2025 Global Social Work Midterm
Question 2
Consider how the Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa project, and Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination” all can be examples of advancing peace and social justice using the arts and transforming social narratives. Recall also the Malence Ted Talk about teaching persons who experience poverty to be clothing designers so they can become entrepreneurs without reinforcing negative stereotypes and exploitation of Africa’s bountiful resources (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYVqpylLhs).
a. a) Describe the principles for building justice-focused arts interventions that you see as key, based on those examples.
b. b) Briefly describe an arts-based, justice-focused project you could implement or have seen implemented in your country.
• Community Engagement & Cultural Relevance – Projects should be rooted in the experiences, traditions, and narratives of the communities they serve. For example, Dancing in Jaffa leveraged the shared love of dance to bridge cultural divides between Israeli and Palestinian children.
ReplyDelete• Empowerment Through Skill-Building – Justice-focused arts interventions should provide participants with tools for self-sufficiency and agency. Malence’s TED Talk highlights how teaching fashion design to those in poverty creates sustainable opportunities without reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
• Challenging Dominant Narratives – Projects should reshape oppressive or marginalizing narratives. The Vieques Project used the arts to protest military occupation, transforming storytelling into a tool for activism and community healing.
A project I could implement would be a Storytelling Through Theater initiative for at-risk youth in Chicago. It would provide a space for young people to write, direct, and perform plays about their experiences with systemic injustice—such as gun violence, racial profiling, or economic inequality—while also teaching them theatrical skills and public speaking. This project could serve as both a therapeutic outlet and a platform for advocacy.
When discussing implementations on justice-focused projects, there are multiple principles that international social workers should consider when doing so. Firstly, considering the efforts in which international social work can be conducted is an important foundation to identify before building peacebuilding between groups. As Nader Ahmandi illustrates in his article “Globalisation of Consciousness and New Challenges for International Social Work” specific types of international social work may include “bi-lateral cooperative projects encompassing social services, social-worker exchange programmes, consulting missions, joint ventures in education and development assistance projects” (Ahmandi, pg. 15). Based on these examples, the principles that I see as key for peace-building efforts are:
ReplyDelete- Combining positive community relations and recognizing cultural backgrounds & historical tensions. In order to create peace between communities, it’s important to put an emphasis on future goals and creative practices in conjunction with the historical context of these groups. For instance, during the Dancing in Jaffa project, they made sure to recognize potential points of tension between Israeli and Palestinian communities while also implementing interactive practices such as ballroom dancing in order to create new, positive interactions between these groups.
- Utilizing the arts to promote justice and service amongst communities. By Puerto Rican artists creating compositions to spread awareness of the discrimination Vieques was facing from military occupation, activists and other humanitarian efforts were better able to collaborate with these artists in order to create change and restore justice for members of the Vieques community. Efforts similar to the Vieques project can provide a safe, peaceful space for vulnerable individuals to speak on current issues facing their community, which can allow for other individuals to do the same.
- Learning new skills in order to increase sustainability and teamwork. Mentioned in Malence’s TED talk, educating impoverished individuals how to make clothing/other wearable items is an example of how justice-based programs can provide folks a sense of agency and purpose for their lives. This effort—and efforts like these—can also creating new practices that can be shared within different members of a community, bridging the gap that cultural tensions and historical trauma can create between groups.
A justice-focused project that I’ve heard about in Chicago is Uniting Voices, which is an after-school children’s choir that teaches musical pieces from different cultures, languages, and genres. While allowing children to develop new friendships with those outside of their immediate community, the 12 communities that encompass Uniting Voices give children the opportunity to meet people from different cultures. In addition, the culturally responsive practices at Uniting Voices allow children to learn more about their role as both creative spirits and cultural ambassadors. That way, more people will be able to feel the healing nature of music and share it with others in their communities.
February 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM comment form Elvialuz
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletea) Art interventions should empower marginalized communities, giving them a voice in shaping their narrative. This principle is clearly seen in the Vieques project, where the arts helped the community reclaim their identity after decades of military occupation. The arts should challanger the dominant narratives that perpetuate stereotypes and injustices. This is seen in the Dancing in Jaffa project, where Palestinian and Israeli children same together through dance to break down cultural barriers and reshape the story of conflict. Art helps in transforming social consciouness and allows individuals to see the possibility of change.
ReplyDeleteAs well art should celebrate cultural identitites and preserve the stories of communities especially those whos histories have been suppressed. This connects to Muhammad Yunus precept of using imagination which encoourages people to envision and create a better future in their own cultural values. Art should incorporate local traditions, symbols and storytelling methods that are deeply meaningful to the participants. Also art has the ability to foster healing particularly in post conflict settings. The Vieques project and Dancing in Jaffa are great examples of how the arts can bring together communities divided by historycal trauma and conflict.
b) https://www.kaunorspc.lt/2024/06/25/fotokonskursas-mano-pasaulio-spalvu-mozaika/
The project focused on vulnerable groups, especially children who face social exclusion. The project encouraged these children to take part in a photography competition to express their identity and worldview, using art-making as a way to overcome social barriers and reduce stereotypes. Photography promotes creativity and emotional self-expression, allowing children to show how they see the world and themselves in it. It gives children the opportunity to participate in creative activities and thus contribute to social justice, reducing social exclusion, strengthening community ties and giving them the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. The arts can be seen as an opportunity to be heard and seen, to express an understanding of life, to build confidence, to engage in community life, and to strengthen social and emotional skills.
When I think of advancing peace and social justice using the arts and transforming social narratives, certain principles that I see as key come to mind.
ReplyDeleteCommunity-Led Empowerment: Those who are most affected by a form of social injustice must be at the forefront of the artistic intervention. This will ensure that their voices are heard in light of the true narrative. As heard in the TED Talk, this would encompass Malence’s approach to teaching fashion design to individuals experiencing poverty. This sustainable opportunity allows people to create a sense of purpose and agency within themselves, removing harmful stereotypes along the way.
Cultural Bridge-Building: To most, culture is a segregated custom. It brings those within the culture together but places all others far apart from them. However, the arts can foster connections between divided communities by highlighting shared cultural expressions. The perfect example of this came from the ballroom dancing in the Jaffa project. Dancing in Jaffa brought Palestinian and Israeli children together through the art of dancing. It allowed the children to “build self-esteem and social awareness” but all in all this project “demonstrates the power of dance to transform both individuals and communities” (Dancing in Jaffa).
Narrative Transformation and Positive Representation: The arts should be able to challenge negative and harmful stereotypes while providing an alternative. Empowering narratives are key to transformation and positive representation. In the Mallence TED Talk, she points to creating fashion in order to challenge the stereotypes about Africa instead of reinforcing “extractive industries.”
An arts-based, justice-focused project I could implement in the United States is The Time Capsule Project: Letters for a Better Future. A public art demonstration where people from different types of marginalized communities write letters or record messages about their struggles and dreams. Such messages are then sealed in a time capsule that will be opened in 20 years as a testament to their fight for justice. In addition, some letters will get to be displayed in a gallery to inspire the present day activism!
a) The world is increasingly turning to the arts to address social challenges and promote justice. To implement justice-oriented artistic interventions, it is crucial to consider the type of artistic expression used and its impact. Based on the examples provided, several key principles emerge:
ReplyDeleteInclusion and Community Participation:
Justice-focused art projects should be co-designed with the community, ensuring the involvement of all members. A strong example is the Dancing in Jaffa project. Jaffa was historically a divided city, where Jewish and Palestinian Israeli communities lived separately with little interaction. Pierre Dulaine used dance as a unifying tool by teaching Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance together. This artistic expression helped break down barriers, foster communication, and build relationships, ultimately reducing exclusion and bringing communities closer.
Economic Opportunity and Sustainability:
Justice-oriented art interventions should also provide economic opportunities and promote sustainability. This principle is exemplified in the Malence TED Talk, which highlights Africa’s abundant resources and the issue of Western exploitation. Malence discusses how many people in Africa face poverty and lack access to education, leading some to resort to harmful alternatives. In response, he launched an initiative where young people were taught to design and create clothing using locally available materials. This artistic intervention empowered participants by fostering creativity, enabling them to earn a living, and offering an alternative to street life. Many of the program’s participants later pursued higher education, including legal studies.
b) In Lithuania, art therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a tool for social and emotional well-being. These therapies cater to diverse groups, including individuals with disabilities, children facing developmental or behavioral challenges, and the elderly. One impactful project is the Children’s World of Cognition initiative by the NGO Darnūs Namai. This program uses neuro-educational games and art therapy to help children explore their emotions, develop their talents, and cultivate social responsibility and creativity. More about this initiative can be found here: https://darnus-namai.lt/neuroedukaciniai-uzsiemimai-vaikams/
Promoting peace and social justice through artistic endeavors is an impactful method for reshaping social narratives and fostering positive transformations within communities. The Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa initiative, and Muhammad Yunus' idea of "imagination" exemplify how art can be harnessed to further peace and social justice.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, the Vieques project was a community-driven effort that employed art as a means of healing and reconciliation following years of military presence and environmental degradation on Vieques island in Puerto Rico. Utilizing various forms of artistic expression including murals, performances, and installations, the initiative sought to highlight the effects of militarization on the local community and advocate for peace and justice.
