QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

Welcome to the third Cultural Pluralism in the Performing Arts Movement Ontario (CPPAMO) newsletter. This is a monthly digest that will introduce you to, and keep you updated on CPPAMOs initiatives, and act as a portal to relevant research in the field of pluralism in the arts, innovative artists, and links to interesting talks about pluralism in the arts. The newsletter is intended to be your go-to resource for information on cultural pluralism in the arts. You have received this e-mail because you are a member of the CPPAMO listserv. Please let others who share our professional and artistic interests know about this listserv and encourage them to subscribe by sending an e-mail to cppamo@gmail.com. The listserv is moderated and is for sending out newsletters and CPPAMO updates. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Newsletter contents
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) What is CPPAMO? Update on Town Halls on Pluralism in Performing Arts Research into Cultural Pluralism Future Events Call for Papers Who We Are Contact Us

What is CPPAMO?
Cultural Pluralism in Performing Arts Movement Ontario (CPPAMO) is a movement of Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists working with presenters to empower the performing arts communities of Ontario. CPPAMO seeks to open opportunities for Aboriginal and ethno-racial performers to engage with presenters across Ontario and to enable presenters to develop constructive relationships with Aboriginal and ethno-racial performers. CPPAMO is supported by Aboriginal and ethno-racial artists who are involved in theatre, music, dance and literary arts. They are members of CPPAMOs Roundtable and include representatives of Sampradaya Dance, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective, Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Sparrow in the Room, fu-Gen Asian Theatre, b-current, why not theatre, urban arts and backforward collective, Culture Days, Canada Council Stand Firm members, Obsidian Theatre, the Collective of Black Artists, CanAsian Dance and others. With the involvement of artists from these organizations, CPPAMO is working with Community Cultural Impresarios (CCI) and its members to build their capacities, cultural

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

competencies and understanding of pluralism in performing arts so that CCI and its members engage performers from these communities and, thereby, enable audiences across Ontario to access artistic expressions from diverse communities on a regular basis. CPPAMO gratefully acknowledges the funding support it has received for its activities from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus and the Ontario Ministry of Culture.

Town Halls at Magnetic North and CAPACOA

Following on the success of CPPAMOs first Town Hall will be both a second and third Town Hall in Kitchener-Waterloo and at the annual meeting of CAPACOA.

Magnetic North
In cooperation with the Kitchener-Waterloo Collective of Performing Artists (COPA) and Magnetic North, CPPAMO will convene its second Town Hall on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. The format for this event is currently being developed and will be part of Magnetic Norths Industry Series. It will feature panel presentations and workshops focusing on practical models of advancing pluralism in performing arts. Following the panel, CPPAMO and COPA will work together through a series of workshops and performances to build on the results of the Magnetic North event. CAPACOA As part of the CAPACOAs November 2010 annual meeting whose theme focuses on collaboration in performing arts, CPPAMO will host its third Town Hall for 2010. This will be a significant event highlighted by a key note address by the Governor-General Award winning African Canadian poet George Elliot Clarke and featuring dance performances by several of Canadas top Aboriginal and ethno-racial dance companies.

Research into Cultural Pluralism

Aesthetic Pluralism and Multicultural Art Education Lynn M. Hart, Concordia University STUDIES in Art Education A Journal of Issues and Research 1991, 32 (3) 145-159, Copyright by the National Art Education Association This article addresses the challenges faced by immigrant and

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

Aboriginal children and youth in North America who practice the traditional art of their cultures of origin which often does not fit standard Western aesthetic criteria and is usually excluded from art education classes. As a result, students have little opportunity to learn that there are entire art systems and ways of thinking about aesthetics that are different from Western ones. After identifying some central criteria of Western aesthetics, this article provides a comparison with the art Hindu South Asia. The paper then discusses formalist/universalist, personal response/anti-formalist, and pluralist approaches to aesthetics. Of the three, a pluralist approach is recommended since it is the only one that seeks to account for the aesthetic principles of non-Western art forms. The paper concludes with a discussion of pluralism in art education and the ways in which the criteria of Western aesthetics are now being challenged by art educators. Richgate: Transforming Public Spaces through Community-Engaged Art Barbara Bickel, Valerie Triggs, Stephanie Springgay, Rita Irwin, Kit Grauer, Gu Xiong, Ruth Beer, and Pauline Sameshima, Amerasia Journal 33:2 (2007): 115-124 The City of Richmond, British Columbia is a city that has recently come to represent East meeting West, the Pacific Rim meeting Canada, farmland meeting urban landscapes. It is a city that is on the edge of the continent, on the verge of a new beginning, separated psychologically from the rest of Canada by the Rocky Mountains, bordering on the American northwest, and poised on the Pacific Rim. In the constantly shifting definition of this place, the displacement of the native people, the history of settlement by Europeans and the immigration of people from non-European countries such as Japan and India, play key roles. In the past two decades, the source of immigration of people to British Columbia has shifted from Europe to Asia. It is within Richmond and its history as a gateway of welcome that our community-engaged art project is uniquely situated. Although many of the eight participating families are Chinese-Canadian, the study has evolved to include participants with ethnic backgrounds from Estonia, Japan, South Africa, Western Europe, and India, reflecting a micro ethno-demographic profile of Richmonds wealth of diversity. Our research involves community-engaged arts practices that explore issues of identity, place, displacement, community, and the changing nature of geography within the city of Richmond. It focuses on the expansion of processes and events that give landscape a sense of place in ways that resonate with lived experiences and cultural traditions.

Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids 3

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2010-0406&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email Shereen El Feki: Pop culture in the Arab world http://www.ted.com/talks/shereen_el_feki_pop_culture_in_the_arab_world.html

Future Events
Giiwedin- A new opera in English, French and Anishnawbemowin
April 8-24, 2010 Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace An opera in English, French and Anishnaabemowin combining baroque and traditional Indigenous music, Giiwedin tells the story of a 150 year old Aboriginal woman fighting for her land. Penned by Algonquin playwright Spy Dnomm-Welch with co-composer Catherine Magowan. Visit www.artsboxoffice.ca or call 416.504.7529 to reserve tickets Librettist - Spy Dnomm-Welch Composers- Catherine Magowan and Spy Dnomm-Welch Director- Maria Lamont Musical Director & Conductor- Gregory Oh Featuring: Ryan Allen, Jesse Clark, Neema Bickersteth, Catharin Carew, Lawrence Cotton, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Jessica Lloyd, James McLennan and Marion Newman in the role of Noodin-Kwe Music Ensemble: Sara Churchill (harpsichord), Mary-Katherine Finch (violoncello), Lucas Harris (archlute), Edwin Huizinga (violin) Lighting Designer- Michelle Ramsay; Set Designer - Camellia Koo; Costume DesignerJackie Chau; Stage Manager- Sarah O'Brien; Production Manager- Beth Kates

Canasian Dance Festival May 7-9, and, 14-16

This year the Canasian Dance Festival has a special project and has selected outstanding dancers from across the country and commissioned them to create site-specific dances to be performed at Torontos Royal Ontario Museum in May. Each artist has chosen a 4

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

special artifact from the ROM's collection as a source of inspiration for the commission. All of the dance artists we chose for this project are unique and gifted, most possessing a deep understanding and high level of accomplishment in a traditional dance form. As choreographers, they are experienced and committed to finding ways in which the essential aspects of their traditional forms can be expressed in a contemporary context, making them relevant and meaningful today. Their work is not a superficial fusion; rather they each strive to integrate their personal experiences of contemporary issues into the complexities of their dance. The Dance Festival has asked these to find inspiration in an inanimate object, already imbued with its own meaning, and to make it come alive through dance in a contemporary context. The artists have been challenged to create choreography that is specific, complex and resonates with larger cultural references, while at the same time allowing it to be personal. Beyond this, the artists are presented with the choreographic challenge of presenting a site-specific work a performance inside of the ROM! This years festival line-up includes: * Natasha Bakht with composer Alexander MacSween - contemporary Bharatanatyam created for dancers from Sampradaya Dance Creations inspired by the crystals and gems of the Gallery of Minerals * Moving Dragon Dance Company with composer Michael Vincent - contemporary dance rooted in Chinese culture inspired by the iconic Ming Tomb * Soojung Kwon with music by the Opaque Ensemble - traditional and contemporary Korean dance performed by the JM Dance Collective in the Rotunda * F.A.M. - martial arts meets breaking in the Currelly Gallery, inspired by the samurai artifacts of the Prince Takamado Gallery of Japan. For more information, see: www.canasiandancefestival.com

PRISMATIC 2010 October 15-17

Canadas artistic community is full of colour, brilliant Prismatic. Join us in Halifax in October 2010 to celebrate the talents and vision of Canadas leading culturally diverse artists and to engage in stimulating dialogue about developments in Canadian arts and culture. Prismatic 2010 will feature innovative new works presented throughout the community in free and ticketed events, culminating in a spectacular showcase

