press release

I Have A Voice Arts Festival
March 7-MAY 2, 2021

Cartwheel Initiative is proud to present “I Have A Voice Arts Festival” with an opening exhibition curated by The Front Room Gallery, New York City. The festival will encompass an exhibition, workshops, and video messages from around the world. Showcasing artwork created by young people from various marginalized communities across the globe, the exhibition will give participants a voice and the opportunity to share their stories, concerns, and passions.

“I Have A Voice Arts Festival” aims to raise awareness about their human condition and strives to connect them through stories of home, community, and identity. The festival provides additional support to participants through an in-kind grant of software applications to foster creativity.

We are pleased to organize the arts festival with participation from:

- Foundation of Goodness, Sri Lanka
- FutureConnect, USA
- Mumbai Smiles, India
- Rock-Paper-Scissors Children’s Fund, Vietnam
- Slam Out Loud, India
- Vidya, India
- Youth Potential South Africa
A special acknowledgement to Monde par la main / Give a Hand for their support in bringing together various festival partners.

The “I Have a Voice Arts Festival” will open Sunday, March 7th at 9 a.m. EST online with opening remarks by Ashok Sinha, Cartwheel Initiative and Kathleen Vance, Front Room Gallery, followed by video messages from selected participants, and a spoken word workshop, “The Art of Play”* presented by Slam Out Loud

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 9 AM (New York/EST)
Opening Remarks, video messages, and “Art of Play” spoken word workshop, presented by Slam Out Loud
Online exhibition curated by Front Room Gallery is live.

SUNDAY MARCH 21, 9 AM (New York/EDT)
The Art Neighborhood Virtual Action Figure Workshop

MONDAY APRIL 12TH
Launch of the installation created from artworks created The Art Neighborhood Virtual Action Figure Workshop, presented by Lisa Ludwig

TUESDAY APRIL 13TH
Online exhibition curated by Front Room Gallery ends.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14TH - SUNDAY, MAY 2ND
Online exhibition at Treat Gallery, New York

 WORKSHOPS INCLUDE

• “The Art of Play”* presented by Slam Out Loud

  Slam Out Loud (as facilitators for the workshop) will be taking the participants through a poem-writing exercise, where they learn to color their emotions into words and use art as a medium for creative outlet. Participants will learn to think of their emotions in the form of colors they see, the sounds they hear, and their favorite fragrances that accompany these memories. This, followed by a quick chat on how art can be used as a way to build mindfulness and wellbeing in children globally will also re-emphasize the need to create safe spaces of expression for children, especially during these times. Children and viewers will not only learn about poetry in performance but also develop a strong sense of self - and how a simple act as writing a poem can spark their journey towards finding their own voice. 

  
  The workshop will begin with a brief (1-2 minutes) introduction about Slam Out Loud, followed by the poem-writing exercise (10-12 minutes) and conclude by taking questions/answers from the audience, as well as hearing their poems (10-12 minutes).

• The Art Neighborhood Virtual Action Figure Workshop, presented by Lisa Ludwig

  Join the Art Neighborhood. Create an Action Figure of your best self. Action Figure Workshop and Lisa Ludwig take your creativity to the next level. In this workshop, participants will be creating their own action figures out of modest materials, such as cardboard, tape, glue, designed and decorated with found objects crayons, pencils and markers. Designed at a small scale, the figures will have a further opportunity to join the larger installation of the “Art Neighborhood” which is a sculpture created by Lisa Ludwig, created using reclaimed cardboard boxes and found materials. This diorama environment comments on the economic crisis and our nation’s dire need to come together as one. Donated Action Figure artworks allow the participants and the neighborhood to reach a shared goal of community and sustainability.  Lisa has been doing workshops all over New York City where anyone can make an action figure of themselves. The figures are then brought to the neighborhood and put on display. The action figures are a celebration of the transformative power of art.  With over 500 action figures donated from fellow collaborators, The Art Neighborhood has potential for even more growth, with a boundless range. MAKE YOUR OWN AND JOIN THE ART NEIGHBORHOOD.