In a similar vein, the Dancing in Jaffa project united Israeli and Palestinian youth through the shared language of dance. By instructing them in ballroom dancing and fostering relationships between the two groups, the initiative aimed to dismantle barriers, encourage understanding, and connect communities separated by conflict.
Additionally, Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank, has highlighted the significance of using "imagination" to tackle social challenges and promote positive change. He encourages individuals to think outside the box and envision a brighter future, believing that creative thinking can yield innovative solutions to complex issues and help construct a more equitable society.
To effectively implement justice-oriented arts interventions, several vital principles must be considered. Firstly, it is crucial to prioritize the voices and experiences of marginalized groups in the creative process. By amplifying their narratives and viewpoints, artists can contest prevailing narratives and advocate for social reform. Secondly, collaboration with local organizations and community members is essential for ensuring that the arts intervention is culturally relevant and meets the community's specific needs. Lastly, it is important to engage in continuous reflection and evaluation to measure the project's impact and make necessary adjustments to fulfill its objectives.
In Ghana, a justice-centered arts project could be established to tackle issues related to gender-based violence and advance gender equality. A possible endeavor could include partnering with local artists and activists to produce a series of public art installations that raise awareness about the high rates of gender-based violence in the area. These installations could feature interactive components such as storytelling sessions, workshops, and performances to involve community members in discussions and reflections on the underlying causes of violence against women and girls. By leveraging art for education, advocacy, and empowerment, this project could challenge detrimental social norms, foster gender equality, and contribute to the creation of a fairer and more inclusive society in Ghana.
Abigail,
DeleteThe proposed justice-centered arts project in Ghana stood out as a compelling and necessary initiative. Gender-based violence remains a critical issue worldwide, and using public art as a tool for awareness, education, and empowerment is an innovative approach. The idea of incorporating interactive components such as workshops and performances ensures community participation, making it not just an art display but an active platform for dialogue and change.
As someone who has read Waris Dirie’s story, I deeply understand how essential it is to amplify women's voices, challenge harmful social norms, and fight against practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM remains a severe violation of human rights, and initiatives like this can play a crucial role in raising awareness, fostering discussions, and ultimately advocating for its eradication.
Overall, thank you for sharing these ideas!
Your response effectively highlights the power of artistic endeavors in promoting peace and social justice, using compelling examples such as the Vieques project, Dancing in Jaffa, and Muhammad Yunus’ concept of imagination. These initiatives demonstrate how art can serve as a medium for healing, dialogue, and social change by addressing historical injustices, bridging divided communities, and fostering creative problem-solving. The discussion on implementing justice-oriented arts interventions is well-structured, emphasizing the importance of amplifying marginalized voices, collaborating with local organizations, and engaging in continuous reflection. Furthermore, the proposal for a justice-centered arts project in Ghana is particularly impactful, as it presents a concrete and culturally relevant approach to addressing gender-based violence through public art installations and community engagement. By integrating art with education and advocacy, such initiatives can challenge harmful societal norms and promote a more equitable and inclusive society. Strengthening the connections between the principles discussed and the proposed project could further enhance the cohesiveness of the argument
DeleteOne principle I learned from justice-focused arts interventions like the Vieques project, Dancing in Jaffa, Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination,” and Malence’s Ted Talk is the importance of “positive” peace-building. When most people think about peace or peace-building, they think about the absence of violence. Therefore, political and local leaders often do not think beyond the absence of violence, which is where the term “positive peace” building comes in. Grodosky states that positive peace-building is “the creation of a reality characterized by social justice, political participation, ecological balance, and economic equity.” This definition builds upon three elements. The first element includes promoting human development and an individual human rights perspective. The second element is a reduction of inequality, and the third element is delivering the goods of peace through networks of interdependent persons. These three elements are important to consider when building a justice-focused arts intervention.
ReplyDeleteThe Dancing in Jaffa project demonstrates all three elements of the principle of positive peace-building in religious conflicts. It teaches children mutual respect regardless of their religious and cultural differences and incorporates ballroom dancing as a fun aspect. Teaching children to treat others respectfully and as equals at a young age will work toward peace preservation.
The Vieques project is another excellent example, including all three elements to help advance social justice through a collective campaign to remove a US naval training base. The Viequense approach avoided a hostile relationship with the US Navy by focusing on community health impact rather than colonialism. By focusing on the 10 community health education (CHE) commitments and focusing on community engagement, they were able to affect social change positively. Some commitments are to start where the people are, recognize and build on community strengths and work, foster high-level community participation, and commitment to social justice.
Muhammad Yunus points out that “Imagination does not cost you anything…Think of a world you want to hope we will be created in, and you will be surprised once you imagine that. Just because you imagined it, it will happen.” Using Imagination, he created the concept of social business, in which businesses aim to generate profit while addressing social problems.
Lastly, the Malence TED Talk uses principles of positive peace-building in its intervention. She educates and empowers impoverished people to break the cycle of exploitation prevalent in Africa by creating their local businesses and responsibly leveraging Africa’s resources. This idea follows the peace-building principle and its aspect of economic equity.
Part B.
Pride Parades are an arts-based, justice-focused project I have seen implemented in my country. Specifically, a 14-year-old student in my hometown started “the Pinta Pride Project” to create a safe LGBTQ+ for young people. One big aspect of her project was her “Pinta Pride Parade,” which she hosts annually, where people come out to show their support through visual representations, artistic expressions, and healing and empowerment. These expressions create a positive and accepting environment for those in the LGBTQ+ communities to express themselves freely. By focusing on celebrating people’s differences, the project has accomplished significant strides in positive peace-building in my community.
References
Deleteemlyon business school. “Muhammad Yunus : “Imagine the World of Tomorrow and Create It.”” YouTube, 25 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=x559hHsW2N0. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Torres, Maria Idalí. “Organizing, Educating, and Advocating for Health and Human Rights in Vieques, Puerto Rico.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 95, no. 1, Jan. 2005, pp. 9–12, https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2003.025700. Accessed 2 Sept. 2020.
Blumberg, Antonia. ““Dancing in Jaffa”: Ballroom Dance Champion Brings Israeli, Palestinian Kids Together to Dance.” HuffPost, 25 Aug. 2014, www.huffpost.com/entry/dancing-in-jaffa_n_5682927. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Forest Heights Baptist Church of Maryland. “Africa Is Not Poor (Mallence Bart-Williams @ TEDxBerlinSalon).” YouTube, 29 Dec. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYVqpylLhs . Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Pinta Pride Project. “Pinta Pride Project.” Pinta Pride Project, 2023, buffalogrovepride.com/. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Steve. “Buffalo Grove Pride Parade 2025.” PRIDEChicago -
Chicago Pride Parade Organizers, 26 Jan. 2025, pridechicago.org/event/buffalo-grove-pride-parade-2025/ . Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
-Maddie O'Brien
Maddie, I love how you illustrate the positive peace-building aspect in each of these projects. This made me reflect on them in a different way. I especially enjoyed the reminder that positive peace building is not only the absence of violence, but supporting human development, reduction of inequality and much more. The other impactful and incredibly refreshing thought is that Pride Parades are art-based, justice-focused “projects” as well. It seems to be such an integrated part of many countries' annual events that recognizing it as the justice-focused event it is sometimes takes a back seat. Also, it begs the question what kind of impact Pride Parades have in countries where the LGBTQIA+ community is not being accepted. I feel that Pride Parades are such a universal phenomenon, that it may potentially be considered the biggest art-based, justice-focused “project” in the world. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts.
DeleteJustice-focused arts interventions must be rooted in a combination of principles to advance peace, social justice, and systemic change. First, community-driven participation is crucial. As demonstrated in a number of community projects, those most affected by injustices must be at the forefront. It is essential for communities to document their own experiences and express their realities in a variety of ways, such as through art, to preserve and share their narratives. This approach enables communities to reclaim their identity, especially after enduring long periods of difficulty, as seen with the Vieques Project (Torres, 2005). This principle emphasizes focusing on community goals, where art may act as a platform to challenge oppression and push for reforms that benefit the community’s needs, with their voices at the center.
