Can making art as a group change the world?

I am currently working on a zine project  where I share about how starting my own free monthly crafting circle and hosting events where people come together to be creative has built beautiful networks of friendship, community and creativity that has positive ripple effects into our world! Wow just typing that out makes it seem like I am really patting myself on the back here… but it actually it IS that deep. 

 

In a culture that wants us to be separate and hopeless and mindlessly scrolling alone at home, it is a radical act to leave your house and take a risk to hang out and make art with strangers. I realized in the past few years that I have a strange gift where I am able to facilitate groups of people who do not know each other and create a fun vibe where people can truly connect and become friends! What a magical thing that has been to learn. 

 

I am trying to distill the essence of what I believe the power of making new friends and creating art in a group is, and how this empowers us to build networks of people who build a more supportive world. If you have come to a Crafting Circle at my studio, or a class I have facilitated, I'd love to hear about your experience as I try to find a way to convey this message and help other people start their own crafting circles. I made this form where you can share anonymously, positive or negative! It's all just research, really. If you'd like a free copy of the zine when I have finished it, leave your email. 

 

This zine is a project through a class I am taking at BULK Space where we create zines around activism and then print them with a really cool special risograph printer. Anyway, your answers would help me define what my message is and what I am trying to say, because in the end it's not just about me. It's about US and the beautiful world we are all building together, despite the powers that be!