SPUR

We’re equal-opportunity based.

And we mean that. We do not discriminate based on gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. This project is geared towards specifically giving emerging youth artists opportunities to perform, as we see few youth opportunities being offered in this category, and would like to seek some form of balance in the work. That does not mean that we will not see, or interact with older applicants- it has helped us greatly in the past, as older applicants have a great deal of experience and knowledge that they can share. There needs to be an open conversation on this work, and we are here to supply that.

So, if you are looking for a reason to vote today, do it because we are equal-opportunity based.

Simple as that: http://pep.si/hDkj1N

This will give emerging youth artists everywhere a chance to learn more about their craft and the industry.

I’ll be honest: I haven’t much experience of the industry myself, being fresh out of school, but I have a decent amount of experience creating my own work, and keeping myself doing some amount of creative work since graduation. I want to share that, along with all of the amazing experience that this project has to offer. And, I’ll be doing it through some good ol’ blogging. That will make this learning opportunity available not only to our actors, but also to other emerging youth artists.

So, if you are looking for a reason to vote today, do it because it means more learning opportunities for all of those arts friends you know.

Defy the cardboard box future! http://pep.si/hDkj1N

It gives us a sense of accomplishment.

If nothing else.

Support your local emerging youth artists! http://pep.si/hDkj1N

This will encourage other arts groups and individuals to approach Hospitals and Seniors Residences for work.

From my understanding- from what I have experienced, and researched thus far, it is difficult for Hospitals and Senior Residences to find entertainment, performances, or activities for patients and patrons. And this is a big deal.

Without these programs, there is no reprieve from healing or transitional processes. There is no distraction from the constant focus on why the patients or patrons are there.

So, there is a constant search for this kind of work. Something to ease healing processes, and improve a person’s quality of life. How do we go about it?

In my mind, I break it down to one statement: See a need, fill a need. They need entertainment, possibly in the form of a performance, and we need- well,- to perform.

We don’t want to walk into this blindly, though. We can’t. We have been doing our homework so that we can cater these performances to each individual audience member. In order to do this, we have looked to such brilliant performance and research bases as clown-doctoring.

The great thing that I have learned about clown doctoring thus far is that they provide distraction and entertainment through being vulnerable with their patients.  Patients therefore focus on the clown’s inability to perform a certain task, as opposed to his or her own struggles. Patients may even go so far as to help the clowns with what they are failing at, to put them at ease. Pretty amazing, huh? By proxy, they can also ease their own struggles.

…Okay, so this isn’t terribly new to everyone. But I think that act of presenting a vulnerability to a patient is huge, and can ease the healing or transitional process a lot. If we can similarly present vulnerability through our work with the text, I think that we can create a similar sensation- By no means am I saying that we are the same as Clown Doctors. By no means could we ever replace the amazing things that they do. But we can certainly try something new, and provide a vulnerable experience, incorporating a new form of cultural stimulation for patients and senior residence members.

So, if you are looking for a reason to vote today, do it because you will be creating job opportunities for emerging youth artists, while solving the issue of finding entertainment in hospitals and senior residences.

You know you wanna: http://pep.si/hDkj1N

...And, of course, if you want to check out some amazing Clown-Doctor programs across Canada, check out some of these groups:

Fools For Health

http://web2.uwindsor.ca/fools_for_health/

Dr. Clown

http://drclown.ca/index_en.php

It will teach emerging youth artists how to operate in a benefit performance

  What is the performance/benefit etiquette? How do you advertise for it? How do you approach organizations/communities/people in general?

All of these questions and more will be answered and shared in this process. Not only will we make it available to the cast, but it will also be available to other emerging artists through our website, as we discuss our experiences throughout the project. Think of it: a how-to for the emerging artist. Documented in-full. After all, getting started in the arts is a definition unto itself. Shouldn’t “emerging artist” be separate as well?

So, if you are looking to vote for us today, do it because we’re sharing knowledge about doing benefit performances, not just with our cast, but with any emerging artist that happens near our site.

What can be sweeter than that?

http://pep.si/hDkj1N

We’re youth-founded and run, and there needs to be more of that.

 

    Whenever I told people that I was attending school for Acting, I would get the usual response, “Oh, wow. Risky future, eh?” or “Not much you can do with that.” I used to shrug and say “I’ve accepted my cardboard box future.”

 

Lies. All of it.

 

     The education I’ve gotten has given me a lot of life skills that I’m proud of. On top of re-learning how to be a human being, I’ve learned how to be that ever-terrifying term, “a contributing member to society”, and furthermore, a creative, thriving, independent individual. So why the hell would I not want to do something with that?

 

     Part of being motivated comes from how we were raised. I’d like to think a large part comes from having enough information and tools. I didn’t really see myself as a leader walking into the last project, just someone who had the right information and tools. So long as I had that, motivation came easily. My perspective has changed a lot since then, and I now believe that leadership is more of something that can be cultivated by example.

 

     “Be the change you want to see in the world.”- Mahatma Ghandi

 

     A quote that I used to take lightly, but not anymore. So, if you are looking for a reason to vote today, do it because there needs to be more youth-founded work, and we’re ready to step up to the plate to make the example.

 

http://www.refresheverything.ca/shakespeareinhospitals

 

Let’s make it happen folks! We went up more than ten spots last night!