Since 2001, Engrenage Noir has been associated with ‘community organizations and their members that work to confront the systemic causes underlying situations of social, economic and political exclusion’.
In 2008, Engrenage Noir / LEVIER published Affirming Collaboration: Community and Humanist Activist Art in Québec and Elsewhere. This large format book contains over 700 pages of detailed descriptions and highlights of past projects, plus reflections on some of the ethics, contexts, and concerns of community arts. A lively mix of theory, practical tips, questions and observations makes this a truly rich resource for community artists.
Along with the Affirming Collaboration, Engrenage Noir / LEVIER also produced a compilation of 5 videos, Documenting Collaboration. These videos feature participants describing their involvement in various projects, and the impact of the collaboration on their lives. This short clip provides a taste of videos on the DVD:
http://vimeo.com/25507488
To learn more about Affirming Collaboration and how to order a copy, please visit the ArtBridges Resource Portal.
-Skye Louis, ArtBridges
Note: The LEVIER project has since been completed, but to learn more about Engrenage Noir / ROUAGE (its current project), please see their profile on ArtBridges’ Community-Engaged Arts Map & Directory.
