Arts and Community Upcoming Events
Événements art et communauté à venir
Arts-based Workshop: Lights Up: Human Rights Dialogue and The Stage
Tuesday, November 9, 1:30pm -3:30pm MST
Tuesday, November 9, 1:30pm -3:30pm MST
Arts-based Workshop: Creating in Challenging Times: Arts as a Vehicle for Justice and Resilience
Wednesday, November 10, 10:30am-12:30pm MST
Wednesday, November 10, 10:30am-12:30pm MST
“Lights Up: Human Rights Dialogue and The Stage"
Tuesday, November 9, 1:30pm -3:30pm MST
Workshop Description:
Looking over excerpts from three of Rahul Varma’s productions, this workshop addresses the question of how human rights dialogue can be centred in theatrical production. Through plays like Truth & Treason, State of Denial, and Bhopal, Rahul Varma and Zachary Jericho Couture showcase how the stage can be a highly effective medium for human rights dialogue – from discussions around American imperialism, to genocide, to environmental injustice. This workshop aims a presentation open to both audience interruption and “tell-backs” – audience members are encouraged to share their knowledge and ask questions at any time.
Workshop Leaders:
Rahul Varma
Rahul Varma is a playwright and the artistic director of Teesri Duniya Theatre (Hindustani for ‘Third World’), a company he co-founded in 1981, which is one of the first culturally-inclusive theatres in the country, dedicated to diversity and political theatre. In 1998, he co-founded the publication alt.theatre: cultural diversity and the stage, Canada’s only professional journal examining intersections between politics, cultural plurality, social activism and the stage.
Born in India, Varma writes in both Hindi and English, a language he acquired as an adult. Author of over 20 plays, his later plays include Counter Offence, State of Denial, Bhopal and Truth and Treason. Unproduced new plays include My Father Would Have Killed Me (2020), Dad’s New Wife (2019) and Merchant of God (in-progress). Varma’s plays have been translated into French, Italian, Hindi and Punjabi.
Books and publications: Published plays include Counter Offence (Playwrights Canada Press), Bhopal (Playwrights Canada Press), Bhopal French translation (Dramaturges Éditeurs) and Truth and Treason (Mawenzi House Publishers), as well as four drama anthologies containing a selection of his plays.
Recent awards: Rahul received a Lifetime Honorary Membership Award from the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (2020) and the METAs’ (Montreal English Theatre Awards) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award (2018) among others.
Tuesday, November 9, 1:30pm -3:30pm MST
Workshop Description:
Looking over excerpts from three of Rahul Varma’s productions, this workshop addresses the question of how human rights dialogue can be centred in theatrical production. Through plays like Truth & Treason, State of Denial, and Bhopal, Rahul Varma and Zachary Jericho Couture showcase how the stage can be a highly effective medium for human rights dialogue – from discussions around American imperialism, to genocide, to environmental injustice. This workshop aims a presentation open to both audience interruption and “tell-backs” – audience members are encouraged to share their knowledge and ask questions at any time.
Workshop Leaders:
Rahul Varma
Rahul Varma is a playwright and the artistic director of Teesri Duniya Theatre (Hindustani for ‘Third World’), a company he co-founded in 1981, which is one of the first culturally-inclusive theatres in the country, dedicated to diversity and political theatre. In 1998, he co-founded the publication alt.theatre: cultural diversity and the stage, Canada’s only professional journal examining intersections between politics, cultural plurality, social activism and the stage.
Born in India, Varma writes in both Hindi and English, a language he acquired as an adult. Author of over 20 plays, his later plays include Counter Offence, State of Denial, Bhopal and Truth and Treason. Unproduced new plays include My Father Would Have Killed Me (2020), Dad’s New Wife (2019) and Merchant of God (in-progress). Varma’s plays have been translated into French, Italian, Hindi and Punjabi.
Books and publications: Published plays include Counter Offence (Playwrights Canada Press), Bhopal (Playwrights Canada Press), Bhopal French translation (Dramaturges Éditeurs) and Truth and Treason (Mawenzi House Publishers), as well as four drama anthologies containing a selection of his plays.
Recent awards: Rahul received a Lifetime Honorary Membership Award from the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (2020) and the METAs’ (Montreal English Theatre Awards) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award (2018) among others.
