My time at the conference spent with teaching artists and facilitators from around the world was incredible, the conversations and workshops that I took part in helped me delve into the question: What is the best way to describe my own practice? Below are some of my main thoughts, takeaways and quotes from the conference that have since helped me think about my own work and how to embed good practice into all that I do;
‘Art is a machine for social change’- Marc Bamuthi Joseph
‘It is our responsibility to shift the culture of the places we work’ David King
‘The world needs artists now more than ever in the age of rage’- Eric Booth
‘Imagine a world where every country has artists working in the heart of communities, for you and with you’ Eric Booth
‘Radical curiosity and radical creation’ Doug Paulson
‘Try and listen with your full artist self’ Liz Lerman
‘To get peoples trust you have to be able to articulate your values’ Sarah Bennett
‘Instigating creative experience to help people deal with difficult situations’ Lemon Anderson
‘Let communities take the narrative back’ Aaaron Huey
‘Meaningful and sustainable change’ Aaaron Huey
‘Listening as radical curiosity’ Jeannette Rodríguez-Píneda
‘Art is not a safe space but a space for revelation!’ Unknown
‘Not about sympathy driven work but work driven by empathy and change’ Unknown
‘Artists have an ability to imagine things as if they could be otherwise’ Unknown
So, here is how I now choose to describe my own practice: I am an inclusive artist* and an arts venue manager, I facilitate art workshops with a variety of community groups who are in some way marginalised, from adults affected by cancer to teenagers who are homeless .
My own practice focuses on art and health, blurring boundaries between performance and visual arts. I am interested in the intersectionality of all art forms and believe the arts can be used as tools for positive, social change.
*an inclusive artist is defined by art access as; ‘a flexible, creative process that ensures equal access to the arts for all marginalised groups’ (definition taken from www.artsaccess.com.au)
