In 2019 I initiated a collaboration between Artreach India and an innovative village school in Bihar, Loka, with the aim of leading consistent creative education, wellbeing and skills development programmes. Since then, I have structured modules and led intensive workshops with over 50+ children and young adults there as well as training sessions for the school staff.
The programmes have led to immense dialogue around mapping emotions in the body through drawing, learning to observe changes in our surroundings through close observation, questioning gendered roles, and creating visual plans of how each participant envisions positive change for their village.
Programmes have ended with Open Days that bring the whole village closer together as a first, bridging gaps between men-women, old-young, educated-illiterate, and creating space for collective action around very real issues – it has been magical to see how much can happen, when we begin with interactive art making and collaborate towards positive change!
This is an ongoing programme, in partnership with Artreach India and Loka.
