Youth Get Creative with Digital Storytelling Project | Good News Toronto (older story - bookmarking!)

2011-05-05

Luminato and Manifesto work with students in Regent Park and St. Jamestown to explore contemporary forms of storytelling, and create short film narratives to be screened as part of the Luminato Festival in June

The Luminato Festival happens once a year in Toronto for 10 very special days in June, filling our city’s streets with arts, culture, and creativity. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this upcoming June, Luminato will once again flood the downtown core with a wide range of cutting-edge, interdisciplinary arts experiences. Programming ranges everywhere from free outdoor music concerts, theatre world premiers, magic shows, movies, fashion, food, and much more — with new surprises each year to keep the Festival exciting. Luminato aims to provide something for everyone, but not just during those ten days in June. In fact, a lot goes on at Luminato during the pre-Festival season. The Luminato Education and Community Outreach department, led by Jessica Dargo Caplan, partners with a multitude of community organizations and offers free pre-Festival workshops for children and youth living in Regent Park, St. Jamestown, and Parkdale. These workshops are facilitated by local and international artists and aim to equip participants with unique arts experiences that tie directly to the Festival’s program; this year, Luminato is exploring the idea of adaptation and contemporary storytelling.

Selected youth participants from Pathways to Education and UforChange have been taking part in Luminato’s Youth Digital Storytelling Project. Participants have been working with world-renowned spoken-word artist, Boonaa Mohammed to learn the art and the technical craft of telling stories in new, innovative ways. Dubbed the “voice of a generation,” Boonaa is no stranger to workshop facilitation. He often conducts community writing workshops and seminars, and through his process helps youth discover and tell their own stories. “I’m not a fan of sideline education; I feel like people have to have a hands-on experience,” said Boonaa, who designed the interactive 10-week workshop program with the Luminato team and Manifesto Community Projects, a non-profit grassroots organization working to unite, energize, support, and celebrate Toronto’s vibrant and diverse music and arts community.

via goodnewstoronto.ca

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