Creative Activism: Inspiring Social Change Through the Arts

Discovery Core Experience: VLPA Courses

B CORE 117

60-Second Syllabus: Creative Activism: Inspiring Social Change through the Arts

About This Course:

This course explores a range of research methodologies through the arts and how to utilize them to re-imagine social and personal belief systems and to begin to bridge current social divides. The arts allow us to actively engage in dialogue with diverse communities in ways that the written or spoken work often cannot. The arts empower us to create unique spaces for re-thinking beliefs, considering new perspectives and navigating difficult, polarizing issues; they enable us to find our shared humanity. Empathy, creative inquiry, mutual respect and thoughtful social interactions within the classroom, on campus and with the larger local community will deepen our learning in this intensive community- based learning experience.

An examination of the distant and more recent history of tribalism will highlight how it has served our species well at times but also how it more recently threatens our ability to function as a cohesive society of free-thinking individuals. This course inspires to employ collaborative, socially engaged arts practices to increase compassion and understanding, and to create new paths forward.

Low stakes group projects will accelerate learning and equip students with the confidence to participate in community based collaborative art projects before designing, creating and implementing projects of their own. A variety of research approaches will fuel their projects, deepening students’ understanding of this rapidly growing creative field and its applications in strengthening our communities both locally and globally in ways we have yet to imagine.

What is a CBLR course?

Great question! Community-Based Learning and Research courses engage students with community partners integrating real-world applications with the learning. In this course, project-based collaborations explore the role of the arts in creating meaningful social change while meeting new people through in-person and/or virtual interactions between 2-8 times throughout the quarter.

Why take a CBLR course?

In addition to being required to complete many degrees, CBLR courses offer experience working directly with diverse communities, developing essential career and life skills through dynamic creative interactions rather than simply creating theoretic assignments. They’re fun, engaging, and provide a great opportunity to expand your horizons!

Professor Gary Carpenter (He/Him/His)

About Professor Carpenter:

  • B.F.A. Painting and Drawing, University of Washington
  • M.F.A. Painting and Drawing, University of Washington

Contact:

“I encourage experimentation, nurture individuality and believe that what we tend to view as failures often carry far more valuable and productive lessons than our successes.” -Professor Carpenter