Creating Strategic and Ongoing Partnerships
Mirador Culture is developing early stage proposals to extend the operation of the festival and its education programmes to European Countries, notably the main members of the European Union.
The European Festival programme is also aimed at establishing the following frameworks:
• The Formal Business of the Festival and the Conference
• An Pan-European platform to stimulate new networking opportunities amongst members of the European Union, with support from Mirador Culture
Teachers from European countries will also be invited to submit new artforms for inclusion in the various festival sites and in the resource materials. The Distance Learning Programme will cover ley aspects of European Ephemeral Arts.
Thursday 22 October 2009
Mirador to Offer New Services for Teachers
A Comprehensive Support Programme for Teachers
The Festival has become a service as well as an event of great importance for various users! It is offered to provide entertainment, education and enjoyment. The sources of inspiration and users are covered in detail in the Distance Learning Programme.
There should be no compromises - for a service to be effective and useful, it has to meet the highest standards for target users, which are initially intended to be communities, students at various levels of education, library users, teachers, senior academics, funders, sponsors, artists, advertisers and the vast communities of cyberspace many of whom are constantly seeking new challenges, researchers and people who can bring creative challenge and contribute to the critical debate.
Some of the more basic aspects of the ephemeral arts are provided in a blog for students. It will also be updated as a part of the new development programme. Please see http://ephemeral-arts.blogspot.com/
In addition, Mirador Culture will be announcing plans for workshops, seminars, conferences, short festivals, partnership meetings, creating focus groups to cover new country partners, new project development opportunities, access to newsletters, blogs and websites.
The Ephemeral Arts Service Programme consists of the festival - live and virtual components, research projects, educational support for teachers and students, advisory services for libraries, support services for communities seeking access and visibility, creating access to audiences.
Comprehensive educational support is provided by the Distance Learning Programme. The first online students will be able to start training in December 2009.
The Festival has become a service as well as an event of great importance for various users! It is offered to provide entertainment, education and enjoyment. The sources of inspiration and users are covered in detail in the Distance Learning Programme.
There should be no compromises - for a service to be effective and useful, it has to meet the highest standards for target users, which are initially intended to be communities, students at various levels of education, library users, teachers, senior academics, funders, sponsors, artists, advertisers and the vast communities of cyberspace many of whom are constantly seeking new challenges, researchers and people who can bring creative challenge and contribute to the critical debate.
Some of the more basic aspects of the ephemeral arts are provided in a blog for students. It will also be updated as a part of the new development programme. Please see http://ephemeral-arts.blogspot.com/
In addition, Mirador Culture will be announcing plans for workshops, seminars, conferences, short festivals, partnership meetings, creating focus groups to cover new country partners, new project development opportunities, access to newsletters, blogs and websites.
The Ephemeral Arts Service Programme consists of the festival - live and virtual components, research projects, educational support for teachers and students, advisory services for libraries, support services for communities seeking access and visibility, creating access to audiences.
Comprehensive educational support is provided by the Distance Learning Programme. The first online students will be able to start training in December 2009.
The Structure of the Festival as a Guide to Teaching
The Evolution of the Festival
The first festival of ephemeral arts was held in 2000/01 when several local authorities based in South London joined Asian Arts Access, the parent organisation of Mirador Culture, to launch this unique festival in their town halls, public squares, libraries and schools. The festival featured a combination of primarily South Asian cultural influences, with a selection of exciting artistic expressions taken from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The festival’s educational values were further developed in a dedicated programme in Slough where several schools took part and their secondary students used the workshops for preparing their GCSE coursework.
The detailed programme of development as well as the components of the festival are presented in the main festival website. Please see www.ephemeralarts.com
Further artistic landmarks were created over the next few years as several thematic additions were made. The use of natural materials, the fruits of the forest and the sheer excitement of celebrating the arts in open spaces led to the festival’s first open air presentation at Burnham Beeches, an open wood near Slough. From then onwards the festival toured several parts of the country and engaged diverse communities in over 20 locations. The demand has been unrelenting but like all offerings, creative output must be reviewed and challenged.
The festival is eclectic in nature, with one major generic theme – the festival celebrates time-based culture of communities. Variations are added to extend the themes, to celebrate new areas of diversity and to create educational access for children of different backgrounds. The artistic imagery is culture free, allowing teachers, librarians and children to adapt the workshops for various uses.
Following an extensive review, the festival is being repositioned for a major expansion. It will be working with European cultural organisations and also, for the first time, start a cultural collaboration with a country in Africa. Kalwant Ajimal has been developing links with Makerere University, Kampala and it is hoped that a new cultural social enterprise programme will be involved in helping to forge links with Ugandan community of artists, schools, libraries and audiences.
