Sha - Project Lead Reflections

How on earth can we possibly tackle “Conflict Transformation in the Arts” in a grounded, holistic, embodied and sector-innovating way? This is one of the main inquiries of our project Conflict Transformation in the Arts and Beyond

Hi! I’m Sha, one of the lead coordinators for this Conflict Transformation in the Arts and Beyond project. What inspired this project for me was realizing a number of years ago after being asked to hold space for a conflict mediation process, that Greenhouse was ont equipped to do so with the level of care and integrity we desired.

Upon doing more research around models for conflict transformation in the Arts sector, we realized that at least on a publicly visible level, there were fairly few resources around this we could access, and that as a whole the arts sector and the diverse arts organizations that it comprised of - from grassroots and emerging to established and operationally funded - were under-resourced in relation to models to access to thrive resiliently through conflict

Since the beginning of this project in Summer 2024, a few key reflections to explore have emerged for me

🌱 How do we reunite conflict transformation processes with earth-based, elemental and ancestral constellation of ecology with whom we are interdependent, un collaboration with the earth and through the body.
🌱 How does the endemic nature of burnout in the non-for-profit Arts sector impact conflict? When we are not resourced - emotionally, materially etc - for “extra’ time to have tough conversations, how to we address the reality that trying to have these conversations can sometimes do more harm that create generative transformation
🌱 How does the impact of colonization create conditions for conflict transformation to be talk-centered, time-parametered (rushed) and individuated between individuals? How do we remember and innovate the more embodied artful ways many of our ancestors engaged with conflict transformation (ie through dance, song, and long community circles)

In my future four blogposts, I will speak to each of these teachings and key insights revealed from them.

Thank you for being part of this journey of transformation

You are invited to join us in person at our Transformation Convergence from August 23-24 at the Children's Peace Theatre. Details and registration here.