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AIMISOLA: Digital Project “Voices of Immigrant Women”

Data from various studies suggest that changing demographic conditions are a major environmental factor, particularly the interests and expectations of an increasingly culturally diverse population.

The change in immigrant demographics is evident throughout the European Union, and the number of ethno-racial communities is growing. Thinking about integrating and engaging these diverse immigrant groups means devising cultural activities and artistic programs that harness interest in participatory integration activities, such as dancing, playing music, acting and storytelling, all of which could help build relationships among communities. Many challenges and barriers continue to stand in the way of immigrant integration, a segment of society which is rapidly growing. This project develops seeks to advance cultural pluralism by means of cultural and artistic activities as well as workshops for professional orientation, building awareness of local resources, social understanding and integration. It seeks to take advantage of the fact that many immigrant come from artisan/craft and art related activities. Their forms of expression and stories (including myths, iconography, references, techniques, etc.) may draw on the rich histories and traditions of their own cultures, not be based on Eurocentric norms.

The process proposed is integrative, combining elements of community engagement with artistic development, organizational change and audience engagement, seeking to underscore the interconnections between various types of activities and collaborations and delivery channels.

General Objectives

• Engage and provide access to diverse communities for performing arts developed by ethno-racial artists and, through this, build social cohesion amongst diverse communities.

• Engage diverse communities regionally and across Spain in the development and staging of performances and artistic works by immigrant artists.

• Build the capacities of immigrant organizations in areas related to fundraising, volunteer recruitment/development of immigrant women in particular.

• Create communities of practice to promote pluralism in the arts.

• Develop and/or implement evidence-based practices for pluralism in performing arts.

• Build audiences through community engagement and other outreach activities to directly and indirectly participate and benefit from this project.

• Enhance the capacity of other immigrant organizations and communities to sustain the benefits of the project.

• Enhance access to private sector foundations and corporate sponsors interested in the artistic activities of immigrants.

• Using digital technology to support these organizations’ efforts to sustain the outcomes of this project.

Ethical Issues

Formal permissions will be acquired from all relevant individuals – specifically the central subject/character of the documentary and those engaged in other locations featured.

Partners

ACUDEVA: http://www.acudeva.org/
Instituto de la Mujer/Woman Institute (Spain): http://www.inmujer.gob.es/
University of Bergen: http://www.uib.no/
Universidad Complutense de Madrid: http://www.ucm.es/
Instituto de Investigaciones feministas de la UCM/Institute of Feminist Research: http://www.ucm.es/investigacionesfeministas/
SIIM Research Program: Studies on Intermediality and Intercultural Relations: http://www.ucm.es/siim/siim-cooperation
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria: http://www.ufv.es/
SANSARA S. Coop Mad
Asociación Ameib PACHAMAMA
Fédération Initiatives des femmes Africaines de France et d’Europe
Aspire Education Group Ltd (England)
Red Nosotras en el Mundo: http://www.rednosotrasenelmundo.org

Each of these organizations contributes in-kind services in terms of volunteer support, access to facilities for meeting purposes, provision of contacts to networks within educational institutions, and provision of contacts within immigrant communities.

• Each organization will also participate in public and educational forums involving the project.

• They also commit to working with immigrant communities to develop the workshops and artistic activities that reflect the story and face of the diverse peoples across Spain.

• Workshop sessions focus on pluralism in practice, sharing strategies and approaches, developing a supportive and effective voluntary network, and presenting diverse perspectives to diverse communities.

• Further, the gatherings will provide a diverse range of performances and gallery showings, e.g., music, theatre, dance, various visual arts, multimedia, etc.

• The members will maintain web access and quantitative and qualitative data on this initiative and assess results annually.

• Create new work using contemporary technologies (e.g., i-pad, loop stations for video and/or music, YouTube, voice- and sound-activated computers) while, at the same time, collaborating with immigrant artists locally, provincially, nationally and globally.

• Engage with communities and audiences over internet, through skype and other computer-aided methods.

• Research uses of digital technology in the development of the project.

• Research the use of social media for community engagement, audience and sponsor development.

• Convening workshops for peer information and education-sharing as well as discussion on joint strategies.