Current Projects:

The Alchemy of Arts and Conflict Resolution

Dialogic Video Project: interviews with artists on arts-based approaches to conflict resolution

CRANE’s dialogic video pilot explores the intersections of creative process and conflict resolution processes.  We compiled interviews with community artists from a variety of fields – theatre, dance, film, music, visual and celebration art.

These interviews and footage of community arts events were incorporated into a short film, which will be used as a basis for further dialogue between conflict resolution practitioners and community artists.

Our project explores artists’ perspectives on ways that art and creative expression can bring people together and help resolve conflict.  The interviews asked artists to share their experiences in this unique and expanding field, including:

• Stories from their experiences that help to illustrate the intersection between conflict resolution, cultural relations and creativity, 
• Theories of change: how and why do the arts help people shift perceptions and move away from conflict?
• The creative process: how do artists move from vision to action?  Who else is involved?
• Visions for the future: what potential does this field hold for the arts, and for the communities they serve?

The film is intended to be used at workshops involving practitioners of conflict resolution and community art.  An integral part of these workshops, the film can be a basis for discussion on expanding the field of conflict resolution to include arts approaches, and the complementarities or contrasts in process and visions in both fields.