A Great Opening for a Greater Journey – Madeira Meets Guadeloupe
- ARTE.M
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
On April 17, 2025, the Art Center Caravel in Funchal opened its doors to the public with the vibrant exhibition “The Great Adventure – Madeira Meets Guadeloupe”, a sensory journey through images, travel objects, and handcrafted creations inspired by the connection between two island cultures.
The exhibition marked a key milestone in the ECHOES OF THE ISLANDS: A TALE OF TWO TERRITORIES project (2023-2-FR01-KA210-ADU-000183766), co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. It brought together photographs, artifacts, and stories collected across two continents, celebrating shared values of creativity, resilience, and sustainable living.
An Exhibition Born from a Real Journey
“The Great Adventure” is not just a title — it’s the lived experience of a Madeira-based team who traveled to Guadeloupe in late 2024, following a previous exchange where our Caribbean partners from ÎLE Y A visited Madeira.
Together with representatives from ARTE.M, the feminist association UMAR, SocioHabitaFunchalEM, and the Employment Office at Escola APEL, the team explored Guadeloupe’s vibrant cultural and creative ecosystem. What they brought back filled the walls and display cases of this exhibition:– Jewelry made from natural seeds– Indigo-dyed fabrics from a coastal atelier– Upcycled fashion from the L’admerane studio– And stories of people transforming their lives through art and sustainable enterprise
Each piece tells a story — not only of place, but of possibility.
Building Bridges Between Islands
The goal of the project is simple but powerful: to connect islanders across oceans through shared histories, creative exchange, and community-based learning. The collaboration was built on values of solidarity, cultural dialogue, and economic empowerment — especially for women, youth, and underserved groups.
In Guadeloupe, our team participated in:
Creative workshops with local artists
Exchanges with NGOs focused on education, inclusion, and employment
Immersive visits to markets, studios, and social initiatives
The creation of shared artworks and cultural documentation
The response from the public during the exhibition in Madeira was overwhelming. Many visitors — including youth from local schools and senior groups — engaged deeply with the materials, and hundreds participated in guided visits and side events, drawing attention to both the artistic and social relevance of the project.
What’s Next?
The collaboration between Madeira and Guadeloupe is far from over. Plans are already in motion for:
A digital storytelling series and podcast platform exploring island identity
The creation of a collective publication — “The Islander’s Book” — blending art, memory, and voice
This journey has shown that even islands separated by oceans can come together through art, learning, and empathy. We’re proud to continue building this bridge — one story, one collaboration, and one adventure at a time.
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