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO

performance. This event is a significant opportunity for Nova Scotian audiences to connect with artists from a variety of disciplines, including dance, music, theatre and visual arts. Prismatic 2010 promises to be a stimulating arts experience. In addition to all this, Onelight Theatre is pleased to be partnering with one of Canadas most established Aboriginal theatre companies, De Ba Jeh Mu Jig, to host the Prismatic 2010 conference. Together with participants from across the country, we will explore the complex histories and experiences of Canadas Aboriginal and culturally diverse artists with a view to establishing common areas for artistic and professional collaboration. Prismatic promotes the pursuit of artistic excellence through collaboration, innovation and dialogue. In this regard, the Conference Objectives are to: bring together Aboriginal and culturally diverse artists from across Canada to explore and understand artistic philosophy and practice; bring stakeholders, such as government and private funders, academics, representatives of key arts organizations, and members of the public, into the discussion to expand the circle of dialogue and understanding; build an environment of open dialogue, trust and respect in which conference participants can re-imagine the concept of "Canadian Art"; establish meaningful relationships among and between Aboriginal and culturally diverse artists to support artistic and organizational growth and development; establish a foundation of relationships, mutual understanding and common goals upon which to build a more inclusive and representative community of Canadian art and culture. For more information, contact: www.onelighttheatre.com

Call for Papers

In cooperation with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), CPPAMO will be releasing a book in 2011 addressing the themes of pluralism in the arts and featuring the findings from its project as well as publishing the papers and speeches of those involved in its Town Halls. As part of this publication, CPPAMO is issuing a call for papers to invite other artists and those involved in the arts to submit abstracts for consideration. Those wishing to be included in the publication are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 500 words addressing issues related to pluralism (equity,

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO
diversity, human rights, anti-racism, anti-oppression) in the arts.

CPPAMO

CPPAMO is interested in writings of those who have brought about changes in the arts that reflect, value and include the aesthetic traditions and contemporary expressions of Aboriginal and ethno-racial peoples. We are particularly interested in concrete examples of change activities such as those being worked on by dam: diversite artistique montreal, IMPACT, One Light Theatre, Canada Dance Festival and the Cultural Mediation Research Group. The deadline for submission of abstracts is June 30, 2010. Each submission will be reviewed and selected authors will be invited to complete their articles by no later than November 30, 2010.

Who We Are CPPAMO COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

As a resource to plan and coordinate the Town Halls, CPPAMO has set-up a Roundtable comprised of individuals involved in the performing arts from ethno-racial and Aboriginal creation-based arts organizations and those involved in performing venues. The members of the Roundtable are: Ms Anna Azrahimi, Sparrow in the Room Ms Farwah Gheewala, Education Coordinator, Soulpepper Theatre Ms Denise Fujiwara, Canasian Dance Ms Charmaine Headley, Collective of Black Artists Mr. Bakari Eddison Lindsay, Collective of Black Artists Ms Lata Pada, Sampradaya Dance Creations Ms Andrea Baker Ms Helen Yung, Canadian Arts Coalition and Culture Days, Stand Firm Dr. Wayne Dowler, Cultural Pluralism in the Arts/University of Toronto Scarborough University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Mr. Dan Brambilla, Chief Executive Officer Sony Centre for the Performing Arts Mr. Phillip Akin, Obsidian Theatre Ms Mae Maracle, Centre for Indigenous Theatre Mr. Brainard Bryden-Taylor, Nathaniel Dett Chorale Ms Emily Chung, Little Pear Garden Theatre Collective Mr. Spy Denome-Welch, Aboriginal Playwright Ms Sedina fiati, Obsidian Theatre Ms Danielle Smith, urban ink productions Mr Ravi Jain, why not theatre 7

QuickTime and a decompressor are needed to see this picture.

CPPAMO
Shannon Thunderbird, Teya Peya Productions Ms Santee Smith, Kahawi Dance Mr. Kevin Ormsby, Kashedance

CPPAMO

Contact Information
Charles C. Smith Artistic Director of CPPAMO Lecturer, Cultural Pluralism and the Arts/University of Toronto Scarborough charlescsmith@sympatico.ca Angela Britto Program Assistant cppamo@gmail.com Mailing Address: 32 Costain Avenue Toronto, ON M4E 2G6 416-686-3039 http://cppamo.wordpress.com/ cppamo@gmail.com Posting to the listserv is moderated and you may unsubscribe at any time.