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International Community News

International Community News

In Community News we share updates from community arts organizations from around the world.  This month we share the seventh world summit on Arts & Culture, a reflection on the social impact of arts-based programs, a call-invitation from the Brazilian Amazon and some inspiring material on the theme of our next festival: movement!

Event: The seventh world summit on Arts & Culture
From 18 to 21 October 2016 the seventh world summit on Arts & Culture takes place in Malta. The focus of this year’s summit will be on Cultural Leadership in the 21st Century. The arts and culture can be considered to be at a crossroads – faced with many challenges and opportunities at the global, national and local level. Issues are: the impact of new technologies on the production and distribution of cultural goods and services; new patterns of migration; aspirations from artists and culture operators to extend their impact and outreach to other sectors, while also struggling to guarantee freedom of expression and ensure cultural diversity. 

Reflection: the social impact of arts-based programs
A new study shows that although it is difficult to measure social impact, it is not impossible to measure the power of the arts to effect social change. The research looked at 12 diverse projects under the NSW Government funding program Stronger Together, which aims to reduce barriers to participation for people with disability across all social and economic life. While the report is currently in the academic review stage, this sneak peek revealed that welcoming is a key factor to social impact – it starts with the people in that organisation and the sense of belonging that is developed – and “the ripple” of social impact begins within the organisation and flows out to the greater community. For more information, read Catching the Wave of Social Impact.

Funding opportunity: Micro-grants for Southern African artists and arts practitioners
Pro Helvetia Johannesburg has for some time been investing in transnational collaborations, exchanges and joint projects among organisations and creative practitioners operating across the SADC region. Their investments are focused on projects, networks and platforms that have a shared interest in building a stronger regional creative fabric. The primary focus of this funding is to assist in the distribution of new and existing works to a broader Southern African audience and to enable transnational collaboration and sharing of knowledge and expertise. Submit applications by November 07 2016 for projects that will be completed between January 2017 and end November 2017.

Invitation: A call-invitation from the Brazilian Amazon
The Brazilian Network of Art Educators is organizing Rivers of Creativity: cultural action for life, from 29 November-04 December 2016. They invite you to collaborate, at home and even here in the Amazon! They aim to generate a worldwide wave of solidarity with the Amazon to prevent the destruction of this area by popularizing mature, creative projects for a sustainable world. For more information on their invitation to link your river of creativity to all others in the world, read their call-invitation.

ICAF 2017: Movement
On our journey towards the festival in March 2017, we are sharing inspiring material on our theme ‘Movement’ on our social media. Successful risk-taking in participatory art beautifully describes that what happens when you put together very different performers, in this case professional dancers and girls, is “very real, very human and ultimately very moving, and anybody can connect to that.”

Last weekend, over 200 Fun Palaces were set up all across the United Kingdom and globally, and we were there! Fun Palaces is an ongoing campaign supporting local culture at the heart of every community, with an annual weekend of arts and science events created by, for and with local people. Next dates are 7 & 8 October 2017.