not be seen only as beneficiaries of care, but as active participants in cultural, educational, social and civic life.

Saint Lazarus Centre offers a real-life community-based Living Lab environment where inclusive approaches can be co-created, tested and validated with adults with intellectual disabilities, families, professionals and local stakeholders. Our daily work combines structured support, adult education, vocational preparation, cultural participation, social skills development and community engagement. This gives us the capacity to test tools, methods and project outputs in real everyday settings.

Relevant Cluster 2 Work Programme 2026–2027 topics may include:

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-01 – Artistic intelligence: harnessing the power of the arts to address complex challenges, enhance soft skills and boost innovation and competitiveness.

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-05 – Contribution of basic skills to productivity, innovation, competitiveness and economic growth.

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-09 – Citizenship education as part of lifelong learning.

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-10 – Digital and media literacy as drivers for democratic and civic resilience.

The Centre can contribute to projects exploring how inclusive arts, cultural participation, digital storytelling, accessible learning, basic skills, communication, self-confidence, teamwork and community engagement can support the social inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities. We are also interested in creative and digital methods that strengthen participation, expression, autonomy, visibility and active citizenship.

Our practical contribution can include co-creation workshops with adults with intellectual disabilities, user needs analysis, accessibility and usability feedback, real-life piloting of tools and methodologies, inclusive cultural and creative activities, vocational and social skills development, qualitative evaluation, stakeholder engagement, dissemination and social impact demonstration.

The Centre has practical experience in inclusive cultural participation, including theatre and music-based activities involving adults with intellectual disabilities. We are interested in further developing this experience through European cooperation, especially by connecting arts and creativity with soft skills, communication, self-expression, teamwork, digital participation and community visibility.

What we offer:

A real-life community-based pilot setting in Cyprus; direct access to adults with intellectual disabilities, families, professionals and local stakeholders; experience in adult education, vocational rehabilitation, supported living and inclusive cultural activities; and capacity to support co-creation, piloting, evaluation, dissemination and social impact activities.

What we are looking for:

We are looking to join Horizon Europe Cluster 2 consortia as a partner, not as coordinator. We are interested in meeting coordinators, universities, research centres, municipalities, cultural organisations, NGOs and social innovation partners preparing proposals where disability inclusion, cultural participation, skills development, accessibility, lifelong learning, active citizenship and community-based piloting are relevant.

Our added value is the combination of real services, real people, daily community practice and a clear transformation vision: to move from traditional disability support towards inclusive, rights-based and evidence-informed community participation, where adults with intellectual disabilities can develop skills, express themselves, participate in cultural and civic life and be visible as active members of society.