We have some exciting news over here at ArtBridges! With funding support from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, we are producing a short introductory Community Arts video. With the help of videographer and filmmaker Andrea Dorfman from Halifax, we have produced a video for people who would like to know what “community arts” “community-engaged arts” & “arts for social change” are about.
During the videomaking process we’ve unfortunately had to cut a lot of great contributions from the video, but we still want these voices to be heard! We are starting an audio series on our blog that will feature voices from different initiatives that lent their voices. Please look forward to hear what they have to say about community arts and what is means to them.
If you’d like to add your voice, please contact us at info@artbridges.ca!
Alana Forslund, Community Arts & Heritage Education Project
Our first instalment comes from Alana Forslund of Community Arts & Heritage Education Project (CAHEP) in Thunder Bay. Alana Forslund is an emerging arts manager who has been working with CAHEP in various roles since 2007. She is passionate about building capacity within the arts community, youth engagement, provincial and national outreach, supporting new generation artists, and working cross-culturally using the arts to learn about the buried stories in our community. In addition to being a community artist, arts educator, and arts manager, she is a practising visual and textile artist, graphic designer, and was the first Youth Mobilizer for National Youth Arts Week for Thunder Bay.
“CAHEP is a grassroots community-based arts education organization. Using inclusive multidisciplinary arts programming, we empower children and youth in the community of Thunder Bay. Our programs are designed to reduce barriers and grow a stronger, more connected community. We work together with children and youth to ensure that their voices are not only heard, but are a vital part of the entire creative process. CAHEP serves children and youth within the school system. We also work with various health and social service partner organizations who serve marginalized children, youth, adults, seniors and families of Thunder Bay. Cross-cultural collaboration is an essential part of our programming.”
For more information about CAHEP, visit cahep.ca or read their profile on ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Directory and Map.
