Projects per year
Personal profile
Expertise
Elvira Crois is Assistant Professor and postdoctoral researcher in arts education at Brussels research centre for Innovation in Learning and Diversity [BILD] at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Their research focuses on worldmaking within and via participatory arts and playful education for social change. In 2023, Elvira started a research project on participatory arts for climate education. They follow an interdisciplinary arts approach to feed educational practices on ecology.
To this end, they are currently conducting a systematic literature review, working on a data set of 40 artist interviews, and coordinating the collaborative Erasmus+ (KA2) project 'Codename Seedling: A Climate Justice and Arts Educational Approach to Youth Work' with Bath Spa University and creative partners in Belgium, Denmark, UK, Portugal, and France. The project explores how young people can better engage with the climate crisis through arts activities, working through (i) youth-led projects that combine activism and arts, (ii) developing arts-based advocacy toolkits for youth practitioners, and (iii) an impact study through an embedded reflective strategy that demonstrates the efficacy of the creative projects and toolkit.
In 2022, Elvira completed a joint PhD in Theatre and Intermedia (University of Antwerp) and Adult Educational Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) with the doctoral thesis ‘Holding [ a Conversation with ] the Situation. The Performer’s Tactical Ability and the Aesthetic Affect of Audience Participation’. The research examined performer training in participatory performing arts to better understand how the abilities of the performer affect the aesthetics of audience participation. Through an accompanying approach (i.e. a participatory research method) and the theoretical framework of theatre genetics (i.e. the study of the creative process-) the project investigated participatory performing arts, including the work of Katrien Oosterlinck (BE) (www.spatie.info), Seppe Baeyens (BE) (leon.dance) and Sarah John (AU/DK) (art-of-listening.org).
In 2022-2023, Elvira coordinated together with Marieke Breyne the community of practice 'Worldmaking: Crafting Cultures With and For Young People', funded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action (JINT vzw). This interdisciplinary project gathers practitioners from participatory arts, arts educators, and social justice to explore the interplay between rules and values in the process of worldmaking. Project partners: Destelheide (BE), De Veerman (BE), spatie/Katrien Oosterlinck (BE), Coney/The Young Coneys (UK), Art of Listening (DK), Keur Eskemm (FR).
From 2015-2017 they worked as a socio-cultural worker at Gemeenschapscentrum De Kriekelaar in Schaarbeek, Brussels. Since 2017 Elvira has taken up the role as assessor of Erasmus+ youth projects for the national agency JINT. Elvira is part of Apaya Network, a European network of young researchers who explore the poetics of sensorial theatre. Furthermore they are an organising member of the interuniversity doctoral course “What does it mean to be a researcher in 21st century Academia?” and from 2018-2020 co-president of the informal body of doctoral students of the department of literature.
External positions
PhD Candidate, University of Antwerp
Oct 2017 → Sep 2022
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 2 Active
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EUPOM159: Erasmus+ KeyAction1: Wave Makers: Supporting Youth and Ocean Health through Arts and Activism
1/06/24 → 31/08/25
Project: Applied
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EUPOM153: Erasmus+ Key Action2: A Climate Justice & Arts Educational Approach to Youth Work (SEEDLING)
Crois, E., De Backer, F. & Vandermeersche, G.
1/03/24 → 28/02/26
Project: Applied
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Activism requires Ecosystems (and how to regenerate our ecologies of change?): What can arts do?
Crois, E., 2025, Thought Provokers on Ecosystems. Brussel: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, p. 71-73 3 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Cave Comic: a scientific comic on the archaeological and geological research at the Han Caves
Lundgreen, B., Crois, E. (Translator), Verheyden, S., Delaby, S., Delaere, C. & Quinif, Y., 2025Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
Open AccessFile9 Downloads (Pure) -
Does your activism really make a difference? What's the best way to start? Climate Activism Comic
H. Svennevig, P. & Crois, E., 2025Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Find the people that care about the same things as you which could be people you wouldn't normally choose to hang out with, you know. Climate Activism Comic
Lundgreen, B. & Crois, E., 2025Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
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The only thing I know is that I can't just stay still and not do anything. Climate Activism Comic
Silva, L. & Crois, E., 2025Research output: Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products
Open AccessFile
Activities
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Codename Seedling: Hive Symposium
Elvira Crois (Organiser), Free De Backer (Host) & Geert Vandermeersche (Member)
21 Jan 2025 → 23 Jan 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Wave Makers: Supporting Youth and Ocean Health through Arts and Activism
Elvira Crois (Host) & Free De Backer (Contributor)
2024 → 2025Activity: Other › Written proposal
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Poetic Roles in an Ecosystem for Change
Elvira Crois (Presenter)
10 Dec 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Slow Science - A way out of the academic hamster wheel?
Elvira Crois (Invited speaker)
17 Sep 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk at an external academic organisation
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A systematic literature review of the role of schools in promoting equality in students’ citizenship education
Margaux Pyls (Speaker), Elvira Crois (Contributor), Free De Backer (Contributor), Jerich Faddar (Contributor) & Koen Lombaerts (Contributor)
27 Aug 2024 → 30 Aug 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
Press/Media
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Open brief aan Hilde Crevits en Frank Vandenbroucke: We sterven maar één keer, laten we dat dus goed voorbereiden
Luc Deliens, Joachim Cohen, Liesbeth De Donder, Sarah Dury, Kenneth Chambaere, Bert Quintiens, Marijke Dheedene, Bram Spruyt, An Hooghe, Free De Backer, Koen Lombaerts, Christophe Vanroelen, Hanne Bakelants, Louise D'Eer, Steven Vanderstichelen, Lisa Van Hove, Sara De Gieter, Deborah De Moortel, Elvira Crois, An-Sofie Smetcoren, Peter Theuns, Eva Dierckx & Veerle Soyez
13/07/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Enacting Transformative Change to Academic Careers? Ask an Early Career Researcher
Van de Ven Annelies, Anne Hoffmann, Marte Beldé, Elvira Crois, Verhoeven Emma, Mariam Amadou Diallo, Pieter Beck & Pieter Maeseele
28/06/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
Thesis
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Sensitief theater als 'presence' effect in een postemotionele samenleving: zintuiglijke ervaring als bron van kennis
Author: Crois, E., 2014Supervisor: Van den Dries, L. (External person) (Promotor)
Student thesis: Master's Thesis
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