In this paper I’m going to try to present as many ideas I can. They are there to spark your own imaginations.
There were three areas that the discussion covered:
- Performance or in the delivery of the symposium
- Participatory
- Invitation/Display/Gallery
The complete symposium
Parts of the symposium to enhance the traditional presentation.
It is noted that we currently use multi-media with the talking heads and the short films and often read Drew’s poem read dramatically. I’m suggesting that we look for many more of these opportunities. It could be just reading some quote more dramatically presenting it in a different way. Read Thomas Berry with a dancer on stage. Invite a hip-hop artist to deliver the excerpt.
The Complete Symposium
A full performance piece would allow the symposium to be delivered at festivals, fairs, etc. For the most part I see a complete symposium being developed by teams of people who have specific talents or by people who are willing to play and stretch themselves. Usually this kind of ‘show’ would be developed knowing what kind of talents are being brought to the table... song, dance, theater, multi-media, poetry, storytelling, etc.
In the some of the trainings people have come up with some very inventive ways of demonstrating facts.
One person showed up with a very long rope that represented the big boom to present and every so often a tag was attached that indicated an event (i.e. extinction of dinosaurs, ice age, etc.). On the very last faction of an inch it represented how long man had been on the planet. Very effective and tactile.
This could be considered a performance.
Parts of the Symposium
There are many places in the Symposium where some kind of performance could be done to drive the point of the traditional presentation... and in many ways do it more effectively.
A group singing Monty Python’s Universe Song at the end.
The Universe Story expressed in dance.
Read some of the talking head text and act it out.
PARTICIPATORY
Participants would be asked to add their own creativity to the mix.
Decorate paper bags as masks
Hand out party hats
Bring in a bunch of used object (trash) and ask teams of people to create a piece of sculpture with them
Ask participant to express the loss exercise by drawing something
Hand out envelopes to some of the participants as they enter. On the envelopes is a number and instructions. When the number is called the person opens the envelope and reads the facts on information. These could be environmental or social justice facts that now show up in the symposium.
INVITATION/DISPLAY/GALLERY
Invite artists
Create a gallery space in the room or adjoining room
Prints, paintings, sculpture.
We had an artist bring in a beautiful alter hand made.
Maybe art made from recycled items.
Art could relate directly or indirectly to the purpose of the symposium
Some performances could be done as a background to the presentation or presented at the break time.
Guest musician (maybe indigenous)
Sound healing
Dancing
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Brainstorm with a few people. This is fun.
Allow your mind to run free when looking to bring the arts into the symposium.
Stay open to even the most outrageous ideas on this.
Keep look at “What if...”
Find people who will take on some of the performance end of things. The more you have the less daunting it looks.
Start to observe where others have implemented the arts in the symposium and in other presentations you seen.
Keep your ears open. So many talented people would just love to be a part of the symposium... whether they know it right now or not.
