Art Picnic: Creating frameworks of togetherness in community arts-based workshops

Abstract

The research project that emerged as a result of the questions listed above was rooted in, and primarily carried out through, a workshop series called “Art Picnic: Creating Community through Art, Ecology, and Storytelling” that took place at The Deanery Project on July 17th and 18th, 2021. The name came from the elusive, spontaneous, and satisfying feelings of place and togetherness a picnic can bring about. My research and my practice suggest that the imaginative, experimental, and embodied practices of artists, especially socially engaged artists, could play an essential role in reframing and engaging others in our most pressing social, political, and environmental crises. Adopting a best practices approach to community workshops, facilitation, and the training of artists and arts educators could make important contributions to the crucial and ongoing work of bringing people together and trying to envision and make the world a better, more hospitable place.