ReplyDeleteAnother important principle is the idea of empowerment through art, which encourages communities to advocate for change. Art offers a space for communities to build confidence in their identities, narratives, and values. In Muhammad Yunus’s philosophy of “imagination,” the importance of envisioning a better future is highlighted and guided by communities’ own values (Boston College, 2010). The concept goes beyond a simple reflection and allows communities to work towards a more just future, tying directly to empowerment and sustainable change. Arts interventions should empower people to not only reclaim their narrative but also reimagine and create alternatives. Just as Dancing in Jaffa utilized art to break barriers and foster collaboration, arts-based projects should provide space for communities to challenge systems and push for reforms that align with their narratives and values (IFC Films, 2014).
A third key principle is the incorporation of education and creative practices into arts interventions. Like in Mallence Bart-Williams's TED Talk, where educating individuals helped them break away from negative stereotypes, arts interventions should aim to provide communities with the skills and knowledge needed to foster long-term, sustainable change (Forest Heights Baptist Church, 2022). This also helps build a sense of agency, purpose, and opportunity. Interventions should go beyond artistic expression to include practical education and empowerment opportunities, ensuring a lasting impact. For instance, in the Vieques Project, education was central to engaging the community in the public health campaign, emphasizing the importance of informed collaboration and opportunities for advocacy to drive systemic change (Torres, 2005).
Finally, the principle of cross-cultural collaboration is essential for successful peace building through art. Projects like Dancing in Jaffa show how art can bridge cultural divides by allowing people from conflicting backgrounds to collaborate and humanize one another (IFC Films, 2014). Art interventions should create shared spaces where people can connect despite differences, working to dismantle stereotypes and foster mutual understandings. This approach not only challenges the narrative of conflict but may help reshape social consciousness, creating the possibility for lasting peace and social healing. By using art as a tool for reconciliation and transformation, these interventions can help rebuild trust, address tensions, and contribute to positive, long-term change.
Ultimately, building justice-focused art interventions requires prioritization of community-led participation, empowerment, education, and cross-cultural collaboration. By focusing on these key principles, alongside others, art can be a powerful tool for both personal and social transformation, promote peace, and advance social justice in meaningful ways.
United States Example:
DeleteIn the United States, one example of an arts-based, justice-focused project is the Prison Arts Collective (PAC) in California. PAC evolved out of community advocacy to provide transformative visual and interdisciplinary arts programming to incarcerated individuals through a partnership with California State Universities. PAC creates opportunities for engagement in arts education and training. Its programs empower incarcerated individuals by giving them the opportunity to express themselves creatively, challenging stereotypes and promoting restorative justice principles. The initiative also provides training and fosters collaboration, helping to build connections and promote change through the arts.
A.) Based on the Malence Ted Talk, I think an important principle for building justice-focused arts interventions is providing hope. An opportunity that the people you’re involving would not previously have allowed for them to be hopeful for their future and their career. In the case of the Malence Ted Talk, becoming an entrepreneur through fashion was a gateway into providing for themselves, giving them an opportunity for autonomy and independence. Providing people an opportunity for upward mobility that would or could not otherwise be achieved means uplifting the community as a whole, and as the question states, it uplifts the community without reinforcing negative stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteB.) An arts-based and justice-focused project implemented right here at Loyola is the Eco-Voice project lead by Dr. Hedegaard. The Eco-Voice project is aimed at educating and raising awareness for the climate crisis. The project spreads awareness through chorale singing, and has performed at the climate conference held here at Loyola and several places outside of the school. I performed with them for two semesters my freshman year, and my experience with it was very impactful, because I gained a lot of knowledge about the climate crisis that I didn’t know before joining. https://ecovoiceproject.org/ This is a link to their website, check out the work they’re doing, because it is amazing for our community and the world as a whole.
We get the ten commitments for community health education from the Vieques project. These commitments are as follows: “Start where the people are, recognize and build on community strengths, honor thy community-but do not make it holy, foster high-level community participation, laughter is good medicine-and good health education, health education is educational-but also political, thou shalt tolerate the bad ‘isms,’ think globally, act locally, foster individual and community empowerment, and work for social justice” (Torres, 2005, p. 9). Taking these ten commitments and altering anything that discusses health specifically to fit the problem you are addressing is such a strong baseline for any justice-focused intervention. When the fifth commitment of “laughter is good medicine-and good health education” included arts, culturally significant activities, and religion, people were more engaged and more likely to stay engaged for a longer amount of time.
ReplyDeleteThough this is not immediately arts-based, I have noticed a discussion of the concept of joy as resistance. I can see how this can quickly turn arts-based. I think that as the current administration continues in the United States, we are going to experience more art projects with a justice focus. Using murals, art exhibits, music, and even dance can prove useful in the United States. Allowing people the option to pick what they feel most comfortable with can attract more people to the project.
By using art interventions to advance peace and social justice initiatives, communities are able to find strengths within themselves and their cultures. As mentioned by Torres (2005), it is important to create interventions in collaboration with community members. This includes starting where the people are, building on community strengths and encouraging community participation. An example of this can be seen within the Dancing in Jaffa video, where Pierre worked with young children to develop confidence and respect in themselves. In this situation, respect starts with the self and then is expanded upon to include respect for others. Another important principle for peace-building art interventions is creating positive narratives through a shared activity. Art, music, and dance are universal experiences that can be used to make connections between groups of people who might otherwise not consider themselves similar. It also allows for individuals to find resilience within cultural practices of art and give others an opportunity to learn about different cultures. Within the Vieques art intervention, performances gave an emotional outlet to communities to show both their frustrations, hopes and possibilities for change. Cultural symbols (mainly religious) were used to bring solidarity and awareness to social/political issues (Torres, 2005). Overall, art interventions are effective when we give opportunities for people to be autonomous, resilient (by empowering them), and be in community with others.
ReplyDeleteSocial justice art initiatives I have seen implemented in my country and city are community murals. Murals are painted by young artists and students in communities to replace graffiti. These murals empower young community members to “take back” their neighborhoods and find new ways of caring for their neighborhoods. This art initiative promotes social justice by empowering people to express themselves through their own art, or by painting inspirational figures within their communities. It also uplifts communities by replacing what others may consider vandalism or “run down neighborhoods” with beautiful art pieces. The installation of murals can encourage individuals to better care for their neighborhoods and encourage people outside the community to visit.
The Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa project, and Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using imagination are all inspiring and empowering examples of how art and imagination can affect true social change and community support. The Vieques project demonstrated the principle of Community, as the people of Puerto Rico were subjected to U.S. Military Invasion as well as environmental destruction. Through community and art, individuals were able to come together to tell their stories and promote advocacy. The artistic displays allowed Puerto Ricans to tell their stories and lean on one another. The Dancing in Jaffa project demonstrated cultural collaboration. The children of Palestine and Israel came together, despite their cultural and political differences to connect and dance together. Finally, the Melanace ted talk demonstrated breaking down stereotypes as well as empowerment. Individuals in poverty learn that their circumstances and stereotypes do not define them and empower them to reach their fullest potential as entrepreneurs and designers through justice focused arts. All of these examples prove the amazing outcomes of using art as a tool and means to fostering community, lessening divides and giving oppressed individuals a voice as well as a way out of their difficult circumstances.
ReplyDeleteThe key guidelines for justice focused art intervention are community, empathy, creativity, and empowerment. These principles were displayed in both the dancing Jaffa project as well as Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using imagination. All of these components are what come together to create a meaningful and productive way to reform and justice through an unexpected and creative means.
a) If you seek to understand which principles are important in building justice-focused art, it makes a lot of sense to analyze already existing and successful examples as e.g., the Vieques project (Torres, 2005), the Dancing in Jaffa project (Blumberg, 2014), and Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination” (Smart City Expo World Congress, 2018) and the Malence TED Talk (TEDx Talks, 2015). In my opinion, those projects have many great aspects making them successful, that we can draw inspiration from, when creating some key principles for justice-focused arts.
ReplyDeleteThe first one is empowering people by letting them improve their skills, and therefore grow, as well as letting them participate actively in the project itself. Malence (TEDx Talks, 2015) explains it quite well in her TedTalk, in which she illustrates how she invited a few young people with lesser opportunities to create art together. As a result, the group started to develop not only creative but also entrepreneurial skills, that allowed them to share their art having exhibitions all over the world, accomplish dreams, as e.g., studies, and basically become self-determined. The same principle is the core of Muhammad Yunus concept of “imagination” (Smart City Expo World Congress, 2018). Here again the goal is to foster self-sufficiency through active participation and self-determination. Summarizing, justice-focused arts need to provide a space where the participants can express themselves freely, while gaining practical and lively skills, that support their individual growth and autonomy.
The second principle is challenging dominant narratives in a society. A great example is how the Vieques Project confronted systemic injustices through art and them promoted changes in society (Torres, 2005). Another example is the narrative that Malence (TEDx Talks, 2015) talks about, in which Africa and African people are presented as poor. Their art and even her TedTalk alone challenge this narrative and provide an alternative through actions. Summarizing, one of the goals of justice-based art should be breaking stereotypes and providing marginalized voices the opportunity to tell their own story. This promotes social justice, by amplifying voices that are often unheard and breaking the narratives that are being created for those marginalized people.
