OICD Director Bruce White with ArtEZ staff and studentsIn a continuation of our valuable partnership with ArtEZ University of the Arts, OICD Director Bruce White recently visited the Netherlands to conduct a series of workshops for staff and students at the ArtEZ Academy of Theatre & Dance. This collaboration, now in its fourth year, aims to equip artist-educators and change-makers with foundational research and strategy-building tools to maximize their transformative impact.
The visit comprised five workshops, including sessions tailored for staff and students. These workshops focused on the importance of identity and culture in personal lives and broader societal contexts, aligning closely with the OICD’s mission to promote understanding of identity and cultural aspects within wider societal development.
For staff members, the 75-minute sessions provided an opportunity to reflect on their organization’s resilience to political polarization and explore ways to offer students more options for thinking about identity in the world. The workshops introduced participants to the OICD’s Engagement Methodology for Identities in Conflict (EMIC), demonstrating its practical applications such as identity mapping.
Students engaged in longer, two-and-a-half-hour sessions that delved deeper into identity mapping and self-development. This process, described by Bruce as “four-dimensional journaling,” helps individuals track fundamental changes in how they organize their feelings and emotions using cultural concepts and ideas of self and other. The students created their own identity maps, gaining insights into the complex interplay between identity, behavior, and social dynamics.
Feedback from both staff and students was overwhelmingly positive. One participant shared, “To see all the complexity in one person – it moved me – and I can’t stop thinking about it.” Another remarked, “I will definitely be incorporating this into work with students moving forward.” The workshops were described as “inspiring” and “brilliant,” with many participants expressing enthusiasm for the new perspectives they gained.
The success of these workshops underscores the potential for applying identity-based approaches across various sectors, including arts education, personal development, and organizational resilience. As we continue to develop our methodologies and training programs, we’re excited about the possibilities for creating ways to bring these valuable insights to even broader audiences.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to ArtEZ University, particularly the Academy of Theatre & Dance, for their continued partnership and commitment to innovative approaches in arts education. This collaboration exemplifies the OICD’s dedication to fostering identity literacy and promoting positive social transformation through the arts.
As we reflect on this successful visit, we look forward to further developing our partnership with ArtEZ and exploring new ways to integrate identity-based perspectives into arts education and practice. Stay tuned for more updates on our ongoing work in this exciting field!
Interested in training in Identity and Culture? Reach out to us at [email protected]
