2008
World Festival of Sacred Music-Los Angeles
Emerging Voices Project
Project Summary: The
Emerging Voices Project brings together 200 Los Angeles based
young musicians and dancers (ages 12-20) from six diverse
communities for face-to face direct interaction with each
other. Program activities include a full day retreat, a shared
public performance, and participation in the 2008 World Festival
of Sacred Music - Los Angeles
(WFSM-LA).
Abstract: Built on the professional
and grassroots success of the 1999, 2002 and 2005 Festivals,
the 2008 World Festival of Sacred Music-Los Angeles is now
in the planning stages. A new strategy for the 2008 Festival
is the Emerging Voices Project. Festival organizers (UCLA
Center for Intercultural Performance, Foundation for World
Arts and EarthWays Foundation) will partner with The Watts
Towers Arts Center and the Japanese American Cultural and
Community Center in Los Angeles. Our diverse ethnic, racial
and socioeconomic communities will be criteria for select
each participating group. Some 200 young musicians and dancers
will take part over a 12-month period. Activities include:
1) A one day Youth Arts Camp on the UCLA campus; 2) A shared
public performance at the Aratani Japan/America Theater, Los
Angeles and finally 3) Each group will participate in one
of the 2008 World Festival of Sacred Music- Los Angeles concerts.
These concerts will be shared programs with other artists
from Los Angeles and take place in venues across the greater
Los Angeles area. Our producing skills will insure that public
presentations are outstanding, however, the larger educational
goal of Emerging Voices is to provide opportunities for cross-cultural
exchange, inter ethnic dialogue, as well as an exchange of
the performing arts. By creating circumstances for personal,
cultural, and artistic exchange we believe meaningful relationships
can be built and these children will develop a more inclusive
vision of the artistic life of our city.
Background:
The 2008 World Festival of Sacred Music (WFSM-LA) is a 16-day,
40 event multidisciplinary and intercultural experience that
highlights the cultural diversity of Los Angeles. Produced
by organizing partners (UCLA Center for Intercultural Performance,
Foundation for World Arts and EarthWays Foundation). WFSM-LA
exists as a partnership of hundreds of arts and faith based
organizations, environmental groups, artists and venues that
consolidate their efforts once every three years in order
to host this community oriented Festival. The 2008 WFSM will
present 35 multidisciplinary events and present 800 artists
in 30 diverse venues across Los Angeles. The 1999, 2002 and
2005 Festivals, makes WFSM-LA is the largest citywide Festival
currently active in Los Angeles. A culturally inclusive and
altruistic curatorial approach combined with a modest organizational
and administrative structure make a Festival of this scale
possible. The project is neither a commercial venture, nor
does it promote or endorse any political or religious agenda.
Rather, it provides the means to affirm the importance of
communication through the arts.
Goals
- Promote tolerance and respect for
others with differing views, beliefs, and artistic sensibilities.
- Develop an appreciation for culture through
an understanding of the diversity of our society and our
rich expressive cultures.
- Provide face to face in depth experiences
between youth in a cooperative and equitable learning community
- Establish partnerships between individuals
and organizations and serve as a model that will encourage
similar culturally sensitive youth programs.
- Build and inspire the capacity of young artists,
educators, and community leaders by highlighting the success
of outstanding groups that work in our city.
- Promote intergenerational learning and leadership
skills that can advocate for the voices of youth as well
as encourage the long-term knowledge of master teachers.
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