The third principle is building social bridges and fostering dialogue in that way. The Dancing Jaffa project is a great example of, how art helps breaking down barriers in a divided community, as well as how it helps build understanding between these separate groups (Blumberg, 2014). That is exactly what art should do. It should create a space for dialogue and interaction between people from all kinds of different backgrounds. This helps promote more understanding and empathy in between people, which can add to social cohesion.
And the last factor that needs to be considered is long-term impact. The skills and benefits participants of such projects gain should be of long-term, independent from the timeline of the project. All mentioned projects are great examples of that, as the results they created are to a huge part the development of skills in the participants. Also, permanent art installations or community art centers, may be great examples of long-term help as well, as they may be tangible results of justice-based art projects.
b) An example of a justice-focused art project in Lithuania is the Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations (Public Institution KAUNAS CULTURAL CENTRE OF VARIOUS NATIONS - Tautinių Mažumų Departamentas Prie Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės, n.d.). This project was founded in 2004, and it aims to help and preserve the cultural identities of minorities, as well as support the positive integration of those cultures into Lithuanian society. It organizes many cultural and artistic events each year, that include exhibitions, creative workshops performances and much more. It greatly includes the principles mentioned before, as in Lithuania minorities have a hard time to be accepted into society. This project though, allows those minorities to actively create their own storytelling, all while challenging the narratives from society, and opening up pathways for a dialogue between all those cultures and people. As it has been ongoing for more than 20 years, the impact is of long-term nature.
DeleteReferences:
Blumberg, A. (2014, September 4). “Dancing in Jaffa”: Ballroom dance champion brings Israeli, Palestinian kids together to dance. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dancing-in-jaffa_n_5682927
Public Institution KAUNAS CULTURAL CENTRE OF VARIOUS NATIONS - Tautinių mažumų departamentas prie Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės. (n.d.). https://tmde.lrv.lt/en/national-minorities-cultural-centres/public-institution-kaunas-cultural-centre-of-various-nations/
Smart City Expo World Congress. (2018, December 3). Prof. Muhammad Yunus: A World of Three Zeros - The New Economics of Zero Poverty [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0pTlWiUn3A
TEDx Talks. (2015, January 26). Change your channel | Mallence Bart-Williams | TEDxBerlinSalon [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfnruW7yERA
Torres, M. I. (2005). Organizing, educating, and advocating for health and human rights in Vieques, Puerto Rico. American Journal of Public Health, 95(1), 9–12. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2003.025700
For additional information about the Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations:
https://www.facebook.com/KaunasCulturalCentre/
Thank you for your comment, Martina. I would like to add that last year, the Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations that you mentioned organized the 7th Lithuanian National Communities Festival, "Garden of Cultures 2024". It was an unforgettable event that makes me smile whenever I think about it. The program included traditional dishes, dances, and songs from various minorities living in Lithuania, such as Ukrainians, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Georgians, Kyrgyz, and many more. Everyone also had a chance to visit a Kyrgyz yurta. I am convinced that we need similar events in order to learn more about different cultures. I would absolutely recommend that everyone visit next year's Lithuanian National Communities Festival. Art truly unites!
Delete(a) Principles for building justice-focused arts interventions
ReplyDeleteThe Vieques Project, Dancing in Jaffa, and Yunus’ emphasis on "imagination" both demonstrate how the arts can be used to transform social narratives and empower marginalized communities. From these examples, I would distinguish these key principles for arts-based interventions:
• Community ownership: The Vieques Project involved local communities in artistic protests against militarization, ensuring that those affected were leading the initiative.
• Dialogue and reconciliation: Dancing in Jaffa used ballroom dance to bring together Israeli and Palestinian youth, showing that shared cultural experiences can build bridges across conflict lines.
• Economic empowerment: Yunus Ted Talk (2006) on microfinance and Malence Ted Talk (2019) highlight the role of creative industries in empowering economically marginalized individuals, providing them with skills to enter the market on their terms rather than through exploitative labor.
(b) The White Ribbon Festival (Baltojo Kaspino Festivalis) in Lithuania is an example of arts-based justice initiative, using the arts to promote gender equality and combat violence against women (Frida, 2023). Violence is still ingrained in Lithuanian society and has become a kind of "cultural norm" ("they beat because they love"). The only way to change the situation, at least in the long term, is through widespread prevention: educating society (especially young people), changing people's attitudes and the stereotypes that lead them to commit violence, and targeting the root causes of violence - gender inequalities, power imbalances, the different roles of men and women and the inability to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. However, prevention is not and cannot be a quick fix, especially as it is almost impossible to change cultural attitudes in any direct way (whether didactic, moralising or punitive). The only way, albeit slow, is to innovate through creative processes, thereby creating new models of social relations and cooperation. This is exactly what the Festival does - organizes preventive activities (changing attitudes that encourage violence) through cultural events. Their diversity not only helps to attract different groups in society, but also, by using non-standard artistic language to talk about a sensitive social issue, helps to break down stereotypes that have become entrenched.
During the festival events, not only the accessibility of professional art is increased to all groups of society, but also interdisciplinary dialogue and exchange of good practices is promoted between professionals providing assistance to victims of violence (social, health and law enforcement professionals, NGOs), and people who have been exposed to violence are encouraged to seek help. The Festival's events (exhibitions, installations, lectures, film screenings, performances, performances, concerts, conferences, workshops), which take place in different genres and in different spaces, help to convey the Festival's main message to a wide range of audiences, to stimulate debate and critical thinking and engage the public in conversations about human rights.
An example of the Festival event - a Playback theater performance where survivors of domestic violence co-create theater pieces with actors that tell their stories. This aligns with the principles above by:
• survivors are given agency in shaping narratives.
• performance is used as a method of advocacy and public education.
• public dialogue is encouraged to challenge harmful gender norms.
References
Delete1. NGO Frida. (2025). Baltojo Kaspino Festivalis. Retrieved from https://frida.lt/baltojo-kaspino-festivalis/
2. Lecture slides, Week 7. Understanding and remediating societal processes that cause people to dehumanize and harm others [PowerPoint slides].
3. Malence, S. (2019). Teaching persons who experience poverty to become clothing designers [TED Talk]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtYVqpylLhs
4. Yunus, M. (2006). A history of microfinance [TED Talk]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UCuWxWiMaQ
Hi Justina! I loved reading about the White Ribbon Festival that is held in Lithuania to combat gender-based violence. I think it is really awesome that the festival provides a wide range of events for individuals to learn from and express themselves through. Additionally, I think having multiple events highlighting different art forms can be really impactful to a wider range of people. It gives individuals the opportunity to find an art form/expression that better resonates with their experiences or feelings. Although I am saddened to hear that gender-based violence is so prevalent in Lithuanian culture, I think this festival is a great way to start changing people's opinions. I am curious as to why the event is called the "white ribbon." Thanks for sharing!
DeleteGoogle document Katie Fritsche Midterm answers: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a8o0fg-X7kAL-PjMU08rdXjne6osY_Lp5_vlBBjH7zY/edit?usp=sharing
ReplyDeletea) There are key principles to creating justice-focused art interventions around the world. First and foremost, the project should focus primarily on uplifting a marginalized or minority group/community. The emphasis for a justice-focused art intervention should always be to have someone or a group’s voice heard. As previously discussed in class, the Vieques project is a great example of this principle in action. The Vieques project was seen following the years of consistent military presence on the island in Puerto Rico. The strong military presence on the island led to environmental degradation of the land. The Vieques project was the people of the island’s way of claiming their land and reconciling with the harm and pain caused.
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to the second key principle necessary in creating justice-focused art interventions. Community-led intervention; the people of the Vieques Island and project healed together through the awareness their art brought. The cooperation of this marginalized community through different mediums (murals, dance, etc.) fostered feelings of solidarity and peace across the island following the harmful environmental consequences of the heavy militarization.
