. Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, Romania, has a historically multiethnic population who maintain their language-based cultural identities. In order to harmonize interethnic relations in our multicultural society, art-therapeutical methods depend on the need to establish a sensitive relationship between the cultural horizon of individuals, thus increasing self-confidence, tolerance, resilience.

The objectives are : to develop social skills, which facilitate the social and professional integration of children and adolescents belonging to ethnic groups living together, including those with disabilities.

Clinical art therapy have unfolded within interdisciplinary teams: a neuropsychiatry doctor, a psychologist, a pedagogue, a social worker, an art therapist– each one having a specialized role. A medical project was transformed into an artistic project: E xperimenting with complex relationships: shape of the human body – shape of man-made objects and the creation of personal shapes conduct to harmonize interethnic relations in a multicultural place.

Focus on several objectives: - practicing the abilities to express one’s feelings - the consolidation of self-respect and of confidence - the training of empathy - the development of personal problem and conflict solving strategies -the breaking through the emotional blockages - the improvement of cognitive abilities -the release of tension, frustrations, anxieties, stress -the development of social skills

Benefits arise from experiences based in artistic creativity: materializing ideas and coping with unexpected outcomes.

No significant relationships.

The purpose of art in art-therapy, in this context, is not an exercise of the already acquired knowledge upon the artistic material, but a discovery of the yet unknown. “Multimedia technology, which has evolved into meaningful visual representations, incorporates the science behind human perception and knowledge…Contemporary visual arts bring together, in different degrees of relationship and fusion, fields of art that until now were understood and practiced more individually. The most suitable territory for this partnership is that of the physical and metaphysical environment, provided by the installationist and shareholder arts.” [1].

Art-based therapies, as nondirective methods, attempt to visualize past traumatic experiences and harmonize the individual with himself and with others.

In the preventive activities we include all activities involving nonverbal communication and holistic engagement. ”Beneficiaries can create their own images with which they want to interact, to arrange their environment…We experiment with art-specific ways to make interdisciplinary exchanges and cultural interferences using the universal language of visual arts along with intercultural elements and religious ecumenism … Sometimes, common themes with schools and higher education are addressed as an extra-curricular complement. Benefits are multiple, diverse and complex, appear on the paths that offer inter/pluri/transcultural learning opportunities and exchange of knowledge, making space and time connections between different cultures. [2]

The creative process and the interaction increases self esteem, courage, taking of risks, the learning of new skills.

New ideas, conceptions and ways of expression emerge, enriching the patient’s life according with the therapeutic purposes. [3].

REFERENCES [1] Chirila, Emilia (2011), PhD Thesis, Educaţie artistică şi art-terapie cu mijloace specifice ceramicii [Artistic Education and Art-therapy within the Specific Means of Ceramics], University of Art and Design, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, p. 390