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A national symposium for
artists and community activists working at the frontier of social
and cultural change.
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The program will explore
the dilemmas and ethics of contemporary arts practice created
from artists' deep engagement with communities in diverse social
contexts. Passion and politics are the driving forces in a program
that will attempt to go beyond the accepted jargon of 'industry
models', 'marketing strategies' and 'sponsor needs' to explore
a brave new territory where labels such as 'community' versus
'mainstream' are irrelevant. The forums will explore hard issues
of cultural expression outside the safe haven of traditional
arts definitions. We begin with a series of forums at the Adelaide
Festival and reconvene for three days in October at the Melbourne
Festival.
Not only have we been lucky
to have access to a wealth of extraordinary, visionary and articulate
artists taking part in the 2002 Adelaide Festival, and international
panelists through the festival's Cultural Residency Program.
We've also brought panelists to Adelaide specifically for this
symposium. Taken together, the panelists for each forum represent
a range of views, perspectives and artforms. Voices of long experience
meet with voices from a new generation.
Format
of Forums
The venue and order
of events all contribute to the overall feel and passion of the
event. The foyer of the Masonic centre hall will be arranged
cabaret style, including a café area.
At 10am on Friday, 8th March,
panelists and audience will be given a traditional Indigenous
Welcome. The panelists in the first forum, "Can the Arts Change
Anything?" will
be introduced by Anne Dunn. Panelists will be given five minutes
each to explore their position, their work and observations in
the context of the questions.
The audience will then be
invited to explore these issues with those at their table. Panelists
and Ann Dunn will circulate around the room offering pointers
to discussion or clarification if required. During 45 minutes
of debate, they will collate key observations, questions and
issues addressing. These will be presented back to the room and
the panel for comment and debate. The second forum, "Confronting Globalisation" will take a similar format
- recognising that each forum will work its own unique dynamic.
The final forum on
Saturday, "Whose
Festival?" will
be an engaging and challenging debate. Panelists will have 5
minutes to explore their views and observations. Clearly debate
will range from looking at the experience of the 2002 Adelaide
Festival to implications and ramifications for other flagship
festivals. The bulk of this time will be vigorous debate from
the floor, with comments and views drawn from audience members
as well as the panel. The aim is to make this truly a dialogue
among all those attending.
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