A third and final key principal necessary in creating justice-focused art inventions in our world is collaboration across different cultures. The Dancing in Jaffa project is an extremely important justice-focused art intervention that grabbed my attention when it was shown in class as the message is very relevant. The collaboration of cultures present in the Dancing in Jaffa project works hand in hand with the previous principals mentioned. Pierre did a great job explaining the importance of dance as a means of building mutual respect. This justice-focused art intervention brought together Palestinian and Israeli children to learn ballroom dance. Pierre’s teaching of ballroom dance in the Dancing in Jaffa project is a prime example of an art intervention that emphasizes the voice of a marginalized community, promotes cultural collaboration, and unites the community.
b) An arts-based, justice-focused project in my country is the Prison Arts Program. Rehabilitation Through the Arts, or RTA, is a rehabilitation program that assists individuals in the United State’s prison system through the many different mediums of art. The RTA models an approach to the criminal justice system “based on human dignity rather than punishment” (RTA). The Prison Arts Program is set in place to break the cycle of incarceration in this country through the transformative power of art. The RTA’s website shares that the Prison Arts Program reduces recidivism: “Nationwide over 60% of people return to prison within three years of release”... while “Less than 3% of RTA members return to prison”. (RTA)
Source: https://rta-arts.org/
a) One of the most important aspects is the development of empathy and creativity. The Dancing in Jaffa project used dancing as a tool to bring children from different ethnic groups closer together, promoting mutual understanding and experiences. This shows that an art form such as dance can be a powerful tool for building relationships and reducing social exclusion. Although it was not easy to find a school that would agree to take part in this project and to find parents who would allow their children to participate, the project was able to be implemented, despite a lot of resistance. The Malence Ted Talk opened up a different way of seeing Africa. I was also part of the vision that Africa is the poorest continent in the world. But it turns out that Africa is rich in diamonds, gold and various metals. And people without electricity, without water supply, are able to look creatively at the world and at life. People create clothes, artwork, jewellery. And that the constant support from various global organisations is creating stagnation in growth, art and creativity. Art can be used as a tool to promote social and economic inclusion. For example, the Vieques project used local materials and community resources, which not only reduced dependence on external aid but also stimulated local economic growth. Art can thus be a powerful tool for promoting social justice. These projects are based on the principles of empathy, creativity, inclusivity and responsible use of resources, which not only reduce social exclusion but also empower communities.
ReplyDeleteb) Already a service, but only a year ago there was a pilot project, a social workshop for people with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities. It is a project that promotes the integration of people with the disabilities I mentioned into the labour market, developing skills through meaningful, artistic activities. In the Kaunas L’Arche community, for example, the social workshop is also active, where people with intellectual disabilities work with clay, make clay vessels, make candles, and then sell their products at fairs, and there is also an online shop. The individuals run ceramics education for children and work with schools and businesses. Social workshops not only develop the creativity of the participants, but also promote social responsibility and employment, reducing the stigma faced by many people with disabilities. When people with intellectual disabilities participate in the creative process and create handmade products, it gives others the opportunity to see their abilities and creativity and not just their disability. This helps to change stereotypes and reveals that these individuals have talents and skills that can be valued in society. When the ceramic vessels produced are sold or exhibited, it not only gives these individuals the opportunity to gain independence and self-confidence, but also allows society to appreciate them for their creativity and hard work. This shows that people with intellectual disabilities can contribute to the creative industries and be seen as professionals. By working with ceramics, people with intellectual disabilities acquire important life skills such as patience, diligence and creativity, which builds their self-confidence. This opens up opportunities for them to be more independent and to participate more actively in society, reducing their stigma as non-contributing members.
a) Artistic interventions create spaces where marginalized communities have the opportunity to actively engage in the creation of art, rather than just being passive recipients of it. This gives people the tools to express their identity, their dreams.
ReplyDeleteMuhammad Yunus use of “imagination” to promote social change shows the importance of promoting equality. The arts can be used as a way to tell new stories, hear different perspectives, and help challenge stereotypes.
The collaboration between Palestinian and Jewish communities in the Dancing in Jaffa project shows the importance of collaboration.
Art can also be a tool for cultural preservation. For example, in Malence’s Ted Talk, the idea of teaching people from poor families to make their own clothes is a way to express creativity.
Art projects based on justice must address systemic social, economic, or political inequalities. This includes social problems such as racial or gender discrimination. Artistic activities, by highlighting these issues, can help raise people's awareness and promote positive change.
b) The day center "Ateik" ("Come") for people experiencing homelessness in Kaunas hosts creative workshops that help center visitors express themselves and provide a sense of community.
Painting and creative writing classes are held. The workshops provide participants with the opportunity to engage in creative activities and use art as a means of self-expression.
The works of day center visitors often reflect their personal stories, struggles, and aspirations. This activity helps reduce isolation and teaches cooperation.
The project combats homelessness and social exclusion and offers people to share their experiences through art.
This promotes social integration and increases the dignity of people experiencing homelessness.
a) The key principles I've identified for building justice-focused arts interventions, inspired by the Vieques project (Dancing in Jaffa), Muhammad Yunus' idea of imagination, and Malence Bart-Williams' TED Talk, are:
ReplyDelete1. Shifting Perspectives with Positive Narratives: Malence Bart-Williams stresses the need to move away from the narrative that "Africa is poor," suggesting instead that we recognize the continent's wealth and potential. Rather than charity, she introduces "sharity," which is about equitable resource sharing and dismantling harmful stereotypes. Justice-focused arts interventions, therefore, should intentionally challenge negative perceptions by highlighting strengths and possibilities rather than limitations.
2. Importance of Personal Connection and Experiences: The Dancing in Jaffa project showed me how small, personal interactions—like dancing—can have profound social effects. Pierre Dulaine's work illustrates that shared experiences in the arts help build empathy, understanding, and community. Justice-focused arts should create genuine, human connections because "small things have huge impacts," and personal experiences are powerful tools for societal transformation.
3. Empowerment Through Skills and Confidence: Muhammad Yunus emphasizes imagination and the need to rethink our ideas about poverty, suggesting poverty is a societal, not individual, issue. Malence Bart-Williams reinforces this by showing how training people experiencing poverty in practical skills like clothing design can empower them to become entrepreneurs. This approach challenges stereotypes, builds confidence, and offers individuals real pathways out of poverty. Yunus also reminds us that "even a beggar can change the world," highlighting the significance of providing tools and confidence rather than just financial aid.
In short, justice-focused arts should intentionally reshape negative narratives, prioritize genuine personal connections, and empower marginalized communities through practical skills and confidence-building initiatives. These principles help ensure that artistic interventions genuinely contribute to peace, equality, and social justice.
b) An example of an arts-based, justice-focused project in my country is a recent promotional campaign titled "Galėti galėti," which translates to "to be able to" in English. This campaign specifically challenges stereotypes surrounding people with intellectual disabilities. Often, individuals with intellectual disabilities are represented by others; however, in this campaign, they actively participated in the creative process themselves. They selected music, contributed to shaping the narrative through their personal perspectives, and served as the central characters of the campaign. Additionally, a short film was created highlighting individuals with intellectual disabilities leading fulfilling lives—traveling, forming relationships, and enjoying everyday experiences.
Source:
Asmens su negalia teisių apsaugos agentūra (2025). Kaip gera galėti galėti. Prieiga internete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9jIEPr47Ps
a) In the arts, the focus is often first on the work and then on the author, thus avoiding automatic stereotyping. Creation breaks down walls (Dancing in Jaffa project). Art gives space, does not frame, gives more freedom for self-expression. Creativity allows you to break out of stereotypical, socially constructed boundaries.
ReplyDeleteb) In Lithuania, Kaunas Chamber Theatre has been developing a project for several years now, involving people with various disabilities, aiming to reveal and unleash people's talents, to create together with professional artists. The professional performances that are created break stereotypes. They are performances for all - they blur the boundaries between disability and art.
Art interventions are a great ‘alternative’ way of fighting for justice. It makes people stop and (self)reflect. It also challenges us on stereotypes that have been socialized into our society, family and us, as individuals.
ReplyDeleteThe Dancing in Jaffa project, executed by Pierre Dulaine, is a great example of that, as he crossed the bridge and united Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children by dancing. Through community engagement he challenged the narrative. I find this as key, as we need to empower community to seek justice. Through community engagement we can unite two opposite sides and show that we are not that different.
People have more power than they realize, feeling of powerlessness is manipulation from people of power as that is what they want and need from us. That is why I emphasize the importance of empowerment.
In Slovenia we have a few arts-based projects that are justice focused.
PLAC, Participatory Ljubljana Autonomous Zone, is a housing cooperative meant for people that are discriminated, betrayed by the system. In 2022 people gathered to take over a abandoned building and have been fighting our government ever since. They offer many lectures on social problems and offer safe space for people (as Ukrainians, Pakistanis, Palestinians…).
Another ongoing (secret) project that is in motion at the moment is to take over a building in the center of Ljubljana. It is known as a place where men kidnapped women and sexually assaulted them. The purpose of this project is empowerment, to give dark place a new meaning.
I agree with your point of view on art interventions as an alternative way of fighting for justice. I think that it is one the ways how to show that society disagrees with something and tries to make others see and hear the problem that exists.
DeleteAlso, art and other methods of peaceful resistence can show a more inteligent and sophisticated way to figth against injustice. For example, the Baltic Way - live chain of people holding hands from Lithuania all the way to Estonia as a form of disagreement with soviet regime. And I think it is a powerful tool, because people show that "we know that we are right and we don't need to prove the truth with guns and violance", because this is needed when you need to prove something false, to prove your false authority when everyone is against you.
