On Saturday, December 6, Insight Arts, following the work of Political Research Associates, offered a special discussion about social movement building.  The topic for discussion, and what turned out to be a mini-seminar, was “Keeping the Obama Administration on the Track for Progress.” 


From the PRA website:
As progressives who welcome an Obama Administration, we can’t rest on our laurels. We now we have a chance to put the country back on track toward progressive social change, but only if we learn from history. A key lesson is that social movements pull politicians and political movements toward them, not the other way around.

The discussion followed insights from movements and political moments past and present by PRA Senior Analyst Chip Berlet.  To view Berlet’s slideshow and other movement building resources CLICK HERE
One of the issues the discussion group focused on was ways to creatively engage in social movement building.  To build a successful movement for progressive social change takes hard work and three key tasks: 1) Coalition Building, 2) Creating a Collaborative Network, and 3) Creative Outreach (from the slideshow; based in part on Mapping the Progressive Movement by Jean Hardisty and Ana Perea).

In his slideshow, Berlet also provided an excellent grid (Who Does What?, pg. 40) outlining national organizing networks for successful movement building which include community, issue advocacy and think tanks and watch groups among other sectors.  What Berlet suggests is a cross-pollinization between the sectors, along with other methods and use of media in order to reach a broader base.  

As a contemporary arts organization dedicated to increase access to cultural work that supports progressive social change, Insight Arts invites the community to seek and suggest creative ways to provide outreach and actively engage in social movement building.

With so much change happening in the world, the continued opportunity to bring awareness or promote issues to broader audiences exists through the means of art.  Artists like Brian Holmes, who calls the cross-pollinization of art and activism Affectivism, are already addressing creative progressive social change.


According to Holmes, “Artistic activism is affectivism, it opens up expanding territories. These territories are occupied by the sharing of a double difference: a split from the private self in which each person was formerly enclosed, and from the social order which imposed that particular type of privacy or privation” (The Affectivist Manifesto, 2008).  Holmes approach to art activism as an emotional response, affect, in relation to its practice and/or experience is compelling.  To read more on Brian Holmes ideas on Affectivism
In Chicago, organizers are joining forces through an effort called Camp Hope.  

From Camp Hope website:
In January, 2009, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as president of the United States.  We earnestly hope his presidency will signal the dawning of long-needed progressive change in the United States. To help build popular momentum behind the progressive goals of President Obama’s campaign, we invite you to join us in maintaining a 19-day presence, from January 1 – 19, 2009, in Hyde Park, Chicago:  "Camp Hope: Countdown To Change."

Every day from New Years’ to Dr. Martin Luther King Day, whatever winter has in store for us, we will set up at the intersection of East Hyde Park Boulevard and South Drexel Avenue to congratulate Senator Obama as our new President-elect and recommit ourselves to progressive actions he promoted on his campaign trail.  We are urging President-elect Obama to take eight actions immediately upon being sworn into office, and reminding ourselves that these are only eight early steps to more profound policy changes. 

Be sure to report back with ideas about Chip Berlet’s slideshow, The Affectivist Manifesto, Camp Hope, and/or Insight Arts' effort to encourage this type of work by leaving comments to not only continue the dialogue, but so together we can build a coalition, create a collaborative network, and develop and engage in creative outreach that will put the US back on track to progressive social change.

The desire for Insight Arts to cross-pollinate with other organizations is here.  Please contact us so together we can take the next step.  Email us at info@insightartsliberation.org

        

A big THANK YOU to everyone for coming out on a very cold, snowy day to support Insight Arts!  The 2nd Annual WinterFest was a great success and would not have been possible without all of you!

Here are some photos from the day's program:













To download the WinterFest Program, CLICK HERE

        

INSIGHT ARTS INVITES THE COMMUNITY!

Second Annual WinterFest
Saturday, December 20
From 1 to 6 PM



This is a FREE event. 

Center for New Possibilities
1505 W Morse Ave*
Chicago, IL 60626
*one block west of the red line Morse stop

The winter festival will include a reception and performances by local artists and musicians Dawn Collins, Jean Guy René, and Marianna Buchwald. The Insight Arts’ Senior Arts Program will be engaging in crafts throughout the event.

A special Shadow Puppet Performance, designed and performed by youth led by Lisa Abbatamarco, will take place. 

In addition, youth produced short documentary videos created during Media Del Monte, a program sponsored by Insight Arts, will be screened.  The video shorts that will be screened are “No Importa Que…” (No Matter What…) and “Quince (15),” shot on location in Encinal, Texas (pop. 620).

Insight Arts artistic associate Kahphira Palmer will lead a Ballroom Dance Workshop from 4 to 5 PM.

An Insight Arts panel will explore educational events and special programs offered throughout the year of 2008.

The Common Cup Community Gallery presents a visual exhibit of recent two-dimensional artwork by members of the International Art Adventures group of Rogers Park. The mission of the International art group is to improve their art through lively and progressive dialogue while providing critical feedback in each other’s language, culture and philosophy of art.  The exhibit will be on view from December 20, 2008 to January 16, 2009.

For more information please call (773) 973-1521 or send an email to info@insightartsliberation.org

The CENTER FOR NEW POSSIBILITIES, located at 1505 W Morse Avenue, is a space coordinated by INSIGHT ARTS, a contemporary arts organization dedicated to increasing access to cultural work that supports progressive social change.  With a unique organizational Insight Art’s is able to engage in community based, regional and national work.  Donations are appreciated. 

        

Suggested donation
$5 general / $3 open-mic-ers

No one will be turned away

C.C. Carter earned her M.A. in creative writing from Queens College in New York. She received her B. A. in English Literature from Spelman College in Atlanta. In addition to her recent release Body Language (Kings Crossing Publishing) C. C. is the author of a chapbook, Letters to My Love.

