Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, musician Lindsey White worked with students from the Manitoba School Improvement Program: The Peaceful Village to write original music, culminating in the creation of a music CD and accompanying music video and mini-documentary. In April of 2015, the Peaceful Village produced a free night of live music, poetry, and theatre at the West End Cultural Centre.
The Peaceful Village aims to minimize the loss of immigrant and refugee students from the education system between junior high and high school and to give voice to newcomer youth and their families. They also strive to increase understanding and empathy between cultural and community groups. Students participate in tutoring, mentoring, and cultural mentorship in the arts. The influence of the program is extended by encouraging the families and caregivers of students to become involved in community activities connected to the program including Village Kitchens, healthy eating, parenting teenagers in a new country, and financial literacy. The program’s participants are a vibrant and engaged group of students who completely immersed themselves in the creation of these unique musical pieces.
This project was a collaboration between Lindsey White and The Peaceful Village, created through the Youth WITH ART program. Youth WITH ART is a program modeled after the established WITH ART program that focuses on projects that engage youth (and their families) in activities to increase their self-awareness and provide opportunities for personal development and empowerment.
Central to the WITH ART & Youth WITH ART programs is the principle that exploration and the process of art-making are of utmost importance. Artists and community groups develop a project based on community goals, the artist’s working methods and the partnership that subsequently develops.
