Emerging Voices Project

Emerging Voices Project

World Festival of Sacred Music – Los Angeles

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 World Festival of Sacred Music – Los Angeles
(WFSM-LA).

Abstract
Built on the professional and grassroots success of the 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008 Festivals, the World Festival of Sacred Music-Los Angeles is now in the planning stages. A new strategy for the 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 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 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 WFSM presents 35 multidisciplinary events and present 800 artists in 30 diverse venues across Los Angeles. The 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008 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.

earthways@earthways.org