The principle for justice- focused arts interventions that I see as key is using art as a tool for healing and reconciliation. Dancing in Jaffa used dance to bridge divides between Israeli and Palestinian youth, showing that shared artistic experiences can foster empathy and human connection. Arts interventions should create safe spaces for healing and dialogue. The Vieques project uses community-led and participatory approach. It was shaped by community members reclaiming their own narratives through artistic expression, reinforcing that arts interventions must be driven by the voices and agency of those affected.
ReplyDeleteMalence’s TED Talk highlighted economic empowerment through creative entrepreneurship. It also illuminated how art can be a means of economic liberation rather than reinforcing negative stereotypes. Arts interventions should equip marginalized groups with skills and opportunities to sustain themselves. The Malence initiative challenges Western perceptions of Africa by fostering self-determined economic and artistic growth rather than extraction.
Muhammad Yunus emphasized that imagination is key to breaking cycles of poverty and injustice. Art interventions should encourage bold, creative solutions that challenge existing structures and offer new possibilities. The principle for justice-focused arts interventions in the case of Muhammad Yunus is imagination as a force for social change
b) Briefly describe an arts-based, justice-focused project you could implement or have seen implemented in your country.
In my youth I was involved in a number of initiatives, though not labelled as such, but was and still is part of my culture and our way of life. We would get together as young people with adult supervision and guidance to dance. We would not use radio but sing ourselves and also use drums. The beat of drums until today brings a lot of fond memories. Other initiatives include citing poems from historic events, for example the Mfecane war, Mzilikazi breaking away from Shaka Zulu to create his own nation which is the Ndebele tribe found in Zimbabwe. My fondest was singing the song of how Lobengula, son of Mzilikazi dissapered and was never found until today. It is a reflection of where we draw our strength and sense of pride which is carried in our way of interacting with other people in harmonious ways.
Other initiatives carried out in my country is that of Mkwananzi, Cin, and Marovah (2023) who discuss how heritage projects can foster transformative youth development by integrating political, creative, and cultural capabilities. Their artistic engagement with youth builds on the everyday creativity that exists in their communities. The research shows how this engagement forges spaces for cultural consciousness and the advancement of political capabilities, which are key for youth to assist communities in building a stable and sustainable future in the context of their local communities. The project employed various forms of participatory arts graffiti, participatory video and a documentary film to provide youth with a space for civic engagement, co-develop solutions for the developmental challenges they face, and form solidarities with one another. The objective of using various participatory methods was to allow the youth to focus on different issues that concern their communities and aspirations for a progressive and sustainable future (Mkwananzi et al., 2023).
Reference List
Mkwananzi, F., Cin, F. M., & Marovah, T. (2023). Transformative youth development through heritage projects: Connecting political, creative, and cultural capabilities. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 29(6), 581–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2023.2209058
ReplyDeleteStory- telling and performance is one of the first principle I consider to be as the first principle that made the idea well understood, I see this principle as very powerful in the case shared by Yunus. The art of making his ideas well presented for the development of the society is a one out of many principles I could reckon with in the Story shared.
Access and digital technology- This principle is one of the hottest part of the story shared, the fact that Yunus took the initiative down to the doorstep of the locals create a huge positive outcome, answers the people need and gave him a popular ears in among the poor citizens.
Clear goal and Transparency were seen as part intervention processes, he was accountable to the community and acknowledge the dynamics of power in his dealing seeing that he is out to make changes yet conflict with the commercial bank.
Yunus considers the intersection nature of social injustice and that the marginalized voices experience different forms oppression and poverty at the same time. So, he needs to position his intervention to the very way that he could be accepted with the indirect purpose of creating a lasting change. His program for the Beggers his a very creative initiative.
The principle of collaboration was seen in his story shared, there was a coalition building among community member and his friend to amplify the impact that created a lasting change.
There was ongoing evaluation and reflective principle in the sense that he took time to study the market and was focus with his goal for social change and justice specific.
art-based justice focus project I could implement is to build an entertainment industry in the Africa continent, I consider Africa continent to have great population, then I will make Nigeria my Site, to carry out this project before moving to other part of the country.
I will then go in search of people who are marginalized but have great potential in the world of entertainment like: Music, movie, sport and many more. I will engage their capacity and get brand them to meet the international standards then I stand as intermediary between this marginalized group and different industries.
I then partner with different companies after understudying their needs, then I will negotiate my service of humanity with these industries but before this will be establish. I will first;
1. create an awareness through media, church organization and student environment: this is where my target audience are and I will ensure its in the rural area.
2. I sell these potentials to the industries who are in need of them after branding them to international standard.
REFRENCE;
ReplyDeleteEwalt, P & Mokuau, N. (1995). Self determination from a pacific perspective social work. 40(2), 168-175.
Garrett, J. (2001, September 26). Amartya Sen's Ethics of Substantial Freedom.
These projects Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa project, and Muhammad Yunus’ precept of using “imagination”, Malence TedTalk, demonstrate how art, culture, and social entrepreneurship can be powerful tools for peace-building and social justice by transforming narratives, empowering communities, and fostering economic independence. These projects collectively demonstrate that creativity and innovation whether in the form of dance, entrepreneurship, or activism are key to fostering peace, economic justice, and social change.
ReplyDeletea) Based on the Vieques Project, Dancing in Jaffa, Muhammad Yunus’ social imagination, and Malence’s TED Talk, the following principles are key to developing arts-based interventions that promote justice and social change: Community Participation and Empowerment – Ensure that the people most affected by injustice are active participants, not just beneficiaries. The Vieques Project empowered Puerto Ricans to reclaim their narrative, while Dancing in Jaffa engaged both Israeli and Palestinian children in dialogue through dance. Art as a Medium for Dialogue and Healing – Use creative expression (dance, visual arts, music, fashion) to bridge divides and create safe spaces for open conversations about justice, identity, and equality. Economic and Social Sustainability – Follow Yunus’ microfinance approach, ensuring that projects provide economic opportunities without exploitation, like Malence’s initiative, which allowed African designers to build self-sustaining businesses. Narrative Transformation – Challenge stereotypes and reshape public perception through authentic storytelling. The Dancing in Jaffa Project changed the way Israeli and Palestinian children saw each other, promoting peace and understanding. Inclusivity and Accessibility – Ensure that marginalized communities have access to and representation in arts-based justice movements. Projects should break barriers for ethnic minorities, refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others facing systemic discrimination.
b) Project Idea in Lithuania could be an LGBTQ+ Art and Storytelling Initiative. Inspired by the Dancing in Jaffa Project and Vieques activism, this initiative would use visual arts, theater, and digital storytelling to amplify the voices of Lithuania’s LGBTQ+ community, which continues to face discrimination and political resistance. How this idea works: community-driven Art Exhibitions: LGBTQ+ individuals would create and showcase visual art, photography, and digital media reflecting their personal experiences, challenges, and hopes for equality. Public Performances and Theater: organizing interactive theater performances and spoken word events that bring attention to issues like discrimination, same-sex marriage rights, and gender identity. Media and Advocacy: partnering with social workers, lawyers, and media experts to create short films and documentaries that challenge negative stereotypes and educate the public on LGBTQ+ rights.
a) The Vieques project, the Dancing in Jaffa project and Muhammad Yunus concept of social business can serve as the principles for building justice focused arts intervention. These include:
ReplyDelete1. Social Specificity - that the appropriate social groups and needs are considered and include in the design and implementation of the project. In situations where communities actively participate in this initiative, they feel ownership of such outcomes and therefore, the impact has a greater chance of being sustainable.
2. Arts as a tool to reframe social narrative - what happens in Dancing in Jaffa. Activism has always involved some sort of art. It’s emotional, and people are more open to the idea of change if it comes in the form of an emotional stimulus than if it’s an abstract or policy type of change.
3. Platform: Empowerment Through Creativity Organising and providing marginalized groups with artistic skills through which they can not only release themselves through self-expression, but also gain economic independency. It is a very effective long-term solution because teaching survivors artistic skills allows them both confidence and a livelihood.
4. Avoiding exploitative practices by ensuring that artistic interventions are more sustainable, fairtrade and self-sufficient than continuing to reinforce dependency. True empowerment is based on economic self-sufficiency. A long-term financial sustainability is not taken into consideration in the majority of social projects that fail.
b) An art based, Justice focused project in Lithuania which aligns with these principles is “Woman’s Voices”, it creates a safe space for domestic violence survivors to share their story through art. This project includes:
• Since survivors from such workshops often carry pain that is hard to put into words, art provides them an outlet to express it without fear of judgement. I like the idea that a painting or sculpture can replicate emotions that seem difficult to put into words. There’s more to creating something beautiful out of something painful than that. Proof that perhaps there is healing is the most incredible thing.