Here are some examples of ephemeral arts.
• Ephemeral arts are temporary and short-lived, based on a specific occasion or event and transitory in nature.
• Ephemeral arts are connected to the cultural calendar - marking New Year, harvests, change of seasons, religious festivals, events in people’s lives, major events in folk traditions.
• Ephemeral arts are simple to express and can use the simplest of means and materials to the most complicated designs.
The artistic expression can involve a few people or thousands. Most Ephemeral arts are based on artistic expression involving drawing, painting, making things, decorating and dedicating peoples’ homes.
Natural materials are normally used in the expression of ephemeral arts - sticks, grasses, shells, sand, leaves and petals, nuts, fruits, beans, lentils, rice and ground materials to make special powders.
Further guidance on the structuring of a festival programme in a school or community setting is provided in the Distance Learning Programme.
The first festival of ephemeral arts was held in 2000/01 when several local authorities based in South London joined Asian Arts Access, the parent organisation of Mirador Culture, to launch this unique festival in their town halls, public squares, libraries and schools. The festival featured a combination of primarily South Asian cultural influences, with a selection of exciting artistic expressions taken from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The festival’s educational values were further developed in a dedicated programme in Slough where several schools took part and their secondary students used the workshops for preparing their GCSE coursework.
The detailed programme of development as well as the components of the festival are presented in the main festival website. Please see www.ephemeralarts.com
Further artistic landmarks were created over the next few years as several thematic additions were made. The use of natural materials, the fruits of the forest and the sheer excitement of celebrating the arts in open spaces led to the festival’s first open air presentation at Burnham Beeches, an open wood near Slough. From then onwards the festival toured several parts of the country and engaged diverse communities in over 20 locations. The demand has been unrelenting but like all offerings, creative output must be reviewed and challenged.
The festival is eclectic in nature, with one major generic theme – the festival celebrates time-based culture of communities. Variations are added to extend the themes, to celebrate new areas of diversity and to create educational access for children of different backgrounds. The artistic imagery is culture free, allowing teachers, librarians and children to adapt the workshops for various uses.
Following an extensive review, the festival is being repositioned for a major expansion. It will be working with European cultural organisations and also, for the first time, start a cultural collaboration with a country in Africa. Kalwant Ajimal has been developing links with Makerere University, Kampala and it is hoped that a new cultural social enterprise programme will be involved in helping to forge links with Ugandan community of artists, schools, libraries and audiences.
Here are some examples of ephemeral arts.
• Ephemeral arts are temporary and short-lived, based on a specific occasion or event and transitory in nature.
• Ephemeral arts are connected to the cultural calendar - marking New Year, harvests, change of seasons, religious festivals, events in people’s lives, major events in folk traditions.
• Ephemeral arts are simple to express and can use the simplest of means and materials to the most complicated designs.
The artistic expression can involve a few people or thousands. Most Ephemeral arts are based on artistic expression involving drawing, painting, making things, decorating and dedicating peoples’ homes.
Natural materials are normally used in the expression of ephemeral arts - sticks, grasses, shells, sand, leaves and petals, nuts, fruits, beans, lentils, rice and ground materials to make special powders.
Further guidance on the structuring of a festival programme in a school or community setting is provided in the Distance Learning Programme.
The Search for Meaning
Case Study: The Tibetan Mandala
The Tibetan Mandala is created by Buddhist monks of the Segyu Lineage. The sand painting is ritually destroyed after the completion of ceremonies
Future study programmes will aim to identify an understanding of various cross-cultural connections between the ephemeral arts of different communities. It aims to highlight similarities and commonalities. Is it legitimate to do this?
Studies should also aim to create an understanding of the visual outcomes of the work of the ephemeral artist. Is this sustainable without explaining the religious or cultural background of the creative output? I believe that it is. People should have the opportunity to first enjoy and appreciate the visual appearance of the Tibetan Mandala shown above, for example. Many students and audiences will find that it is as far as they want to go.
Others will want to explore the spiritual meanings behind the Mandala. Why do Tibetan monks create the mandala? Why do they destroy it after the Losar, the New Year celebrations and the birth of Buddha? How is the painstaking creation of the mandala project, its development, the exhibition and the ultimate ‘removal’ of the mandala ‘managed’ in the context of a festival? What are the religious meanings of the Losar Festival?
The Distance Learning Programme offers further insights into these issues. It is important to note that another form of floor based artform, the Rangoli, also has similar meanings. Associated largely with the people from the Gujarat State in India, the rangoli has been described as a ‘prayer’. Gujarati women who have worked the festival tell me that the 'Rangoli' as shown below and in sections of the main website at http://www.ephemeralarts.com/ is a personal prayer. The artist dedicates her rangoli to Lord Krishna and says further, "If He is happy with my hard work, the rangoli will be accepted and I will be pleased".
