Arts in Action: Real Art for Real Change

BY: LIVIA MARATI

Arts in Action came about because a few of us sat down and said, ‘We believe that this campus needs a place for its artists to respond to the racial emergency and events of last quarter,’” event organizer Heather Ramey said.

These feelings inspired the dance department to respond through artistic expression. Throughout the “Arts in Action: Real Art for Real Change” week, students were encouraged to speak out for their colleges, create and share art, and express themselves through alternative means.

Some of the campus wide projects this week featuredcommunity murals, art displays, and site specific performance art. Performance marches were also organized to invoke the tradition of arts activism creating change for Civil rights, Women’s rights, Gay rights, and Chicano rights. Additionally, using a mix of political songs from different eras and incorporating a variety of dance styles, members of the dance department organized a flash mob routine that was performed throughout campus. Organizers used the internet as a way for people to learn the dance number and find out information on performance times and ways to get involved.

This creative event forced people on campus to take a look at student reactions to recent racial tension, and sparked a conversation about diversity and artistic expression.

Check out video of the  flash mob performances at the Arts in Action website!

http://www.artsinaction.us/flash-mob-dance.shtml

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

What other artistic ways have you seen students and the administration respond to the racial events on campus?

Did you participate or witness the flash mob performances? Let us know your experience and responses!