Cajuca Mas Arts Producers' stilt walkers dazzle in Littles Roads Park, by Sean Howard (2016)
You might have in mind arts events that feature the work of professional artists, whether that be performances, film showings or visual arts exhibitions. But if part of your vision is to engage community members, consider community-engaged arts projects that invite the community to participate in the creative process in the days and weeks leading up to the event, often followed by being part of the presentation alongside professional artists. Community-engaged arts practice is defined by the Ontario Arts Council as “collaborative creative processes that involve professional artists and social institutions, grassroots groups or individuals.”1 Such projects have been very popular in Arts in the Parks locations.
Community-engaged arts practices and approaches include:
- Understanding that community members have important skills and lived experience to bring to the collaboration.
- An environment of reciprocity and exchange from which the artists and community participants mutually benefit.
- Recognition of the contribution of community participants to the artistic creation process.
- Adequate time to attend to relationships, flexibility, and adequate staffing/labour (all of which are crucial to success).
“Seeing the kids running free. There’s something for the whole neighbourhood and anyone else who wants to partake. Not a kids only, nor a teen only, nor an adult only event.”
– Volunteer, 2018
1 Ontario Arts Councils definition of community arts: http://www.arts.on.ca/oac/media/oac/Publications/Framing-Community-A-Community-Engaged-Art-Workbook.pdf p.5
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Celebrating Local Culture
City of Toronto’s Cultural Hot Spots program highlights arts, culture and community by celebrating, connecting and investing in Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods. Each year the focus is on different regions of the city. The program is designed to: a) Celebrate local culture, heritage, creativity, business and community with special events, festivals and art happenings, all of which build on community pride, b) connect the Hotspot community, develop new partnerships and promote the area to all of Toronto through gatherings, events, outreach and media campaigns, and c) grow creative capacity in the area with workshops, courses, youth employment and mentorship, and legacy projects like the Cultural Loops Guide.