Zachary Jericho Couture
Zachary (Zakaria) Jericho Couture is a playwright, director, and artist from Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). He is of Palestinian and French descent. Inspired by his work with Teesri Duniya Theatre and the Islamic Family and Social Services Association, Zachary is committed to using theatre and art for human rights and community development. He is currently an undergraduate student at McGill University in political science and Islamic/Middle East studies.
Zachary (Zakaria) Jericho Couture is a playwright, director, and artist from Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta). He is of Palestinian and French descent. Inspired by his work with Teesri Duniya Theatre and the Islamic Family and Social Services Association, Zachary is committed to using theatre and art for human rights and community development. He is currently an undergraduate student at McGill University in political science and Islamic/Middle East studies.
"Creating in Challenging Times: Art as a Vehicle for Justice and Resilience"
Wednesday, November 10, 10:30am-12:30pm MST
Workshop Description:
In this workshop we explore the question “what is the role of the arts in building community resilience in challenging times?”
The workshop introduces community arts foundations and explore with participants how art can help us process, digest and move bravely into this new world. Maigan van der Giessen shares her learnings working on as Arts Lead for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, on projects such as Paint the Rails and the Community Arts Manifesto. We discuss collaborative and creative processes used to develop powerful community art projects that highlight social and political realities. The Manifesto and Paint the Rails serve as starting points to discuss the ways in which artists and everyday community members seek to understand themselves, their communities, and their roles in challenging times. Inspired and guided by over a decade of experience in arts and human rights education facilitator and participants explore the importance of art-making and storytelling as vehicles for resilience, innovation, and transformation during and as a result of pandemic. Participants are also be introduced to and try their hand at basic collaging, expressing what gives them the strength and perspective to move through challenging and turbulent times.
*Art Cards Activity Supplies (to be collected in advance)
● 1 piece of paper, cardstock or cardboard (postcard size);
● glue stick/white glue; scissors;
● Images, pictures, words that inspire hope, justice and strength (collected from calendars,
magazines, online, hand drawn/written, etc.)
● Pens, markers, pencils, etc. (it’s really up to you) :)
Workshop Leader:
Maigan van der Giessen
Maigan van der Giessen is a facilitator, art-maker, mother and justice advocate with life-long roots in Edmonton- amiskwaciwâskahikan. Having worked with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights for over a decade, she’s had the privilege to learn alongside diverse and talented community members, building projects based on experiential learning, cultural knowledge and lived wisdom. Maigan’s work and passion is dreaming up innovative ways to witness, document and reflect back human rights realities; Utilizing popular education practices, community arts exploration, truth-telling and laughter.
Wednesday, November 10, 10:30am-12:30pm MST
Workshop Description:
In this workshop we explore the question “what is the role of the arts in building community resilience in challenging times?”
The workshop introduces community arts foundations and explore with participants how art can help us process, digest and move bravely into this new world. Maigan van der Giessen shares her learnings working on as Arts Lead for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, on projects such as Paint the Rails and the Community Arts Manifesto. We discuss collaborative and creative processes used to develop powerful community art projects that highlight social and political realities. The Manifesto and Paint the Rails serve as starting points to discuss the ways in which artists and everyday community members seek to understand themselves, their communities, and their roles in challenging times. Inspired and guided by over a decade of experience in arts and human rights education facilitator and participants explore the importance of art-making and storytelling as vehicles for resilience, innovation, and transformation during and as a result of pandemic. Participants are also be introduced to and try their hand at basic collaging, expressing what gives them the strength and perspective to move through challenging and turbulent times.
*Art Cards Activity Supplies (to be collected in advance)
● 1 piece of paper, cardstock or cardboard (postcard size);
● glue stick/white glue; scissors;
● Images, pictures, words that inspire hope, justice and strength (collected from calendars,
magazines, online, hand drawn/written, etc.)
● Pens, markers, pencils, etc. (it’s really up to you) :)
Workshop Leader:
Maigan van der Giessen
Maigan van der Giessen is a facilitator, art-maker, mother and justice advocate with life-long roots in Edmonton- amiskwaciwâskahikan. Having worked with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights for over a decade, she’s had the privilege to learn alongside diverse and talented community members, building projects based on experiential learning, cultural knowledge and lived wisdom. Maigan’s work and passion is dreaming up innovative ways to witness, document and reflect back human rights realities; Utilizing popular education practices, community arts exploration, truth-telling and laughter.
