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Note: ZERO1 invited each of their partners to share their exchange experiences by contributing to our blog. This is a message to ZERO1 from Diane Kambanei, Executive Director of YWCA PNG. Her letter captures her organization's experience partnering with ZERO1's American Arts Incubator and the local U.S. Embassy.
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The YWCA PNG were privileged to engage in a partnership with the American Arts Incubator in March of this year. The engagement was facilitated by our Young Women’s Coordinator, Naomi Woyengu. It all began at the National Women’s Forum. This meeting was one of chance and divine occasion. The YWCA had been discussing for a while how to incorporate the Arts to advocate for gender equity issues! We had thrown around ideas for a couple of months and this meeting with Kate and Kendal aligned with what we had been discussing.
Naomi eagerly introduced me to Kate and Kendal, and there was an instant connection. The purpose and vision of the American Arts Incubator was precisely what we had discussed. Soon after the Forum, young people representing the Youth and Adolescence Heath (YAH) Club, Youth Against Corruption (YAKA), and the YWCA PNG gathered at the national office for a presentation by Kendal and Kate. To our surprise, the projects Kendal presented were unlike what the young people and the YWCA had envisioned as art, and how art could relay a message or theme. These art projects depicted through the presentation were creative, peculiar, and unique - and they certainly were not the traditional sculptures installed around our city. This presentation birthed much inspiration!
From this moment and throughout the weeks to follow, I watched the young people share ideas with one another and take ownership of this project. The YWCA aim was to empower the young people from different organisations so that they may advocate for issues that they felt should be addressed in our country. The young people chose to address gender equity and youth empowerment (specifically gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy) through two distinct projects. The objectives of creating a safe space and allowing young people to advocate for social issues was achieved through both. Young people came alive in their creativy as they constructed these projects. The program pushed them to think outside the box. Instead of utilising traditional means to advocate for issues, they experienced how collaborative art displayed in a public place could engage the broader public and other young people in the cause.
The YWCA has a young women’s program called Rise Up! that is focused on empowering women, ages 15-30 years old in rural PNG. Human rights, women’s rights, leadership, gender-based violence, public speaking and sexual reproductive health rights are a few of the key issues. Now, after experiencing an enriching partnership with American Arts Incubator, we are planning to use a similar delivery of collaborative art in public spaces with the Rise Up! program. We look forward to having the young women who will go through the Rise Up! training conceptualise public artworks that will address issues they face in the villages.
This experience has been life-changing for all involved. Learning how to express creativity through art whilst advocating for social issues is powerful. I’d like to thank the American Arts Incubator and ZERO1 for choosing a partnership with the YWCA of PNG.
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The American Arts Incubator is marking the launch of its second exchange as artist Felipe Castelblanco arrives in the Philippines. Felipe's workshop and public art projects are intended to create dialogue around the environmental conditions in Bacolod, a city that relies on its ocean health to support its communities. The coastlines and correlated ecosystems are impacted each time a natural disaster like Typhoon Yolanda strikes.
On Friday, April 10th from 6-7pm, Felipe will give an artist talk titled, "Making [Space] Public: The Role of Art in a Sustainable Future," at the Negros Museum of Art. This event kicks off a workshop series wherein Felipe will work with youth and local artists to realize a series of public art projects deeply connected to the health and creative utilization of surrounding environments.
Participants will be invited to infuse their creative works into the city of Bacolod. Spanning art, architecture, design, ecology and economics, Felipe and the Philippines Arts Incubator have much in store as they embark on plans to create The People's Island, a floating platform that will host artworks and performances that will be visible from Bacolod's waterfront by a diverse local audience.
To view more information on Felipe's art talk and workshop, view the complete flyer here.
Be sure to stay afloat with the updates on the Philippines Arts Incubator facebook page!
Note from ZERO1: Kendal has been hard at work overseeing the American Arts Incubator, which has already awarded small grants to four groups creating public art projects centered on the issue of women's empowerment. Here are some of the updates from Kendal that were posted to the community-focused Facebook page.
As the Papua New Guinea Arts Incubator inched closer to exhibition day, each group was abuzz with prototyping and production parties! Seeing the Youth Adolescent Health (YAH) Club and Melanesian Institute of Arts & Communication (MIAC) students of the University of Papua New Guinea constructing their projects in the same space has been fantastic. Kendal and Kate float amongst the groups to observe, ask questions, and lend a helping hand. It previously was rare for these two social groups to intermingle, yet now we have heard multiple conversations about how the groups could overlap for future community efforts. Yes to collaboration... incubator style!
After the four artist groups were selected, the Incubation began. Each group leader drafted plans and their respective groups contributed ideas and feedback to further the concept, design, and number crunching.
From materials selection and construction, to design and decoration, the hard work of each community project is taking shape. The groups have just one week to prepare before presenting the first phase to the public!
