Community Based Arts
For twenty years we’ve explored space, time, and storytelling through plays and spectacle, as well as visual art projects that fold into performance.
Themes relate to what it means to live in this place at this time: social, historical and geographical aspects, locally grown food and water, and a recognition of time as the cycle of events in nature. People of all ages and walks of life take part, from both Splatsin First Nation and settler populations throughout the valley.
We collaborate with local organizations (e.g. health, environmental, cultural, and schools. We are engaged in arts-based intercultural and aboriginal curriculum development with Splatsin Tsm7aksaltn Teaching Centre, and conducted a cultural exchange with Akonjo, Kenya .
While seeking to develop a common culture and collective memories, we’ve pursued social and historical themes (Enough is Enough Shadow Play 2004, Tuwitames 2014), local geography (By the River 2005, Open Air 2006), locally grown food (Food For Thought 2006-08) and water (Sawllkwa, 2010), and on the cycle of events in nature (Calendario since 2012).
Working with and in nature is a lens through which all our work is filtered. We’re curious about what it means to live in this place at this time, and about expanding a view of community to include all beings that reside here (Birds On Parade 2018).
We declare our practice as being
“by, for, and about the community”.
Sometimes called Community Cultural Development, we are part of “a movement of artists, artist -organizers and other community members, collaborating to express identity, concerns and aspirations through the arts and communications media. It is a process that simultaneously builds individual mastery and collective capacity while contributing to positive cultural change
- Arlene Go ldbard, “New Creative Community: the art of cultural development”. 2006, New Village Press, Oakland California
Sharing
We communicate with many community-engaged artists in this province, and are also part of a national network of community play practitioners; our Artistic Director is frequently invited to speak about Runaway Moon’s work. Our projects have been supported by the Canada Council, the BC Arts Council, Vancouver Foundation, Partners in Creative Development, Hamber Foundation, BCHydro, among others. With a network of engaged art practitioners, we took part in Jumblies’ Train of Thought cross-Canada Symposium, and Vancouver Moving Theatre’s Tracks Symposium. Recently our Birds, Birds, Birds became province-wide. We never know where a project may lead.
We are part of a national network of engaged art practitioners.
We took part in Jumblies’ Train of Thought cross-Canada Symposium, and Vancouver Moving Theatre’s Tracks Symposium. Performative pieces have been borrowed, and ideas adapted to other places.