The Tibetan Mandala is created by Buddhist monks of the Segyu Lineage. The sand painting is ritually destroyed after the completion of ceremonies
Future study programmes will aim to identify an understanding of various cross-cultural connections between the ephemeral arts of different communities. It aims to highlight similarities and commonalities. Is it legitimate to do this?
Studies should also aim to create an understanding of the visual outcomes of the work of the ephemeral artist. Is this sustainable without explaining the religious or cultural background of the creative output? I believe that it is. People should have the opportunity to first enjoy and appreciate the visual appearance of the Tibetan Mandala shown above, for example. Many students and audiences will find that it is as far as they want to go.
Others will want to explore the spiritual meanings behind the Mandala. Why do Tibetan monks create the mandala? Why do they destroy it after the Losar, the New Year celebrations and the birth of Buddha? How is the painstaking creation of the mandala project, its development, the exhibition and the ultimate ‘removal’ of the mandala ‘managed’ in the context of a festival? What are the religious meanings of the Losar Festival?
The Distance Learning Programme offers further insights into these issues. It is important to note that another form of floor based artform, the Rangoli, also has similar meanings. Associated largely with the people from the Gujarat State in India, the rangoli has been described as a ‘prayer’. Gujarati women who have worked the festival tell me that the 'Rangoli' as shown below and in sections of the main website at http://www.ephemeralarts.com/ is a personal prayer. The artist dedicates her rangoli to Lord Krishna and says further, "If He is happy with my hard work, the rangoli will be accepted and I will be pleased".
Understanding the Meaning of Traditional Arts of Communities
The Challenge for Teachers
The website is aimed at teachers who will want to learn more about the TRADITIONAL ARTS, some times also referred to as Ephemeral Arts and for those who may have some previous skills and knowledge of the artforms. What teachers may wish to explore is
How to assess the different inspirations behind these exciting forms of expression;
How to connect the Ephemeral Arts to their root cultures, i.e. the sources from which are drawn and but also
How some of the arts reflect common meanings and messages that are identified in one culture but are also connected to other cultures and finally
How many of the artforms are also expressed by using similar methods.
The website is aimed at teachers who will want to learn more about the TRADITIONAL ARTS, some times also referred to as Ephemeral Arts and for those who may have some previous skills and knowledge of the artforms. What teachers may wish to explore is
How to assess the different inspirations behind these exciting forms of expression;
How to connect the Ephemeral Arts to their root cultures, i.e. the sources from which are drawn and but also
How some of the arts reflect common meanings and messages that are identified in one culture but are also connected to other cultures and finally
How many of the artforms are also expressed by using similar methods.
Especially for Teachers!
A Summary of our Artistic Vision and Mission
Mirador Creative Culture aims to
Enrich its students’ and the general audiences’ visual arts experience, learning and enjoyment by focusing on the positive exploitation of time-based culture.
Provide access for all to sections of the community through active collaborations with other visual and combined arts organisations and educational institutions
Create opportunities for accredited learning for GCSE and A level students who may want to develop coursework and projects for formal presentation of concepts and stories drawn from Ephemeral Arts
Raise awareness of Ephemeral Arts in the country, with a view to delivering a range of informal educational initiatives in schools, colleges and universities.
Raise the threshold of creative output by bringing together artists in cross-cultural collaborative work, and developing new artistic projects for ongoing fulfilment
Promote excellence in the presentation and performance of ephemeral arts from various cultures and related religious traditions.
Provide a comprehensive and reliable advice service for teachers
Provide education, training and practical support for self-development of teachers who wish to use ephemeral arts concepts to enrich their teaching
Mirador Creative Culture aims to
Enrich its students’ and the general audiences’ visual arts experience, learning and enjoyment by focusing on the positive exploitation of time-based culture.
Provide access for all to sections of the community through active collaborations with other visual and combined arts organisations and educational institutions
Create opportunities for accredited learning for GCSE and A level students who may want to develop coursework and projects for formal presentation of concepts and stories drawn from Ephemeral Arts
Raise awareness of Ephemeral Arts in the country, with a view to delivering a range of informal educational initiatives in schools, colleges and universities.
Raise the threshold of creative output by bringing together artists in cross-cultural collaborative work, and developing new artistic projects for ongoing fulfilment
Promote excellence in the presentation and performance of ephemeral arts from various cultures and related religious traditions.
Provide a comprehensive and reliable advice service for teachers
Provide education, training and practical support for self-development of teachers who wish to use ephemeral arts concepts to enrich their teaching
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