In 2002, C.C. was a judge and celebrity guest at the Gay Games in Sydney Australia. C. C. and can be seen touring the Women's Music Festival circuit, performing her poetry and prose work, "Living Large in a Shrinking America" or "On Becoming Woman."

The once-aspiring actress now moonlights as one, and can be seen in the film documentary Living with Pride - Ruth Ellis @ 100 Years, Kevin’s Room, and Chic-a-go-go Children’s Hour. She is a member of the performance ensemble A Real Read.

In the slam competition scene, C.C. won the 5th Annual Guild Complex Gwendolyn Brook’s Open Mic Competition, and the Lambda Book Review’s 1st Annual National Slam Competition at the Behind Our Mask conference, as well as several local and national slams, and was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award (Lammy) for her poetry. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago, where she teaches performance poetry workshops.

POW-WOW Performance Ensemble infuses spoken word, prose, drama, music and anything else women deem as art and weaves them into theatrical presentations that speak to women and men regardless of sexuality and gender but specifically written and performed from the lens of LBTQ women of color. We are mothers, lovers, daughters, sisters, friends and survivors. But more importantly we are the voices of women refusing to be silent.

        

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
3 to 5 PM

Join Insight Arts for a new ongoing discussion centered around the work of Political Research Associates a progressive think tank that exposes movements, institutions and ideologies that undermine human rights.

The topic for the discussion will be Keeping the Obama Administration on the Track for Progress.

Click Here for PRA Senior Analyst Chip Berlet's insights from movements and political moments past and present. 

Check out the website of Political Research Associates, PublicEye.org for more information:

www.publiceye.org

Center for New Possibilities
1505 W Morse Ave
Chicago, IL 60626

This event is FREE!

        

NOVEMBER 20, 2008

        

Stepping up and Speaking out: Captured thoughts escaping the minds of its prisoners 

On October 30, 2008 Insight Arts hosted one of its monthly events known as “Women out Loud.” The event took place The Center for New Possiblities.  As I walked into the space my ears were immediately greeted with soft melodic music.  Adding to the care-free environment an old wooden lamp stands firmly at the focal point of the stage giving off a dim hypnotic light.  The chairs were strategically positioned around the lamp. Similar to waves hitting the surface of a beach the chairs were angled on a curve, and appeared to lessen in number as the legs of the chairs touched the upper center of the room, known as the stage.  Before the spoken word artists purged their minds of all their perspectives, Melissa Brew expressed her ideas on racism and understanding the significance of voting.  Following Melissa’s journal entry the audience members were given the opportunity to express themselves.  As each audience member recited their poem, I noticed the passion and confidence they exuded through their words.  Each individual owned the stage as well as the space.  Eyes within the audience were concentrated at every artist that graced the stage, as if the artists were speaking the admirer’s thoughts out loud.  To close the event sarwat and imi, the featured headliners, performed some of their popular poems including “ancestors,” and “red clay women.” Combining hymns with their poetry, chanting their words, in a way that allowed them to echo throughout the room the audiences’ silence added to the intensity of their words.  Receiving an optimistic response the headliners were acknowledged by claps from the audience.

        

Imagining the Next Four Years:
The Obama Administration
Join us on Saturday, November 22, 2008 from 5 to 6:30 PM for a very special post-election Imagining the Next Four Years: The Obama Administration discussion.

Since July 2008 we have been imagining what an Obama administration would look like.  Together we have participated on a journey for change as we followed the 2008 campaign. 
November 4th has opened for the world a door for a new consciousness: CHANGE


Now that we know Senator Obama is President-elect, we will continue to imagine how the policies of his administration will be put into place, as well as imagine how they will effect positive change for the people. 

Insight Arts is happy to offer a space where together we can expand a new consciousness of change and hope in our nation, and our nation's administration.

Imagining the Next Four Years: The Obama Administration is an ongoing discussion that will take place every other Saturday at the Center for New Possibilities from 5 to 6:30 PM.  Save the date for the series: November 22 and December 6 & 20!

Join us in the celebration as we continue on this journey for CHANGE!

        

CALL FOR ARTISTS

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRESSIVE ARTISTS
Insight Arts is currently reviewing proposals for solo shows, group shows, and screenings (solo or group screening) for the 2009 season. 

Insight Arts is dedicated to increasing access to cultural work that supports progressive social change movement building.  If your work addresses issues related to economic justice, environmental justice, social justice, or human rights we want to help you build a large audience base. 

VISUAL ART & NEW MEDIA
Exhibits will take place in The Common Cup Community Gallery (1501 W Morse Ave.), a storefront gallery space coordinated by Insight Arts.  Artwork may be open to all content but must be community friendly (for all ages).

FILM & VIDEO
Screenings will take place year round at Insight Arts' CENTER FOR NEW POSSIBILITIES (1505 W Morse Ave.).
Open to all content.

PROPOSALS
To be considered for a visual solo or group show, please submit:
- Artist (or organizer) Resume
- Sample Work List (include dimensions, media, title, and price(s) if any)
- Artist Statement / Exhibit Mission
- 5 - 10 examples of artwork (digital)
- SASE (only if you want your proposal back)

To be considered for a solo or group screening, please submit:
- Artist (or organizer) Resume
- Sample Work List
- Artist Statement / Screening Mission
- DVDs
- SASE (if you want your DVDs back)

Mail proposals to:
Maritza Bautista
c/o Insight Arts
1545 W. Morse Ave.
Chicago, IL 60626

or via email to:
maritza@insightartsliberation.org

        

Thursday Oct. 30 7-9PM

Insight Arts Presents Women Out Loud