Social Artistry in and Through Education
When you think of an artist you may think of Vincent van Gogh before you think of William Shakespeare or Benjamin Franklin. Indeed, van Gogh was an artist who manifested on canvas the people, the culture and the environment of his homeland. Shakespeare manifested through plays and poetry the people, the cultures, the dreams, and the realities of the seemingly timeless human drama. Benjamin Franklin drew from a broad palette, including the beautiful culture of the Iroquois League[i], and flourished bold and innovative ideas that are still a part of our culture. Will and Ben were Social Artists.
Jean Houston is a pioneer in the Human Potential movement and has advanced Social Artistry as an idea whose time has come to help resolve the devastating conflicts between cultures, religions, corporations, countries, and the human abuses of Mother Earth, and the women and children of the earth. “The Social Artist is one who brings the focus, perspective, skill training, tireless dedication and fresh vision of the artist to the social arena. Thus the Social Artist’s medium is the human community. She or he seeks innovative solutions to troubling conditions, is a lifelong learner ever hungry for insights, skills, imaginative ideas and deeper understanding of present-day issues.”
We invite you to change the worldIf you are ready for work that works, then this is a program for you. If you are called to a passion for the possible then this seminar is what you have been waiting for. Finally, if you have sensed yourself as a catalyst, however large or small in the greatest transition the world has ever known, then you should think seriously about joining us.
Exploring the new field of Social Artistry
The Social Artistry in Leadership Conference has been held at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon each summer since 2002. It is a wonderful place for cultivating teachers as Social Artists: those who have recognized the needs of our world and have experienced a personal growth that connects them to its diverse cultures, histories, and dreams; those who carry a deep caring for each student’s story and future and connect it to their own; those who draw from the wells of myth, poetry, drama, research, history, science and current events and create environments for students to splash around in that wonderful, soul-feeding mixture; those who understand that corporate, religious, and political paradigms are not the panacea for the pains of our world; and those who are willing to be radicals[ii], evocateurs, and revolutionaries[iii] in the education arena rather than slaves to an outdated 1920’s system.
As an outgrowth of Dr. Houston’s work, the International Institute for Social Artistry has been formed and Leadership Training has begun. Each summer in Ashland, OR, 100+ participants from around the world engage in this training. It is open to all who feel the call to dive into the solution that will enrich each one personally and professionally, wherever they live and work in the world.
[i] Houston, Jean. Manual for the Peacemaker, An Iroquois Legend to Heal Self & Society. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1995.
[ii] "Radicals are in many ways social artists. They restate the hidden truths of society through working with people and social movements rather than color or line. Like the few genuine artists of any age, they teach people to see with fresh vision. They go to the roots (Latin: radices) of social beliefs and re-examine tired slogans and lifeless symbols. They are a source of great vitality and energy for any society”. - Judith Nies, Nine Women
[iii] “These determined pioneers are creating new political parties and movements, strengthening their communities, deepening their spiritual practice, discovering the joyous liberation of voluntary simplicity, building networks of locally rooted businesses, certifying socially and environmentally responsible products, restoring forests and watersheds, promoting public transportation and defining urban growth boundaries, serving as peacemakers between hostile groups, advancing organic agriculture, practicing holistic health, directing their investments to socially responsible businesses, organizing recycling campaigns, and demanding that trade agreements protect the rights of people and the environment.” - the economist David Korten describing the new Jeffersonians in his book, The Post-Corporate World
Jean Houston is a pioneer in the Human Potential movement and has advanced Social Artistry as an idea whose time has come to help resolve the devastating conflicts between cultures, religions, corporations, countries, and the human abuses of Mother Earth, and the women and children of the earth. “The Social Artist is one who brings the focus, perspective, skill training, tireless dedication and fresh vision of the artist to the social arena. Thus the Social Artist’s medium is the human community. She or he seeks innovative solutions to troubling conditions, is a lifelong learner ever hungry for insights, skills, imaginative ideas and deeper understanding of present-day issues.”
We invite you to change the worldIf you are ready for work that works, then this is a program for you. If you are called to a passion for the possible then this seminar is what you have been waiting for. Finally, if you have sensed yourself as a catalyst, however large or small in the greatest transition the world has ever known, then you should think seriously about joining us.
Exploring the new field of Social Artistry
The Social Artistry in Leadership Conference has been held at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon each summer since 2002. It is a wonderful place for cultivating teachers as Social Artists: those who have recognized the needs of our world and have experienced a personal growth that connects them to its diverse cultures, histories, and dreams; those who carry a deep caring for each student’s story and future and connect it to their own; those who draw from the wells of myth, poetry, drama, research, history, science and current events and create environments for students to splash around in that wonderful, soul-feeding mixture; those who understand that corporate, religious, and political paradigms are not the panacea for the pains of our world; and those who are willing to be radicals[ii], evocateurs, and revolutionaries[iii] in the education arena rather than slaves to an outdated 1920’s system.
As an outgrowth of Dr. Houston’s work, the International Institute for Social Artistry has been formed and Leadership Training has begun. Each summer in Ashland, OR, 100+ participants from around the world engage in this training. It is open to all who feel the call to dive into the solution that will enrich each one personally and professionally, wherever they live and work in the world.
[i] Houston, Jean. Manual for the Peacemaker, An Iroquois Legend to Heal Self & Society. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1995.
[ii] "Radicals are in many ways social artists. They restate the hidden truths of society through working with people and social movements rather than color or line. Like the few genuine artists of any age, they teach people to see with fresh vision. They go to the roots (Latin: radices) of social beliefs and re-examine tired slogans and lifeless symbols. They are a source of great vitality and energy for any society”. - Judith Nies, Nine Women
[iii] “These determined pioneers are creating new political parties and movements, strengthening their communities, deepening their spiritual practice, discovering the joyous liberation of voluntary simplicity, building networks of locally rooted businesses, certifying socially and environmentally responsible products, restoring forests and watersheds, promoting public transportation and defining urban growth boundaries, serving as peacemakers between hostile groups, advancing organic agriculture, practicing holistic health, directing their investments to socially responsible businesses, organizing recycling campaigns, and demanding that trade agreements protect the rights of people and the environment.” - the economist David Korten describing the new Jeffersonians in his book, The Post-Corporate World
We invite you to change the world
If you are ready for work that works,
If you are ready for work that works,
then this is a program for you.
If you are called to a passion for the possible
then this seminar is what you have been waiting for.
Finally, if you have sensed yourself as a catalyst,
however large or small in the greatest transition
the world has ever known,
then you should think seriously about joining us.Exploring the new field of Social Artistry
posted by Dick Dalton at
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