The ‘Workshop Ecology’ – Best practice in Community-Based Participatory Arts (social practice) with Dr Anni Raw
Workshop Style:
• Information sharing, discussion, reflection, application to own practice
• Collaborative, participatory
• Some reference to original research, using audio visual explanation
• Focus on how you can develop and articulate what your practice offers, using the ‘Workshop Ecology’
What is it about?
Using the ‘Workshop Ecology’ we will explore an internationally researched and tested model for expert socially applied arts practice.
The workshop will introduce and work with the six key elements of expert pedagogical practice in arts workshops in community settings. These elements were universally identified amongst 40 expert practitioners in the UK and Mexico across the spectrum of arts disciplines, and have been recognised and ratified by numerous practitioners internationally.
With the question “What is this practice, and how does it work?” we look at the six dimensions of the practitioners facilitation approach, and how they work interdependently to produce a powerful space of creativity and potential, to enable the best outcomes for participants.
The model is a flexible ‘scaffold’, which allows for individual approaches once the practice foundations are solid.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
• Explored and understand ‘Workshop Ecology’ model, and the 6 interlinked elements of best practice in participatory arts in community settings – or ‘social practice’:
• How central practitioner intuition is and how it functions in this work
• Practitioner commitment and personal motivations – drivers
• Practitioner values and principles – at work in the space
• Facilitating relational dynamics between people in the workshop space – the social practice
• Working effectively with spatial dimensions – the spatial practice
• How central practitioner creativity is and how it functions to facilitate change and catalyse positive outcomes for participants
• Understand the practitioner-based research foundations of the ‘Workshop Ecology’ model
• Be able to relate and translate these 6 elements to their own practice model
• Discussed social arts practice and collaborated with other practitioners to develop their own practice
• Be clear about how to develop their own practice, using the ‘Workshop Ecology’ to maximise and strengthen the value of their community-based arts offer, and how they can explain this work to others.
Who is it for?
The workshop is designed for artists with some existing experience of social arts practice based appropriate for those from early career stage to expert. Participants will draw on their own practice as a reference point for developing their practice ideas.
No academic qualifications are needed. We simply ask that participants come open to new ideas, are able to reflect constructively on their own work models, and are ready to engage and discuss with other participants in a collaborative spirit.
“The best ‘training’ event I have ever attended. The first time I’ve really felt it was for me, and was given with deep understanding about how I work.”
(Ali Clough, Pioneer Projects, UK)