ARTS OF CONSCIENCE

June 11-16, 2012

A Symposium for Artists interested in Social Change Activism
Laura Barron & Garrett Rubin, Program Organizers
Susan O’Neill & Rena Sharon, Program Advisors

In partnership with the Vancouver-based non-profit Instruments of Change and VanCity Theatre, we invite participants to an intensive 6-day workshop designed for  artists from all disciplines and for community members interested in the burgeoning field of Art for Social Change.  The course comprises lectures, workshops, forum films, discussions, and group projects. Some events are open to the public, while a central portion of each day is designed for registered participants only.

Each morning features a presentation by a leading arts activist from a different artistic medium. The sessions are open to the public. 

Speakers include:

• Judith Marcuse, internationally renowned dancer/choreographer and Director of the International Centre of Art for Social Change at SFU
• Reena Lazar, Executive Director of Peace it Together, a filmmaking program for youth
• Susan Summers, President of the Music Therapy Association of British Columbia (Participation TBD)
• Cyndy Chwelos, Program Director at Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre
• David Diamond, Artistic Director of Headlines Theatre
• Dr. Susan O'Neill, Professor of Music Psychology at SFU and Director of the Research in Youth, Music, and Education Project (RYME)

• Other distinguished speakers and facilitators will be confirmed and posted in the coming weeks.

Throughout each day, registered participants have access to diverse classes and experiential activities, working directly with a variety of community organizations to explore the possibilities for their art practice in the service of social transformation.  

Topics include Cultural Diplomacy, Arts in Conflict Prevention, and Arts Therapy.  Additional training includes workshops in facilitation skills, incorporating arts for social change curriculi into university settings, and working with trauma populations.

Each evening concludes with a film screening that powerfully illustrates the socially transformative impact of the arts in action.  These films are open to the public and include:

• Wasteland, a documentary the three year art project of Vik Muniz with the garbage workers of Brazil. 
• Twelve Angry Lebanese, a film about the radical work of Zeina Daccache as she directs a theatre piece with inmates from a high security male prison in Lebanon.
• Favela Rising, following Anderson Sá, a former drug trafficker who establishes the grassroots Afro Reggae movement amongst the youth of the Rio slums.
• Rhythm Is It!!, a movie documenting the empowering work of Berlin Philharmonic in their outreach program which enlisted 250 inner-city German school children to dance with their performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
• A selection of student short films from Peace It Together. 

The entire week of activities is available to registered participants for $300.  Participants will be responsible for their own Meals, Accommodations and Travel.  Please see http://www.songinstitute.ca/accomodations.html for housing options.

General Admission Tickets to attend morning and evening events will be posted online by March. Prices will be minimal.

Interested participants can contact laura@laurabarron.net with questions.

The registration deadline is April 1, 2012.
Please click here for forms.
A $150 deposit is required with registration.

 

Below is a tentative sample schedule of our activities:

Monday
10-11:30 am Judith Marcuse’s public talk
11:30 - noon BREAK
12 - 1 pm Discourse with Judith and participants (with prepared questions and knowledge of guests bio)
1-2 pm LUNCH
2-3 pm Facilitation Skills workshop by Sarena Talbot
3-5 pm Group Work (4 groups of 3-4 participants led by facilitators and a representative from a chosen community group)
5-7 pm DINNER
7-9 pm Film Series: Rhythm Is It!

Tuesday
10-11:30 am Cyndy Chwelos public talk
11:30 - noon BREAK
12 - 1 pm Discourse with Susan and participants 
1-2 pm LUNCH
2-3 pm Trauma Sensitivity Skills workshop by Sarah Holmes de Castro
3-5 pm Group Work
5-7 pm DINNER
7-9 pm Film Series: Favela Rising

Wednesday
10-11:30 am Reena Lazar’s public talk
11:30 - noon BREAK
12 - 1 pm Discourse with Rena and participants 
1-2 pm LUNCH
2-3 pm Workshop on Integrating Arts for Social Change Curriculum into University Settings by Garrett Rubin
3-5 pm Group Field Trip with Susan Summers
5-7 pm DINNER
7-9 pm Film Series: Peace It Together short films

Thursday
10-11:30 am David Diamond public talk
11:30 - noon BREAK
12 - 1 pm Discourse with David and participants 
1-2 pm LUNCH
2-3 pm Workshop on Arts Matters project by Susan O’Niell
3-5 pm Group Work
5-7 pm DINNER
7-9 pm Film Series: Twelve Angry Lebanese

Friday
Friday 
10- 12 am Dr. Susan O'Neill public lecture
12 - 12:30 pm BREAK
12:30 - 2 pm Lunch with panelists and workshop participants
1-2 pm LUNCH
2-5 pm Group Work
5-7 pm DINNER
7-9 pm Film Series: Wasteland

Saturday
10 am-1 pm Final group presentations & Debrief

Workshops and films will be presented
at a variety of centrally-located Vancouver venues.