The creation of each project harvested deeper connections with a three-pronged focus of confidence, empowerment, and commemoration. These common themes emerged as the artists exchanged ideas amongst the four groups.
We've been full steam ahead this week, and the community artists are eager to work through the weekend. It is wonderfully inspiring to see these young people who initially were so shy and quiet come alive in the art-making process. The space is tingling with determined focus and excitement, each artist adding a personal touch to the collective creations.
And a bonus image below... Port Moresby is a mid-sized city of roughly 350,000 people, but word travels fast and we are recognized and warmly welcomed wherever we go.
And last but not least, here's a sneak peak of Kendal's personal multimedia project. He and Philemon Yalamu, a Digital & Media Arts faculty member for the MIAC program at UPNG, are in their element as they co-develop the prototypes for a virtual experience that educates and motivates the young people of PNG.
--We look forward to the final reveal as the Papua New Guinea Arts Incubator finalizes their interactive community art projects. To view more photos, remember to visit
the Papua New Guinea Arts Incubator page!
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The first round of American Arts Incubator “small grants” has been awarded! More than fifty community members in Papua New Guinea came out to participate in the public presentation of project ideas, which was hosted by the YWCA Port Moresby. Four creative and courageous Port Moresby teams presented public art concepts addressing women's empowerment, which had been developed during a week-long workshop led by American Arts Incubator visiting artist, Kendal Henry.
The following projects will be developed over the next few weeks, and then unveiled during a public ceremony. You can read more about the exchange here.
ELYOK Products, a women's collective of traditional artisans crafting bilum (the unique woven bags indigenous to PNG) will create a project that connects local women bilum-makers to the market demand that exists both locally and internationally.
Melanesian Institute of Arts & Communication (MIAC) at the University of Papua New Guinea intends to develop interactive installations in well-traversed areas on campus that combine functional sculpture, sound, and social media. Each installation will serve as a gathering spot as well as a tribute to a successful female UPNG graduate.
Youth Adolescent Health (YAH) Club, a group advocating for health and social issues affecting teens and young adults in PNG, has proposed a project tentatively titled Confidence-Builder Outfit Booth (C-BOB) where young people in a busy mall will be invited to choose custom-designed articles of clothing intending to instigate dialogue around building confidence. Photography and social media will extend the conversation to the virtual world.
YU YET Center is a holistic approach to community engagement and healing for youth, using traditional and contemporary art, yoga, dance, music, and theater in the Paga Hill neighborhood.
Thank you to the brave presenters: Allan Mogerema (YU YET Center); Albert Joseph (UPNG); David Rupa, Faith Kila, Kay Ila, & Janelle Kila (Youth Adolescent Health Club); and Emmanuel Kaitas (ELYOK Products).
And we’d like to extend a special thank you to our selection committee: Beatrice Mahuru (CEO Digicel PNG Foundation), Dulciana Somare-Brash (Deputy Executive Director of Pacific Institute of Public Policy), Hamish George (Director Port Moresby Theatre), Ed Soltow (U.S. Embassy Port Moresby Public Affairs Officer), and Carlos Williams (U.S. Health Attaché of Pacific Islands).
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The visions and plans for the American Arts Incubator are becoming reality! Kendal and I have arrived in Papua New Guinea!
After spending the better part of 18 months working alongside my colleagues at ZERO1 and with the U.S. State Department teams in Washington, D.C. and Port Moresby, we are absolutely thrilled to arrive to this beautiful place halfway around the globe to start the true work.
Amidst intermittent power outages and torrential rains blowing sideways, a crowd of over 300 faces gather in the Crowne Plaza ballroom in Port Moresby for the 2nd Annual Papua New Guinea Women’s Forum. The event examines seemingly every major social issue as it relates to gender equality – international policy, health, education, gender-based violence and sex crimes, workers’ rights, financial inclusion, family planning… The list is daunting, and as an ignorant outsider, beyond overwhelming. A tug on one thread triggers a domino effect of complicated knots. There exists some level of reassurance, though, in realizing this Forum is not just about talking; each discussion leads to a breakout session, wherein interested attendees collaborate to develop action items. Underlying these informal, real-world strategies is the notion that continuous small steps lead to sustained transformation.
Attendees’ expressions range from wide-eyed eagerness to ultra-hesitant shyness, from anger and grief to optimistic hope. Local, regional, and international representatives of NGOs like UNICEF are here. The principal of a high school on the PNG island of Togoba is here. The Prime Minister’s wife is here. Local male advocates against domestic violence are here. Ambassadors, Secretary Generals, UN Officers, Ministers of Education & Community Development, World Bank leaders, and some of the highest ranks of the U.S. military are here. Press and media officials from Australia and other regional outlets are here. And… the more “fortunate” women of Papua New Guinea are here.
