LLP Grundtvig learning partnership project

LLP Grundtvig learning partnership project 3rd project partner meeting 6-9 February 2013, Dublin ACT! Active & Responsible Citizen= Flourishing Future Society

Presentation on the feedback of the civic actions in Ireland Smashing Times Theatre Company 1. International Day for Eradication of Poverty 2. The Pied Piper 3. Celebration of Language & Culture 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for Eradication of Poverty October 17th 2012, 11am Number of Participants: 25 Where? Custom House Quay Why? Custom House Quay in Dublin close to the memorial of the victims of the Irish Famine. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: brief summary International Day for the Eradication of Poverty provided an opportunity to commemorate the voice of the poorest people in society by highlighting the experience of the poor. People were given an opportunity to express their experiences and statistics were available on poverty. The focus of the speeches and performance was poverty in all forms; poverty linked to mental health, economic poverty, child poverty, older people and those affected by the economic downturn. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: methods Augusto Boal’s Theatre of Oppressed: the focus of the civic provided anopportunity to highlight those marginalized through poverty through the medium of theatre. • Invisible Theatre: As the theatrical event is taking place in a public space without the traditional theatrical devices, it has aspects of invisible theatre • Image Theatre: This was a strong image theatre piece. Particularly through the reappropriation of an existing monument to a time of poverty in Ireland, the contrast between the frozen statues and the living actors highlighted how poverty is still present despite the passing of so much time. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for the eradication of Poverty: evidence 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for Eradication of Poverty: feedback from the participants’ point of view This part is based on the Questionnaire for the Evaluation of a Civic Action Were the objectives of the civic action achieved? All participants unanimously said yes “We raised awareness and got people’s attention” “We got peoples attention and got them interested in the civic action” “Yes people were affected by it and took time to stop and listen or watch” What was the most successful area of the execution of the civic action? Explain Most participants identified the costume and public setting as being successful attention grabbers. “That it was in a public place so we stood out” “The simple but powerful image of us alongside the famine memorial” What problems were faced during the civic action?How did you deal with it? The weather! We collected umbrellas and basically got on with it! 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: feedback from the audience’s point of view What aspects attracted you to participate in the civic action? “I was curious when I saw the costumes” “I wanted to see what was going on, I saw the costumes and I heard the speeches” What were the best aspects of the civic action? “The image is really powerful, grabs your attention” “It’s nice to see the image, people don’t connect with statistics” What aspects of the civic action could be improved? How? “I wish more press were here, it’s an important issue” “I wish the weather wasn’t so awful, more people would have been around” What is the impact of the civic action? “Very strong image and then with the speakers you hear personal stories, the reality of the situation in Ireland today” “I learned more about poverty in Ireland and what people are faced with daily” “Made me think about equality” 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

