Creative Collective for Change is next phase of Resist Violence
Pat Romano (Faculty, Humanities) and Kim Simard (Faculty, Cinema | Communications) are beginning to implement the next phase of their Resist Violence project, which has been shared with administrators and educators across Canada and with faculty and professionals at Dawson’s Ped Days.
The Creative Collective for Change is the name of a two-year project that has secured an Entente Canada-Québec grant. This fall, Pat and Kim are forming an advisory committee to work together in the development and launching of the new para-academic initiative. It will provide students and faculty with an inclusive space to engage on pressing social problems. The unique project blends art, pedagogy and activism, Kim said.
Interdisciplinary, multilayered and timely
“We aim to bring together a group of students, teachers, administrators, activists, artists and curators to work towards developing opportunities for addressing complex social issues in a creative, constructive and critical way,” Kim said. “Our project is interdisciplinary, inspired by artistic forms of activism and the theory and practice of nonviolence.”
Pat and Kim are working to engage various bodies of the College and the broader Montreal community to develop common pedagogical projects. “These could take the form of workshops, pop-up exhibits, conference appearances, performances and gallery exhibits. Some of our integrative projects may work as a class exercise or assignment, while others as co-curricular activities,” Kim explained.
Creativity as means to break through
“All efforts share a common goal of affecting cultural change that resists intersections of racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, ecocide, and systems of colonial violence. Our collective works mainly within the Resist Violence pedagogical framework, which uses creativity as a means to break through denial and confront complicity. It works to develop critical ways of understanding the complex realities of violence and oppression in our world, while collectively trying to change it using lessons from nonviolent movements.”
The first CCC collective effort is taking place on Thursday, Sept. 30. It is a collaboration between Resist Violence and Cinema | Communications to be expanded upon throughout the coming years: http://resist-violence.com/orangebook
Everyone can get involved
If you are interested in getting involved, you can join the Creative Collective for Change by attending a meeting or working on a project. Teachers, employees and students are all welcome. A brainstorming session will take place after mid-terms.
To learn more, propose a project or share ideas, contact:
Pat Romano: promano@dawsoncollege.qc.ca
Kim Simard: ksimard@dawsoncollege.qc.ca