• A storytelling performance by women who tell personal stories through spoken word, music and taught, to raise the strings about gender-based violence. Hearing these stories firsthand makes the issue impossible to ignore, and once again and for the audience, this is impossible. It causes people to look at survivors as actual individuals instead of statistics.
• Similar in Entrepreneurial training to the method of Malence’s TED Talk, which teaches the participants how they can make a good income out of their artwork. It is so painful that so many are stuck in abusive relationships for the lack of a way to support themselves. I like the idea to have something that is practical from a creative thing, art that doesn’t only heal but sustains. Survivors are able to sell their work and not just survive, but thrive. This gives them a future in charge, it gives them a life where they are not reliant on anyone.
As a future project, this can work with local NGOs like the Women’s Information Center in Lithuania as well as international organisations for better impact. The initiative would use arts as means of healing and advocacy for survivors to reframe gender-based violence, and public perception on women’s empowerment.
a) Art allows people to express their experiences and transcend social or cultural boundaries. For example, the Vieques project fought for rights and environmental restoration, while Dancing in Jaffa brought together Palestinian and Israeli children, encouraging collaboration. Key principles such as empowering creativity, transforming social narratives, collective action, inclusion, and shifting global perspectives show that art can change traditional narratives and promote more just societies. Muhammad Yunus and Malence emphasize how creativity, like clothing design, can help combat poverty and create a sustainable economy without reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteb) The performance ’’Ar tau lengva?’’ "Is It Easy for You?" explores our ability to connect with others, seek help, love, empathize, and express emotions. It also raises questions about the need for support, friendship, and the right to feel anger, anxiety, misunderstanding, and disappointment. The autobiographical stories of the project's participants transform into choreographic sketches that reveal their creativity—poetry, storytelling, sung poetry, and movement. This project, created in 2022 by the Kaunas City Chamber Theater and "Kaunas 2022," aims to actively involve people with disabilities in the performing arts and encourage them to create. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zayAQU8mLkE
Question 2
ReplyDeleteBased on the example of the Vieques project, where art was used as a tool for a traumatized community to recover from the damage left by the military base, I have chosen to discuss how artistic initiatives can contribute to social justice and peacebuilding.
a) Principles – The most important principle of such interventions is community empowerment – providing people with the opportunity to tell their own stories, change social narratives, and simultaneously strengthen their economic and social position, as emphasized in Malence's TED Talk about teaching clothing design to people experiencing poverty. In these projects, art becomes not only a form of creativity but also a tool for social change.
b) Project: In Lithuania, a project could be implemented aimed at migrants, refugees, and socially vulnerable individuals, offering them the opportunity to express their stories and experiences through art. Participants in the project, engaging in creative activities such as painting, photography, theater, and writing, could not only create art pieces but also take part in exhibitions and performances organized within communities. Here, art would serve as a tool to avoid stereotypes and stigmatization, as well as encourage cooperation between different cultures and social groups. The goal of the project would be not only to create but also to strengthen social inclusion, providing participants with the opportunity to become active creators of their lives and communities. Such a project could also help vulnerable groups rebuild self-confidence and contribute to their integration into Lithuanian society.
Art based interventions are amazing to create a voice for social justice with challenging narratives, fostering a cross-cultural understanding, and also amplifying marginalized voices. The Vieques project is a great example of this. It demonstrates how art can be used to protest and promote community healing, and how it allowed Puerto Ricans to resist U.S military occupation while reclaiming their own cultural identity. Another example would be how the Dancing in Jaffa project used ballroom dancing to break cultural barriers between Israeli and Palestinian children, which is a beautiful way of exchanging ideas and cultures in a peaceful way, that is a way of expression with no words. Or even the example of Muhammad Yunus' principle of imagination, which is there to encourage people to think of new ways to enhance social and economic justice. There is an emphasis on this in order to kind of set aside the already possibly oppressive ways and think of new beneficial equitable alternatives to set in place. Also, the Malence TED talk talks about how teaching people who may be experiencing poverty to become designers and entrepreneurs fosters empowerment, and self sufficient without adding on those possible exploitative stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteI think an important thing to note that was awesome in the US, was when the Illinois Humanities awarded over $300,000 to different projects that were through the Envisioning Justice initiative. These projects all aim at addressing mass incarceration and the impacts of it across illinois. They use things such as storytelling through theater, poetry, all led through organizations and artists directly impacted by the justice system. I think that this an an amazing outlet and safe way to express social justice reform that also incorporates community activism. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/09/23/illinois-humanities-funds-over-a-dozen-envisioning-justice-art-projects-focused-on-mass-incarceration/
Art has the power to heal, unite, and transform society. It can challenge oppressive narratives, amplify marginalized voices, and create spaces for dialogue and peacebuilding. Projects like Dancing in Jaffa, The Vieques Project, and Muhammad Yunus’ concept of using “imagination” demonstrate how artistic interventions can drive social change. Similarly, Mallence Bart-Williams’ TED Talk emphasizes ethical empowerment over exploitation. Inspired by these global examples, we can extract key principles for justice-oriented artistic initiatives and explore a unique arts-based project for India.
ReplyDeletePrinciples for Justice-Focused Arts Interventions
Art as a Tool for Healing and Reclamation
Many communities have suffered historical injustices, leaving behind trauma and erasure. The arts can provide a way to reclaim history, identity, and dignity. The Vieques Project used murals to document the island’s resistance against military occupation, reshaping narratives. Similarly, in India, marginalized communities—such as Dalits and Indigenous Adivasi groups—can use murals, poetry, and folk music to reclaim their cultural heritage and resist systemic oppression.
An Arts-Based, Justice-Focused Project in India: "Walls of Change" – A Community Mural Movement
Concept:
"Walls of Change" is a nationwide community-driven mural initiative that transforms neglected urban and rural spaces into vibrant art pieces reflecting local struggles, history, and aspirations. Each mural would be created collaboratively by artists, activists, and community members, telling real stories of resilience, social justice, and cultural pride.
I think this is a great idea that you explicited - Art as a Tool for Healing and Reclamation.
DeleteWe should really appreciate people who share their art by giving workshops or organizing events for people from groups of risk.
I can share and example from my own environment. I know a woman who's now in her 70's, lives in a small city and gives pottery classes for children from the surrounding villages who are usually kids who have some issues at home or difficulties at school.
So, this woman uses her life-long experience working as a pottery artist to share it and help kids and teenagers to find a comfort in art.
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful example—what an inspiring woman! It’s truly heartwarming to hear how she’s using her skills and life experience to create a safe, nurturing space for children who need it most. Stories like hers really embody the healing power of art and how it can become a bridge to connection, comfort, and self-expression. It’s a reminder that even small, local efforts can have a profound impact. I completely agree—people like her, who generously share their art with others, especially those in vulnerable situations, deserve our deepest appreciation and support.
DeleteThe principles I saw as key for building justice-focused arts interventions are:
ReplyDeleteBringing people together: According to Bart-Williams, this fosters community, mutual respect, and promotes sharing. She used these principles to encourage under-privileged youth in Sierra Leone to live and work collaboratively together, which led to the creation of a successful clothing line showcasing their skills and creativity. The success of the clothing line also enabled them to fund and pursue goals such as attending law school. In Dancing in Jaffa, the instructor brought together Israeli and Palestinian youth who would not otherwise have interacted to promote understanding. The age of the participants also allowed for the promotion of social development at a critical stage in life. In Vieques, bringing people together allowed them to take “assertive cohesive action” and develop a sense of collective efficacy.
Encourage creativity and free-expression within a safe space: Bart-Williams provided a space where the youth she worked with could channel their creativity into productive outlets, rather than using it to survive the harshness of living on the streets. Meeting their basic needs in terms of food and shelter also allowed them the opportunity to engage in creative pursuits, since they were no longer focused on simply trying to survive. The instructor in Dancing in Jaffa held classes in a studio where the children could interact without being scrutinized publicly. Both Bart-Williams and Yunus recommend channeling creativity into imagining the future and the world one wants to create. Yunus believes that reality follows fiction, and that if you can imagine something, it can be done.
Recognize, engage, and develop strengths, skills, resources, and capacities: Bart-Williams uses the metaphor of diamonds to describe her work with youth in Sierra Leone. Diamonds are formed in the dark under incredible pressure but eventually transform into something extraordinary. However, before they become diamonds, they might be tossed aside for having little value. The youth Bart-Williams worked with were also overlooked by society, but she was able to see their potential as “diamonds in the rough”. She gave them the opportunity to realize their full potential through education and empowerment, as opposed to charity which “replicates inferiority and dependency”. Yunus believes that every human being has intrinsic capacities and that we need to create facilities where people can use those capacities to contribute to the world.
