Creativity takes Courage...

Over the weekend I have started to really focus and get in the mindset of reading, researching and absorbing as much as I can that will help me along my journey. I have begun reading a book callled Community Performance: an Introduction by Petra Kuppers. I choose this one as a starting point as it gives a wide variety of views on community performance, and also covers a range of topics within the book.

One thing that is captivating my interest a lot about this book is that throughout they have reflective exercises that you can complete yourself, and they also have exercises that can be done in a group. I have been marking them off as I read through in a hope that some will be useful to my studies, and so I can work through them to see what the outcomes are. 


The first is: What are the potential definition of community performance? 


This is what I came up with: 

• Performance which involves the community, non-actors, amateur performers
• Giving a voice to the community
• Working with diverse groups, youngsters, elderly, troubled youth, people considered to be on the edge of society (alcoholics, prisoners, people with a disability, young offenders, teen mothers)
• Anyone can get involved
• Performing for/with the local and wider communities
• Arts-not just theatre allowing the community to get creative
• Performance which is inspired by happenings in the community-local issues/problems
• A show for the people, an event involving ordinary people/for the people
• Performance used as a way to raise money/ awareness for communities

It is becoming increasingly apparent that all the things I am researching for my project are so closely linked that there is bound to be a cross-over in some areas.One of the reflective exercises is to define for yourself what community is, and as shown in the previous post where I discussed what is Community by definition and to myself, the exercise from this book led me to think closely about what Creativity is. I have not been as actively involved in community arts, and theatre as I would have liked to since leaving university, and then embarking on this Masters. I want to stay aware about being creative, and the importance of creativity and creative arts in life. 

What is Creativity? (by dictionary definition)

• State or quality of being creative
• The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, originality, progressiveness and imagination
• Process by which one uses creative ability
• Ability to create
• Originality of thought and imagination

What is Creativity to me?

• People who can think imaginatively to produce something new and innovative
• People who enjoy practical thinking, hands-on tasks, being imaginative
• Being able to look at something in an innovative, insightful way

Another reflective exercise in the book is to consider what community performance can achieve and why the work is useful:

What I came up with:

• Provide entertainment for the masses
• Provide thought provoking work
• Give a voice to those seen as being on the 'edge of society' 
• Bring together a range of ages and different backgrounds/situations 
• Provide education and learning for diverse groups of people
• Teach team work, creativity and life skills 
• Give people a sense of belonging
• Keeps creative arts alive

I think Community Performance is incredibly important not just to provide something entertaining, but to also give ordinary people a chance to be part of something special, to get a sense of belonging, to give them a chance to do something they love which they might not otherwise have a chance to do. 

The above video isn't exactly linked to theatre, but it does show a innovative creative idea, and encourage creativity.