Manifesto
MANIFESTO TOWN HALL
http://www.beautifulcity.ca/bcbfpetition.asp
The Beautiful City Billboard Fee (BCBF) would see a charge paid by billboard advertisers through an annual license fee. Revenue would be dedicated to bylaw enforcement and art in the public sphere. A priority would be placed on funding marginalized communities and youth art and distributed through arms-length or peer jury processes. Specific objectives of the BCBF include:
- Urban beautification & employment for artists
- More funding for tracking & policing billboard advertisers
- Helping move Toronto towards a pedestrian focused aesthetic
- Promoting community ownership of public spaces
- Diversifying access to public communication
In March 2009 Ravi Jain along with Masia 1, Che Kothari and Adrienne Lorico chaired a city-wide meeting of artists, youth arts workers, policy makers and government officials at Toronto City Hall. An historic event that we hope will lead to serious change in the greater city of Toronto.
Click here to watch the video: http://vimeo.com/4493190
You can still get involved, go to http://www.beautifulcity.ca/bcbfpetition.asp
Fringe Festival Charettes
September 2008/ May 2009
History: The word charrette may refer to any collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem. While the structure of a charrette varies, depending on the design problem and the individuals in the group, charrettes often take place in multiple sessions in which the group divides into sub-groups. Each sub-group then presents its work to the full group as material for future dialogue. Such charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitudes and interests of a diverse group of people.
Charette Toronto: An Action based strategic planning session designed to collaboratively solve issues directly effecting the independent theatre community
How does a Charette Work?
- Select a topic directly effecting the community (ex: space, financial sustainability, audience development)
- Gather a diverse group from the community (Maximum of 50 people)
- Gather 4 experts who have a wide range of experience with the topic
- 4 experts present perspectives around the problem (ten minutes each)
- Their presentations will be focused and guided around a direct and specific question
- 10-15 minutes question and answer
- Using the models and ideas presented by the experts, Spilt into 4 sub groups to adapt the models, create and propose solutions to the problem being discussed
- This will be guided around a specific task or specific question
- Come back together as a group and present findings in an action oriented maner
- Experts as well as public can discuss and comment on the viability and practicality of ideas put forth
Throughout March-June Ravi Jain and Gideon Arthurs orchestrated two major charettes based on the topics of SPACE and SUSTAINABLE FUNDING
These were highly successful meetings involving some of the best and brightest in our communities and solutions are currently in development to address challenges identified at the meetings… stay tuned for more…
Kenya
In collaboration with Schools without Borders. Lead by Ravi Jain. 4th year in collaboration with MYSA (mathare youth and sports association) and Haba Na Haba, a community street theatre group working in the communities of Nairobi. The workshop/exchange will be in chorus work, neutral mask, and devised storytelling
Theatre Du Soliel Blog
In February 2009, Ravi Jain was 1 of 5 Canadians to be part of a workshop in Paris, France, led by world reknowned Arianne Mnouchkine of theatre du Soliel. This workshop was the first for the company in 7 years. Follow Ravi’s journey on his blog as he shares the experience and excitement of this magical experience.
Special thanks to the Canada Council Equity section (LOGO)
http://raviaparis.blogspot.com/
In June 2009 Ravi gave an open workshop sharing the skills learned and developed during his time in France and will be continuing its development via the project of Tartuffe (see development)
Wrecking Ball
Ravi Jain joins the esteemed group who produce the Wrecking Ball, evenings of political theatre designed to provoke thought and discussion within the theatrical community. In October 2008, it was a key player in putting a wrench into Harper’s majority as we held the first ever National Wrecking Ball (go to website for more details below)
Led by Ross Manson, Lara Azzapardi, David Jensen, Andrew Soren, Ruth Madoc Jones, Weyni Mengesha, Michael Healy and Ravi Jain.
For more info: http://www.thewreckingball.ca/
Dishoom Festival!
Ravi Jain joins the producing team for Toronto’s first ever South Asian performance Festival held at the Factory Theatre in May, 2009!
This unique celebration brought together the South Asian Arts community and demonstated their wide range of forms of expression, and high level of artistic achievements. The first event of its kind, brought together by artistic director of DIASPORADICALS, Anand Rajaram, featured artists like, Anita Majumdar, Anusree Roy, Sarena Parmar, Pamela Sinha, Ravi Naimpally, Ali Rizvi, Debashish Sinha and many many more!
Also featured performances from storyteller Rubina Sinha and the Parents of Anand Rajaram and Ravi Jain in a cooking show style performance that had bellies full of home-cooked food and laughter!
Canadian Stage Festival of Ideas and Creation
Photo by Natasha Mytnowych
Ravi Jain was associate artistic producer for the Canadian Stage Festival of Ideas and Creation, a 3-week artistic explosion which happened in June 2009 at Canadian Stage Company
The Canadian Stage Company Festival of Ideas and Creation runs from June 8th to 27th at The Berkeley Street Theatre, focusing on artistic process and exchange. It offers professional development opportunities for local and national artists to present new works and evolve their creative processes while offering the general public the opportunity to explore art behind the scenes and participate in the development of new work. First established in 2006, the festival is slated to become an annual event with a dynamic line-up of public, youth, artist and industry programming.
For more info on what happened week by week: http://www.canstage.com/festival