For almost every one of these faces to be present, an airplane was required. Port Moresby is an island within an island. Although Moresby is the capital city of Papua New Guinea, topography isolates the city of nearly 350,000 from the other 7 million of its people. Sharing the second largest island in the world with Indonesia, PNG is a lush yet harsh landscape of mountains, with multiple peaks reaching more than 14,000 feet above the surrounding sea.
An understanding of the topography is key in absorbing what I am about to share:
Although the specific numbers vary slightly depending on the source, I am astounded to discover that over 800 distinct languages exist in Papua New Guinea; this represents 20-30% of the world’s languages! Each of these languages represents a unique culture, a unique way of living. In the past hour, Kendal and I have joined four or five different circles of Forum attendees. Within each circle, locals exuberantly share with me the name of the village or province they call home. A bit of friendly competition hints at age-old divisions ingrained in this society.
One man pleaded with Kendal and me, “we need people like you from the outside to collect information – to go from village to village and figure out who exactly lives in this country, to explain to each village the importance that we work together!”
He responded to our looks of confusion right away. Pointing to his friend standing next to me, he said, “I cannot approach his people with requests. His people cannot come to my village to collect information. Our ancestors are enemies.” We asked what happens when a man and woman from different backgrounds procreate. “That baby, with its mixed roots, that baby will be able to work with both villages. But my friend there? Me? No. We cannot be the messengers. It’s impossible. We need outsiders to understand this. We need you all to be our united voice.” His wild hand gestures and desperately intense eyes amplified his guttural passion. “You must realize that for us, the fact that we’re even standing here talking to people like you, this is huge, so huge.” The rest of the circle nodded fervently in agreement.
This 3-minute intimate glimpse of his realities peeled away only the most superficial layers in my understanding of this hugely complex cultural context, and the navigation required to address PNG’s endemic and intertwined social crises. The highly hybridized collection of human beings surrounding me, though, serves as a strong beacon of united purpose. And with that, the power’s back on and I can upload these words!
-Written by Kate Spacek, American Arts Incubator Program Manager
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For more on the topography, population and languages of Papua New Guinea:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea
http://www.ethnologue.com/country/PG
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Just landing in Papua New Guinea, artist Kendal Henry kicks off the American Arts Incubator Program! As he hits the ground running, we wanted to give a sneak peek to the upcoming events of his exchange.
This month, we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s day on March 8th. The timing is perfect for Kendal to explore collaborative, community artworks for women’s empowerment and gender justice. The 2015 Papua New Guinea Women’s Forum from March 9th – 11th sets the pace as Kendal teams up with the US Embassy of Port Moresby to facilitate conversations with female community leaders, empowerment advocates, business owners, public servants, and men interested in women’s empowerment. Accompanied by Economic Officer Susan May and Gender Issues Assistant Agatha Pio, Kendal will discuss ways to use art as a tool for social change, and ways for local artists to build successful business models.
For the second half of the exchange, Kendal will lead a one-week workshop at the University of Papua New Guinea. Starting March 14th, this will be a time full of teaching digital and new media art techniques, meeting with community members, co-examining local women’s issues with community members, and collaborative project development for social engagement with local artists. On March 20th Kendal and the workshop participants will present their ideas for public artworks at a public review meeting, and four projects by local artists will be selected to receive small grants to create their artworks. Stay tuned for more blog posts as the community artworks are prototyped and unveiled on March 28th! In the meantime, we can’t wait to see images and video and read more from his blog. Be sure to check back soon for more!
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Here at ZERO1, not only are we buzzing with anticipation as the first round of artists prepare to go abroad this Spring, but we are excitedly looking ahead to 2016 and are thrilled to announce the participating countries for the next round.
In Spring 2016, four new American Arts Incubator artists will be selected to travel to China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam where they will team up with youth and underserved populations to inspire creative ideas for community engagement through art programs. In the next few months, we will be opening up a call for proposals to select the next four artists.
Can’t wait to hear about the new artists and their projects? Neither can we, but we will be sure to keep you posted! In the meantime, remember to keep an eye on our blog to stay up-to-date with the first round of artists as they travel, build community, and make art around the globe at their respective exchanges!
In doing research ahead of my trip to PNG, I have been reading many articles around the treatment of women in PNG. The results are overwhelming with rape and domestic violence being commonplace. One report in particular, compiled by the Lowy Institute – an independent, non-partisan international policy think tank – stands out and sums up the situation very well. The analysis is presented by author Jo Chandler in an article titled Violence Against Women in PNG: How Men are Getting Away with Murder which is a comprehensive study showing that “violence against women is a significant obstacle to PNG’s development and prosperity and that there are economic, social, and cultural drivers of violence and women face immense hurdles in obtaining justice.” This can only be categorized as an epidemic of violence where approximately six out of ten women experience some type of physical abuse with much of that violence occurring within families. But it doesn’t stop there. Other forms of violence are tribal, cultural, and institutionally related and in some areas women are tortured and burned under suspicion of practicing witchcraft.
