Submitted by Steve Dahlberg (not verified) on October 24, 2007 - 14:31.
Those interested in transforming trash into art might also be interested in the type of projects on which I have collaborated. Along with artist JoAnn Moran of rePublicArt (New Haven, Connecticut), we work with schools, communities, conferences and other adult groups to involve the public in creating public art -- art BY the people, FOR the people. These projects typically transform recycled vinyl billboards -- which are using tossed out -- into lamppost banners, murals and large cube installations. The participants, who are often students, generally create the designs and paint the final product, which is then displayed in public, such as hanging banners on Main Street in one's town. These projects are great, because they link what is happening in the school to the broader community, and contribute something to the creative development of that community.
Here's some additional information from my town in Windham, Connecticut, and the "Creativity: The Heart of Community" Windham Banner Project, in which JoAnn and I collaborated:
The Windham community celebrated public art designed and created by 1300 students from Windham’s four elementary schools, including Natchaug, North Windham, Sweeney, and Windham Center. Sixty-four unique banner designs were hung on Main Street lampposts in Willimantic as public art – created BY the community FOR the community. Artist JoAnn Moran, of rePublicArt, and Steven Dahlberg, of the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, worked with students and teachers for three weeks as part of the Windham Schools Artist-in-Residence Program. Through the use of recycled vinyl billboards as the banner material, they helped students learn about the importance of sustainability, public art and creative communities. The Windham Banner Project is part of an ongoing creative community project, working to promote the value of creativity, arts and culture in community and economic development. The City of Toronto Poet Laureate Pier Giorgio Di Cicco says of community creativity: "It is that celebration where people re-invent the world ... where they can be themselves and think imaginatively. ... People want to be accepted and acknowledged in their creative skills as citizens. What they are is already creative. The project is to have them recognize it." In this spirit, the Willimantic creative community projects include several goals and benefits:
• Using creativity and arts to engage the public in their community.
• Providing visual beautification elements through public art to the downtown district.
• Showcasing the creation of sustainable art and green communities.
• Celebrating the diversity of the community – including male and female, multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-organizational.
• Building on and complementing current arts and cultural initiatives, such as Third Thursday Willimantic Street Fest, the Cinema Project, the Willimantic Victorian Home Tour, and the Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival, among many others.
• Offering educational programs that help Windham students and others develop and apply their creative thinking skills.
Two of the young banner artists expressed some benefits of creativity and public art: "Public art will help everyone in town imagine wonderful things," and "Our lamppost banners will make our city feel creative. Our public art will also make our creativity shine to our town."
You can find more information about this project and our overall work at:
www.windhambanners.org
www.appliedimagination.org
www.republicart.org
Steve Dahlberg
International Centre for Creativity and Imagination
Not just trash art; but recycled art, too
Submitted by Steve Dahlberg (not verified) on October 24, 2007 - 14:31.
Those interested in transforming trash into art might also be interested in the type of projects on which I have collaborated. Along with artist JoAnn Moran of rePublicArt (New Haven, Connecticut), we work with schools, communities, conferences and other adult groups to involve the public in creating public art -- art BY the people, FOR the people. These projects typically transform recycled vinyl billboards -- which are using tossed out -- into lamppost banners, murals and large cube installations. The participants, who are often students, generally create the designs and paint the final product, which is then displayed in public, such as hanging banners on Main Street in one's town. These projects are great, because they link what is happening in the school to the broader community, and contribute something to the creative development of that community.
Here's some additional information from my town in Windham, Connecticut, and the "Creativity: The Heart of Community" Windham Banner Project, in which JoAnn and I collaborated:
The Windham community celebrated public art designed and created by 1300 students from Windham’s four elementary schools, including Natchaug, North Windham, Sweeney, and Windham Center. Sixty-four unique banner designs were hung on Main Street lampposts in Willimantic as public art – created BY the community FOR the community. Artist JoAnn Moran, of rePublicArt, and Steven Dahlberg, of the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, worked with students and teachers for three weeks as part of the Windham Schools Artist-in-Residence Program. Through the use of recycled vinyl billboards as the banner material, they helped students learn about the importance of sustainability, public art and creative communities. The Windham Banner Project is part of an ongoing creative community project, working to promote the value of creativity, arts and culture in community and economic development. The City of Toronto Poet Laureate Pier Giorgio Di Cicco says of community creativity: "It is that celebration where people re-invent the world ... where they can be themselves and think imaginatively. ... People want to be accepted and acknowledged in their creative skills as citizens. What they are is already creative. The project is to have them recognize it." In this spirit, the Willimantic creative community projects include several goals and benefits:
• Using creativity and arts to engage the public in their community.
• Providing visual beautification elements through public art to the downtown district.
• Showcasing the creation of sustainable art and green communities.
• Celebrating the diversity of the community – including male and female, multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-organizational.
• Building on and complementing current arts and cultural initiatives, such as Third Thursday Willimantic Street Fest, the Cinema Project, the Willimantic Victorian Home Tour, and the Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival, among many others.
• Offering educational programs that help Windham students and others develop and apply their creative thinking skills.
Two of the young banner artists expressed some benefits of creativity and public art: "Public art will help everyone in town imagine wonderful things," and "Our lamppost banners will make our city feel creative. Our public art will also make our creativity shine to our town."
You can find more information about this project and our overall work at:
www.windhambanners.org
www.appliedimagination.org
www.republicart.org
Steve Dahlberg
International Centre for Creativity and Imagination