Can art end poverty? Can it influence public transportation, make a greener planet or alleviate hunger?
For artists whose work is about collaborating with the community to effect social change, the answer is yes.
Find out how the arts can change the world when Michael Rohd, founder of the Center for Performance and Civic Practice (Evanston, Illinois) presents his talk “The Arts as Civic Practice: Listening is the New Revolution” on Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m., when Richmond’s annual Lulu Series: Art in the City program hosts the second of three free lectures at Richmond City Hall.
As many places have discovered, the arts are a potent tool for impact and collaboration.
Rohd, recipient in 2015 of both the Otto Rene Castillo Award for Political Theatre and the Robert Gard Foundation Award for Excellence, will offer insights into using the assets and experiences of artists to work with community and civic organizations to build healthier communities.
He recently developed and led projects with, and for, Americans for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, Steppenwolf Theater and Catholic Charities USA.
Rohd’s presentation is the second of three events in the Lulu Series: Art in the City program. The last one will be on Thursday, May 19, when visual artist, Norie Sato, (Seattle, Washington) will describe her creative process developing site-specific works for public places. For more information, Richmond.ca/LuluSeries.
All Lulu Series: Art in the City events are free and start at 7 p.m. at Richmond City Hall Council Chambers, 6911 No. 3 Road. Reserve your seats by emailing Lulu@Richmond.ca.