The PNG government has made some efforts to curb domestic violence against women by unanimously passing the Family Protection Act in 2013. To give a quick summary, this bill:
Despite the new law, however, violence against women has increased. The concern is that there is so much complacency around violence against women that perpetrators may not face consequences at all for violent or sexual offenses.
More practical efforts to tackling the violence continue to be prioritized. The PNG government is joining forces with Australia's Foreign Ministry and the UN Development Program in a new workshop initiative. Additionally, the US Embassy in Port Moresby has created the PNG Women’s Forum, a three day conference, now in it’s second year, which opens the dialogue on women’s issues. This year’s Women’s Forum is focused on advancing gender justice and economic opportunity for women.
Most importantly, there are women who, despite all the hardship, find the courage and bravado to go against the status quo risking life and limb (literally) in the process. There is Helen, who is a mother of eight who was randomly attacked by a man who bit off her bottom lip. Her attacker was taken to the police but was released shortly thereafter due to “lack of evidence.” Documentary photographer Vlad Sokhin worked with Helen to chronicle Helen’s Story as well as the story of other women in an effort to fight for women’s rights.
Another inspiration includes Sophie Mangai, a grandmother in her 60s and president of the East Sepik Council of Women. Sophie led a protest through downtown Wewak, a town on the northern coast of PNG, on the eve of International Human Rights Day. Her protest went to the local police station to report the rape of an 18 year-old village girl but instead was met by the very policeman who led the rapists on a raid of the village. He responded with violence against her, but Sophie held her ground. She was jailed for her efforts. The story trended on social media and became the focus of an international campaign that eventually freed Sophie and forced the senior police and politicians to take action.
I hope to meet and work with women like this during my stay in PNG. Perhaps through collaboration we can discover new ways to empower individuals to take action and make a difference in their lives and those immediately around them. Then there are the men and boys. What do they think of all this? Are there any male advocates for the women?
The challenge of navigating an increasingly complex and unknown world demands new creative ideas. On Wednesday, November 5th, ZERO1 launched the American Arts Incubator, an international arts exchange program planned in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that incubates new ideas for community engagement through new media and mural art projects.
This special evening included a panel discussion featuring Roselyne (Cissie) Swig, Bay Area cultural civic leader; Derek Slater, Policy Manager at Google Inc.; and Sean Hewens, IDEO. org's Amplify Program Director and In-House Counsel in conversation with Jaime Austin, Curator and Director of Programs at ZERO1.
Our American Arts Incubator inaugural artists —David Burke, Felipe Castelblanco, Kendal Henry, and Xiaowei Wang—were also all prestent for the event and had a great opportunity to talk with the public around thier upcoming travels to Laos, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Mongolia. We can't wait to see how they spark new ideas for community engagement through the arts.
Since September 2013 ZERO1, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), has been creating and shaping the American Arts Incubator. This program is a unique approach to international creative exchange that leverages what ZERO1 stands for – combining art and technology to shape the future – and we are excited to tell you about it!
What is it?
American Arts Incubator is a new creative exchange program using mural, digital, and new media art to engage overseas communities to address pressing social challenges meaningful to them. The program sends U.S. artists abroad to team up with local people, artists, and organizations to create impactful community-driven art projects.
It’s a hybrid of training lab, production workshop, and public exhibition. The program will create opportunities for innovation by translating creative practices used by artists into community-driven artworks and ongoing arts programming that will bolster local economies, influence public policy, and further social change.
The project involves a unique micro-granting program developed by ZERO1 in cooperation with ECA to be implemented in the chosen countries: Laos, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. Via virtual exchange amongst overseas artists, international embassies, and community leaders, a network will emerge of fully documented, global, community-driven art projects centered on developing citizenship, addressing pressing social issues, and promoting cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
Who’s involved?
Four multi-talented artists who practice in four completely different styles and mediums were selected from a highly-competitive pool of applicants. David Burke, Felipe Castelblanco, Kendal Henry, and Xiaowei Wang will visit Laos, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Mongolia, respectively.
In each overseas location, we are fortunate to have a local arts organization to serve as partner and host for the program. Finally, many people behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. and at the respective overseas U.S. Embassies have been instrumental in preparing for program implementation and will continue to be key to fostering a successful inaugural American Arts Incubator.
Where are we at right now?
The first week of November was Artist Orientation, when we brought together all the artists, Michele Peregrin from the U.S. Department of State, ZERO1 staff, and a few key community arts experts. Having all the artists in the same room for the first time was incredible, and led to a highly valuable sharing of ideas and progression of project concepts. The artists are as eager as we are to watch how these one-of-a-kind exchanges unfold – and we promise to share it all! Stay tuned…
