...An ArtWeek event presented by Eggtooth Productions with support from RiverCulture.
SUNDAY, April 29 from 10am-5pm.
The Shea Theater Arts Center, 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls
CONCEPT: To bring Artists/Makers together from all different genres (theater, dance, music, fine art, photography, writing, poetry, film, etc.) to share ideas, knowledge and make connections and relationships to create an action plan for activist art in Franklin County. The plan is to generate the impetus for work that makes change.
RSVP by Monday, April 23
This is NOT another conference where we talk about ideas and then leave them hanging. The idea is to Identify and reveal our collective creativity, to find our collaborators and focus DURING the event, and form the beginning of plans right there. Eggtooth will offer an RFP to attendees in June to determine projects to continue with. Lead applicants must have attended the Generator to apply.
SCHEDULE:
10-11am
Introductions.
Each panelist offers their ways to initiate an idea and give a little background about making art. We look at different perspectives from people who have experience in combining activism and art. Each panelist is charged with presenting some very specific ideas in their 5-7 minutes by answering these questions:
1. What is your definition of activist art?
2. What is your experience with it?
3. What have you learned that you can share?
We offer the curated “list” of ideas/issue that we have received from Artists/Makers beforehand and lay them all out on a whiteboard for all of them to see. Panelists will be people who are already engaged in art as a vehicle to address social justice, the environment, access to food, access to technology, etc...
11am-1pm
Panel seeks input from Artists/Makers pulling out a wider list and expanding/consolidating ideas. The panelists suggest ways of carrying the ideas out. How could each happen? What art forms might connect to do so? At Eggtooth we have a tangible toolbox that we have used to bring our dreams to fruition and we offer people a multitude of resources to carry out the work. Firming up of ideas into 5 or 6 (?) into what we agree are the most important projects and then we assign self-selected groups. By a raising of hands, participants will choose which group (or solo work) they want to be a part of. Each group will have one of the panelists as a companion.
1-2pm
Lunch and open conversation with your group and your panelist.
2-4pm
We offer pre-determined areas for meeting throughout the Shea building. Groups that have self-selected around a topic meet to create dig into their ideas and begin plans to carry out their project in their assigned locations with their panelist.
We will leave it up to each group to explore if they want to be focused on a single or on diverse art forms/genres. They may decide to produce something as a team, or individual projects. If one artist’s work becomes the focus, then the team may examine the ways they might support that individual in her own project. Panelists will rove through the building to help coach the teams with ideas and feedback throughout the afternoon, so that groups may hone their ideas down to producible projects.
4-5pm
On stage presentations of specific works/ideas/plans by groups and expression of commitments.
FOLLOW UP: Eggtooth Productions will follow up with a Request For Proposals in late June. They will offer retreats for projects they choose to put forward. They will work closely with the teams to help insure that those projects come to life in whatever way they need to. For more information contact Linda McInerney at lmciner@gmail.com