The arts-based, justice-focused project I would like to implement is a narrative storytelling intervention for migrant youth in Chicago. Narrative therapies are approaches that create change by retelling and reflecting on an individual’s story in order to reconstruct and reframe it in a way that allows the client to gain a new perspective and overcome challenges. When a person experiences difficulties in life, this may result in an internalized self-narrative that promotes self-blame, a negative self-image, and a learned helplessness. Narrative therapies allow the person to gain an alternate understanding of those experiences which can lead to self-forgiveness, improve self-image, and the taking back of control in one’s own life. Migration can be an especially challenging experience where the person has to make hard choices to survive and may feel a particular lack of control. Reflecting on the migration journey can help the individual to see where they employed agency - the decision to migrate in itself is a supreme act of human agency - and situate their choices in response to the larger environment.
DeleteThe project I would like to implement is based on Moore’s (2017) work with refugee minors in Greece. She encouraged these individuals to depict their migration narratives using art mediums such as painting and photography. This approach transcended language barriers and taught them new skills. The finished products served as tangible reminders of their mastery of these skills which led to empowerment. The youth were then encouraged to extend their narratives into the future to focus on dreams and goals. Moore (2017) also noted that when the youth shared their artworks with one another it fostered mutual empathy and collective identity. This collective identity allows migrants to understand how their identities interact with systems in the environment which influence their journeys and cause them to experience social injustices, a natural precursor to community organizing for social justice (Echeverría et al., 2025).
I believe that implementing this intervention with migrant youth in Chicago would provide the same benefits. In today’s environment that is becoming increasingly hostile to migrants, it is particularly important to use approaches when working with these individuals that foster empowerment and promote collective identity. Given that many migrants are still settling into life here in Chicago, it is an especially apt time to use these approaches as well. An arts-based narrative storytelling intervention for youth in this group will allow them to process their experiences, learn new skills, and form connections that will allow them a greater chance of successfully adjusting to life in Chicago.
a) In my opinion, art cultivates deep empathy. Art is a universal form of expression. It strengthens communication between cultures and leads to mutual understanding. Moreover, using art therapy in social work empowers clients and encourages them to express their creativity. Art interventions, such as those by Muhammad Yunus and Mallence Bart- Williams, challenge existing stereotypes and prejudices. In this case, art can be considered a form of resistance. It further proves that creativity is a powerful tool for addressing systemic issues and making the world a better and more just place.
ReplyDeleteb) In Ukraine, the project ‘Art uniting all’ was implemented. The goal of the project was to attract attention to the needs of people suffering from neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as to help them with rehabilitation and social adaptation. The project was implemented in every region of Ukraine and presented the art of such patients as an example of art therapy and reintegration into normal social life.
I have another example, though implemented in another country. My Polish friend created a place for youth in her city called ‘A Simply Nice Place’, where free workshops are held every week, including English-speaking workshops for foreigners. For many people, especially Ukrainians who moved to Poland due to the war, this place became a point of expression and a place to make friends. Whenever you want, you can go there, drink some tea or coffee, make a sandwich, read a book, or use the instruments for knitting, sewing, painting, etc. I think we need more places like this in every country; they are truly a cure for loneliness.
a) Principles for creating justice-oriented art interventions:
ReplyDeleteInclusion and participation: Art should be created in collaboration with the community, allowing everyone to actively participate and contribute to change.
Reflection on social issues: Art should encourage thinking about important issues, such as poverty, discrimination, or racism, and help change society’s perception.
Empathy and community connections: Art helps to understand others, bring different communities together, and foster empathy.
Sustainability and long-term change: Art should create lasting changes that improve people's lives and provide opportunities for development.
Cultural self-worth and identity strengthening: Art should help individuals strengthen their cultural identity and pride in their history.
b) Art-based, justice-oriented project in Lithuania: Project: “Through Creativity” – Art and Integration
This project would be aimed at migrants and refugees in Lithuania. The goal would be to unite them through the creation of art, providing opportunities for social integration.
Art workshops: Participants could learn various art forms (e.g., painting, dance, music) and create alongside others.
Public exhibitions: Art exhibitions would be created, where participants could showcase their works and change the public's perception of migrants.
Promoting entrepreneurship through art: As Malence mentioned in his TED talk, teaching how to create and sell handmade crafts or clothing designs would provide individuals with the opportunity to earn money and build self-confidence.
This project would help migrants and refugees integrate, encourage mutual understanding between communities, and reduce social exclusion.
The arts have always been a powerful tool for fostering social justice, transforming narratives, and promoting peace. Initiatives like Dancing in Jaffa, Muhammad Yunus’ idea of using “imagination” for social good, and the Vieques Project demonstrate how artistic expression can empower marginalized communities and challenge systemic inequalities. Similarly, Mallence Bart-Williams’ TED Talk highlights the importance of ethical entrepreneurship in breaking cycles of exploitation.
ReplyDeleteJustice-focused arts interventions must empower communities to tell their own stories, challenge stereotypes, foster social unity, and create sustainable opportunities. In India, initiatives like "Voices of Change" demonstrate how the performing arts can be a vehicle for resistance, empowerment, and transformation. By harnessing creativity, such projects can redefine cultural narratives and drive lasting social change
a) One of the keys, in Pierre Dulain project, I would say was using art to foster human connection and nurturing respect and emphaty towards each other, especially when we have people divided by conflict, social prejudice. It’s like finding place and time and art, where people meet on the same ground, as human beings, with same equal dignity and rights. It’s about meeting the person next to you, not the circumstances, and challenges, disagreements they do face.
ReplyDeleteThe other one which is covered in all the examples is trusting and seeing the potential in people. People who start an art based intervention, do have to first themselves believe in the potential that those people we bring in have. That there is talents, resources (Not just problems, or challenges) in each of them, that just need to be brought in nurturing environment. To create the space and give the light spot to the people that are most marginalized and overlooked.
Also – empowerment as a key principle. About bringing people and guiding them to be the change for themselves. To feel power and build up self-esteem. Is one the greatest gifts for people in social work what we could bring – is showing the people we work with that they can do it all. It’s about taking own their own responsibility of their lifes back even in the most helpless situations.
b) It was introduced by great NGO in Lithuania called ARTscape agency, which does many various projects tackling different groups of people who do face challenges, or discrimination using art as a tool. In some projects they do collaborate with professional artists. One of the production which was made by them was called “GUIDED” – a performative encounter, where the directors are trying to tackle the questions like : What can be done to make prisoners willing and able to change, and is this only a structural problem in prisons? Is a society expecting a safer world ready to look at prisoners differently itself? Guided’ was born out of workshops organised by the authors and the Artscape team in Pravieniškės Prison since 2021. During a performative encounter, 10 convicts and 10 spectators meet for a dialogue, for which neither side is prepared in advance.
Justina Tamošiūnaitė
ReplyDeleteQUESTION #2
A) Describe the principles for building justice-focused arts interventions that you see as key, based on those examples.
Should be neutral to the politic and etc., events.
Arts interventions should try to convince people to see other just as a human being as you are. Without taking in account their context - political, gender, religion and so on.
B) Briefly describe an arts-based, justice-focused project you could implement or have seen implemented in your country.
Theatrical performance "Sulamita" which is a poetic misterium based on the biblical "Song of the songs" motives. This performance unites theatre actors and disabled persons from Alytus Day center. The main idea of the performance - that knowing yourself and others you can feel the part of the society.
If we are talking about сommunity engagement and cultural relevance – then projects should be rooted in the experiences and traditions of the groups they serve. For example, in the Dancing in Jaffa project, we see how dance became a common language that transcended cultural differences between Israeli and Palestinian children. It is important to consider the cultural context to create space for interaction and understanding between different groups.
ReplyDeleteAnother key point - skill development and empowerment. Art should be a tool that helps participants gain confidence and autonomy. First of all for suppor, not for commercial purposes. An example would be teaching people from vulnerable groups, such as the poor and marginalized, how to make clothes, which gives them not only a livelihood but also an opportunity to express their creativity. As justice-focused projects have shown, such efforts strengthen communities and help people gain independence.
Arts-focused projects should challenge existing oppressive or marginalizing narratives. In the Vieques project, art became a powerful tool to fight against military occupation, and in Dancing in Jaffa, dance helped children from different cultural groups not only interact, but also create new, positive stories that could change the way they view the conflict.
A proposal for a music-based art project in Ukraine:
In the context of Ukraine, where the effects of war affect a huge number of people, I would like to implement a music therapy project for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This project will aim to help those who have experienced military actions, including victims of shelling, as well as people who find themselves in social isolation, such as the homeless, displaced people and other vulnerable groups, including the elderly, people with disabilities and youth from disadvantaged families.