International Eradication of Poverty: reflections on the feedback Reflections on feedback We were very happy with the overall feedback gathered from the audience and the participants, we think it went very well and was very effective Conclusions based on the above-mentioned reflections We actively tried to attract press and were filmed on the day by RTE (national broadcaster) but due to other news events, they did not show the footage on the News. Unfortunately we could not change the weather! We think we adapted well to it though with umbrellas. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper October 17th, 3pm 24 participants (Age range 23-60) Place of a civic action Grafton Street in Dublin, a pedestrian shopping area with a large number of high end shops. Major shopping and tourism area in Dublin. High impact. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: brief summary The idea and goals of the civic action, relevance of its topic, target groups, short description of its execution. This civic action highlighted the current situation in Ireland in relation to poverty and the unequal division of wealth. It’s aim was to provoke people to think about this inequality and the fact that the current economic situation is driving young people to immigrate. It took the form of a parade with a pied piper leading the parade as historically a pied piper led immigrants to the boats to cross the Atlantic. The people in the parade wore costumes; a banker, Marie Antoinette, a politician and the participants carry banners which highlight the inequalities which are present in society todayas well as helpers who distributed leaflets with information about the civic action and poverty. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: methods ·Augusto Boal’s Theatre of Oppressed the civic action used the methods of theatre to engage with an issue of importance. ·Invisible Theatre: The procession emerged and dispersed from the general public without using words. The impact being that this issue was closly linked, impacting and an issue of concern for the general public. ·Image Theatre – at the beginning the procession formed and stood in silence completely still for ten minutes. This still image, right in the middle of grafton street closely linked to image theatre but as it took the form of a parade it created a strong image through use of costume but it was not a still image as the performers moved and one person led while playing a tin whistle. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: evidence 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: feedback from the participants’ point of view This part is based on the Questionnaire for the Evaluation of a Civic Action Were the objectives of the civic action achieved? Explain Yes. By performing in the largest consumer area we were ‘interrupting’ the shopping district with a political message to highlight poverty. We got a large audience, a lot of people asking for information and being curious and we distributed all our information leaflets. What was the most successful area of the execution of the civic action? Explain “The movement and the costumes. We stood out and moved as one group. The make up made us look like ghosts or ghouls and the music of the pied piper made it a sinister scene. Everyone stopped to watch, it was a big success”. “The silence was powerful, because there was so many of us moving silently on the busiest pedestrian street in Dublin, the silence was epic” What problems were faced during the civic action? How were they dealt with? There was a busker playing but once we spoke nicely with them and explained what we were doing they stopped playing during the procession so it was completely silent. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: feedback from the audience’s point of view What aspects attracted to participate in the civic action? “At first I was wondering what it was, I thought something was being filmed and then I noticed the signs. It was very powerful so when they started to move I moved with them!” “I wanted to see what was going to happen, it looked very interesting!” What were the best aspects of the civic action? “The costumes are great” “The face paint, everyone looks so serious and then the politicians are laughing in contrast.” “The whole thing is very effective. It gets your attention and then you get the information” “Makes you think” What aspects of the civic action could be improved? How? “It should be longer” “I think you should keep going and march to the Dail!” What is the impact of the civic action? “It makes you think about the reality of the statistics.” “It makes me think about all the people who are struggling in Ireland” 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Pied Piper: reflections on the feedback Reflections on the feedback collected We were very happy with the feedback collected. We think the event works as a contained piece but the feedback made us excited about how it could be bigger or how we could do more. It was a very effective civic action and very powerful so we were very happy. Conclusions on the above-mentioned reflections We think if we were to run it again we might pick 4 venues in the city centre and so after the first civic action the ‘actors’ would disperse and meet up at the second location and repeat the action etc etc, that way the impact would be more city wide and there might be a bit of momentum building as the day went on as people would spot the hooded figures around town and wonder about it. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello! Celebration of Language and Culture • October 22nd 2012 at 10am • 21 Particpants • The Civic Action took place outside the Leisure Multiplex in Rathmines. Rathmines is a suburb of Dublin City. We chose this location because Rathmines is a highly multicultural area of Dublin so we thought the impact of the civic action would be most effective. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello!: brief summary One by one people walked up to the space infront of the leisure multiplex and wave to the passer bys and say hello. The first person spoke in English and then the other peoplejoined them one by one and spoke in different languages. Everyone continued to wave and speak in different languages building to a momentum. We were hoping to attract attention to the universiality of greeting each other with the contrast of the many different ways people say the same thing. Our main aim was to celebrate language and culture. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello: evidence 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello!: feedback from the participants’ point of view This part is based on the Questionnaire for the Evaluation of a Civic Action Were the objectives of the civic action achieved? Explain Yes I think we made our point, we showed how even though there may be language difference, there is always a universal, we all greet each other somehow” “We got a good audience, a great response, I think it was great” What was the most successful area of the execution of the civic action? Explain “It was simple but clever you know, just using that one word and action” “ It felt like a celebration, everyone was positive, saying hello to strangers is fun!” “The simplicity of it was it’s success I reckon, it was accessible, regardless of your own language” What problems were faced during the civic action? How were they dealt with? There was a bus parked right in front of our original location and he wouldn’t move so we picked a different location and got on with it. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello!: feedback from the audience’s point of view What aspects attracted to participate in the civic action? “I heard my language! I heard it and I came over!” “I was wondering what it was all about” “Their enthusiasm, they were very friendly” What were the best aspects of the civic action? “It’s different, not what you would usually see.” “It was nice to hear the different languages.” What aspects of the civic action could be improved? How? “I thought it was great.” “You should do it again!” What is the impact of the civic action? “It cheered me up! It made me smile” “It made me think about languages” “It made me curious to know where the other words were from- what languages they were” 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Hello: reflections on thefeedback Reflections on the feedback collected We were very happy with the feedback collected. We thought it was a simple but effective civic action with a creative approach to an everyday greeting. Very happy overall. Conclusions on the above-mentioned reflections We would not change anything we would rather see ways that we could possibly expand it. Different locations, different words- for example goodbye, I love you etc. 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

Promotionalchannelsused Before: Press release, phone calls, website, social media (facebook, twitter) After: Vimeo Channel upload of video, video shared on facebook, twitter, website, photographs posted 6-9.02.2013, Dublin

http://vimeo.com/52248283

LLP Grundtvig learning partnership project