Theatre project has dramatic effect on Lebanon jail

"Prisoners say the theatre gives them a form of escape from their time in prison."

For a few hours each week forgotten men of Roumiyeh, a crowded prison near Beirut enter a world beyond the bars. Learn more about this inspiring theatre project.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-12-24/theatre-project-has-dramatic-effect-on-lebanon-jail/249472

Up on Top - Creative Arts Programs for Disadvantaged Kids

Up On Top provides after school care and summer educational programs for more than 90 of San Francisco’s most disadvantaged kindergarteners to fifth graders, who live primarily in the Tenderloin and Western Addition districts.

Up On Top’s mission is to offer hope, stability, and fun to children of low-income families in San Francisco, preparing them to be successful in school and in life.

What struck me about this organisation is their use of creative arts programs to increase the children's confidence and help develop their literacy, problem solving and interpersonal skills.

Learn more about their great work at http://www.upontop.org/index.htm

The arts & disability sectors - working together for mutual benefit

Some of Australia's leading disability arts practitioners met up in Brisbane in October for the Intersections arts and disability forum.

http://www.arts.qld.gov.au/artsupdate/2011/september/arts-disability-sector.html

Building cultural harmony and wellbeing

Cultural Infusion is a not-for-profit organisation that works in education, youth, communities and the arts to promote cultural harmony and wellbeing for a more cohesive and richer society. Cultural Infusion is dedicated to promoting equality, social justice and encouraging a broader understanding of culture across our community for the benefit of all.

Art for Social Action - Art Corps

ArtCorps is a dynamic social enterprise using the arts to advance social change in developing countries. Each year, ArtCorps sends volunteer professional artists to support the environmental, public health and human rights initiatives of Central American organizations. During their one- to two- year placements, the artists use murals, theater, stories, puppetry and other creative facilitation techniques to educate and inspire people to participate actively in improving their communities. ArtCorps artists train both community members and organization staff in our field-tested Art for Social Action methodology. Since 2000, ArtCorps has sent 49 artists from around the world to train more than 20 different organizations in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to incorporate art and culture as a tool for engagement and empowerment, impacting over 50,000 people in more than 180 communities.

Theater for Change from ArtCorps on Vimeo.

Murals of Memory from ArtCorps on Vimeo.

(Information taken from ArtCorps Vimeo Account)

National Social Inclusion Forum

This national forum is themed Building Inclusive Societies: Multiculturalism, Citizenship, Identity. It will be held on 7 October in Melbourne at the Melbourne Town Hall, with the Post- Forum Reception at the Immigration Museum.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.deakin.edu.au/arts-ed/ccg/events/conferences/11-ibis/index.php

Information taken from http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/node/161

Focusing on mental health and wellbeing through the lens of art - The Dax Centre

The Dax Centre delivers an innovative range of exhibitions and education and public programs in order to promote mental health and wellbeing.

The Dax Centre works to foster a greater understanding of the mind, mental illness and trauma through art and creativity. It is home to the Cunningham Dax Collection, an invaluable collection of over 15,000 works created by people with an experience of mental illness and trauma.

Programs coming up soon include:
-  Melancholia: Artist and curator in conversation - Konrad Winkler and Charlotte Christie, Thursday 23 June 2011

- Professional Development for Teachers of Psychology, Friday 30 June 2011

Current exhibition:

Melancholia

Often understood as an artistic, introspective or poetic mood, melancholia is also used to describe states of sadness, mourning and depression. This exhibition explores the concept of melancholia, its relationship with depression and links to creativity.

21 April - 21 October 2011

The Dax Centre, 35 Poplar Road Parkville, VIC

Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 1-5pm

Free

(taken from Dax Centre website http://www.daxcentre.org/)