Some definitions of arts for social change

Hello Everyone,

Here is the document I read from at our last class. I hope it is helpful!

Judith

1. Art for social change has two major forms:Art that is made by professional artists in which social commentary lies in the content of the art « product » itself.

2. Art that is made by "non-professionals" and facilitated by specialized artist/facilitators working with community members. A form of cultural democracy that operates by:

• Working toward equity and justice
• Raising consciousness and awareness
• Fostering individual empowerment and participation
• Bringing people together and building relationships among individuals and groups
• Giving voice and telling stories
• Creating new visions and opening new imaginations for what the world could be
• Creating imaginative empath
• Creating dialogue
• Creating engagement, democratic inclusion, building community capacity

These activities can

• Create new forums for expression, discussion and for collaborative inquiry

• Provide space for alternative visions

• Provide tools and settings for both personal and public expression, and participation

• Assert the value of diversity and promote dialogue

• Unearth, preserve and extend cultural heritage

• Build understanding and imaginative empathy to resolve conflict

• Build community solidarity and engagement

• Create enlightened public policy (e.g. in community development, health promotion, sustainability agendas)

• Create networks (e.g. enable cross-sectoral social innovation)

• Build social capital

In many of these forms, the process of art creation is often more important than the product.