Initiating Change in Community Consciousness through Engaged Arts Janet Pillai USM, Penang, Malaysia

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Initiating Change in Community Consciousness
through Engaged ArtsJanet PillaiUSM, Penang,
Malaysia

• University Community Engagement Conference
  Penang 23-26 Nov 2009

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Cultural collectives

• Small non-profit groups operating at grassroots
  level, which use popular arts to promote
  cultural, ideological and civil development
• Since culture is one of the strongest
  transmission tools at grassroots level, cultural
  collectives often team up with local artists to
  devise critical alternative development programs
  using popular culture/arts as a medium.

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Beginnings of Cultural Collectives

• Set up by students who came out of 70s
  student movement in Asia, and who carried their
  commitment into community work, after graduation.
  
• Orientation of Action
• - value orientation (focus on
  ideological issues)
• - etudial orientation (focus on issues
  limited to
  students/campus)
• - societal orientation (focus on
  political,economic or
  cultural issues of national concern)
• Today, cultural collectives remain a part of
  civil society and continue to engage young
  university graduates as volunteers

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Cultural Workers

• Activists and artists who work in collectives
  often position themselves within local
  communities as - development workers - change
  agents or - non-formal educators
• Despite being counter culture movements they
  work within the framework of indigenous culture,
  which they believe holds the key to alternative
  development.

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Outstanding Cultural Collectives in Asia

• Social Development MovementsPETA -
  PhilippinesMAYA MAKHAMPOM -
  ThailandAlternative Living Theatre - West
  Bengal
• Cultural Studies MovementsAnak-Anak Kota -
  Malaysia Nara Machizukuri - JapanKunci -
  IndonesiaPunjab Lok Rahs - Pakistan

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Generating cultural energy through cultural
Initiatives
MakhampomThailand
Aarohan
Anak Anak Kota Penang
Punjab Lok Rahs
MAYA Thailand
Nara Machi Japan
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Cultural Collectives..crossing
disciplines
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Extending policy
networks
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Cultural Collectives..embracing cultures
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New Role of Cultural Collectives

• To Reinforce and Strengthen Local Capital
• Local natural resources
• Local livelihood and enterprise
• Vernacular knowledge skills
• Cultural and social capital
• Micro structures

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Methodology

• Cultural Collectives use engaged arts as a
  participatory, exploratory or communication tool
  to deliver information and to ignite
  social/cultural transformation.

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Why is the arts/culture used in engaging
community?_______________________________________

• Safe Vehicle/Platform culturally appropriate,
  non-intrusive, metaphorical
• Holistic/Transdisciplinary Approach combines
  socialization, ideology,
• 
  communication, entertainment
• Encourages Ensemble Work creative process
  requires sharing,
• 
  smart partnerships and consenses
• Gives Voice/Ownership - allows diverse
  expressive form and content
• Communicates Cognitively Affectively
  participants and audiences
• 
  
• Generates Creative / Cultural Energy able to
  mobilize people or initiate
• 
  attitudinal / behavioral
  change

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Integrating and strengthening Capital at Local
Level
UniversityCommunity
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From Privileging to Integrating Disciplines
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place-based Heritage Education

• A non-profit organisation of volunteers
  consisting of
• educators
• artists and craftspeople
• cultural activists

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Children Youth from the community and
schools in the area
Engaging with Community Capital

• Young people 10-18 explore their cultural and
  historical identities through creative arts
  initiatives conducted in their community

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ON-SITE LABORATORY
Artists, Arts Educators Researchers Designers
Architects Conservationists Historians Heritage
Guides
Heritage Organizations
Arts Institutions
On-site Cultural Heritage Education
State Education Department
Inner city Community
Craftsmen Residents Local Associations
State Corporate
Teachers Students
Funding
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To facilitate young people to map and document
cultural assets in their environment
GOALS
To facilitate young people to creatively
interpret and communicate their communitys
heritage assets

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• 
  Types of Programs
• Walkabouts Arts
  Workshops Research Workshops
• Half-day Programs
  One-Week Programs
  1-4 Month Programs
• Awareness raising
  Knowledge Skills
  Documentation Interpretation
• 
  
• 
  
• Outcome
• 
  Exhibitions/Demonstrations/Performance/Festival
  
• 
  
  Advocacy
• 
  Products/publications

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Training Trainers


To develop a pool of facilitators, trainers,
curriculum programmers for creative programs
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Walkabouts
Children of the City
Heritage Programs

• Discovery Walkabout
• Art
• History
• Language
• Tourism
• Geography

• Creative Arts Workshops
• Signage Design
• Videography
• Photography
• Illustration
• Music of Sounds
• Dance Movement

• Training
• Facilitator
• Trainer

Heritage Research Projects
Publication

• Living Heritage
• Endangered Trades
• Traditional Foods
• Living Treasures

• Built Heritage
• Building Conservation
• Kota Kita Newspaper

Migration History Architecture
Heritage Arts Multiculturalism Trades
Crafts
Website www.arts-ed-penang.org
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Training in Research Techniques Tools
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.
Hands-on Experience
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Data Collection On-site
Traditional Trades Foods
Building Conservation Living Heritage
Treasures Oral History
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Students browsing the web
Creative Documentation

Penang Heritage Idols Exhibition
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Creative Arts - Skill Building
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Graphic Design Wood/Stone Carving
Restoration Videography Photography
Dance/ Movement Illustration
Music of Sound Trad.Toys Games
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Creative interpretations of Research Data

Publications
Exhibitions
Web
Performance
Community Service
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.
Performances Drama, Dance, Music, Puppetry
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Exhibitions
Street
Gallery
School
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Publications Newspaper, Brochures, Map, Web
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Community Service
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Festivals Traditional Trades, Foods, Games
Toys
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Products - Calendar, Postcards, T-shirts, Web
Videos
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Impact for CULTURAL REVITALISATIONthrough
initiatives with young people
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Engaged Arts ModelProcess of Engaged Art

Engaging
with community
environment
OBJECTIVE
SUBJECTIVE KOWLEDGE
EXPERIENCE

Reflection on knowledge
through artistic selection
and expression
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The Engaged Arts Model
3 contexts 3 roles

• 1st Real-Life Context Interaction/participati
  on in real life
• 2nd Creative Context Selection and
  composition as
• artist
• 3rd Reflective Context Interpretation which
  allows
• 
  reading/reflection

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VISIT US 19, Cannon St. George Town, Penang
Community Based Heritage Education Programs
CONTACT US Website www.arts-ed-penang.org
E-mail arts_ed_penang_at_yahoo.com