Step 5 - Spark Creativity

Question 1

process of designing a sparking activity

Answer 1

1. Think about what a sparking activity is.
2. Identify opportunities to capitalize on and barriers to overcome.
3. Decide on the type of activity.
4. Design a new activity or modify an existing one.
5. Perform the activity.

Question 2

Think about what a sparking activity is - main points

Answer 2

• elements involved
• use the tendencies/established patterns of the culture for the creative process! (if people prefer to compose alone, in group, etc.—use info collected under Step 4C on “creativity”)
• the meristem, the growth point in a plant; the hub/nub of creativity; must be nourished, protected

Question 3

elements involved

Answer 3

o	title/summary (overall type: commissioning, workshop, etc.)
o	participants
o	info will need from the CAP
o	resources needed
o	tasks
o	big-picture analysis (3 lists)
•	CLAT steps included in activity
•	steps already taken
•	plans for future steps

Question 4

meristem

Answer 4

From the part of the plant that grows new cells?

o	find someone with good artistic skills (respected)
o	but also respected socially (character, considerations about if Christian or not)
o	Wedekind (1975) -example from Africa where a Muslim praise singer agreed to work with a biblical text and compose and record a Scripture song.

Question 5

types of sparking activities

Answer 5

commissioning
workshops
showcase events
mentoring
apprenticeship
publications
creators' clubs

Question 6

commissioning

Answer 6

task of creating new instance of genre for specific purpose; to be considered in nearly all cases! (consider compensation, how much influence the artist has in the end)

Question 7

workshops

Answer 7

short events gathering people together to make progress on a given task (arts workshop is basically the CLAT cycle in abbreviated form)

Question 8

workshops - things to consider

Answer 8

• Learning that Lasts (n.d.)—important to use high engagement, participatory approaches
• individuals to invite:
• community leaders/gatekeepers
• artistic experts
• content experts
• schedule -Saurman & Saurman (2006)—sample schedule

Question 9

Learning that Lasts sources

Answer 9

• Global Learning Partners (n.d.)

* Vella (2002)

Question 10

Vella (2002)

Answer 10

dialogue, not telling adults what already know, engagement, immediacy, action/reflection, other principles

Question 11

showcase events

Answer 11

• festivals/contests (look for existing events, or introduce new ones)
• e.g., Barz (2003)—using kwaya contests, Tanzania, to highlight creativity

Question 12

showcase events process

Answer 12

• imagine/plan (ask lots of questions about what types of arts, what kind of budget, competition elements, recording/documentation….)
• promote/network
• compose/prepare
• run the event
• evaluate/plan for possibility of future events

Question 13

mentoring

Answer 13

transmitting artistic tradition through relationship; reciprocal learning!

Question 14

apprenticeship

Answer 14

consider participants, familiar educational forms, sustainable schedule

Question 15

publications

Answer 15

(paper, recordings, electronic data)—allow ideas/artistry to live beyond single moment
• consider: target audience; editors; system for distribution; system for ongoing publication; feedback tools for improvement
• e.g., Hodges (2007)—created advisory panel and publication around nada dasar, the “central tone of melody and harmony,” like Jesus Christ—forum to discuss musical issues in the church

Question 16

creators’ clubs - source and content

Answer 16

• King (1999)—coined term “new song fellowship,” akin to sub-Saharan African groups that practice each week to improve songs of certain genres—these compose new Scripture songs

Question 17

sparking activities for identity and sustainability kingdom goal

Answer 17

cultural celebrations; documenting; publishing

Question 18

identity and sustainability [valuing identity] sparking activities

Answer 18

encourage them by gathering info on Step 1, Meet the Community
• organize festival
• commission new work in older genre for existing showcase event

Question 19

identity and sustainability [using media] sparking activities

Answer 19

• develop multimedia collections of local arts (increases status/visibility, available for future transmission)
• Seeger & Chaudhuri (2004)
• publish recordings and research in various form and contexts (website, booklet, academic article)

Question 20

identity and sustainability [teaching children] activity

Answer 20

identify/mend ruptures in transmission from older to younger people

Question 21

shalom [healing] activities

Answer 21

• trauma healing workshop
• Hill, Hill, Bagge, & Miersma (2012)
• Hill & Hill (2012)
• traumahealinginstitute.org (2012)
• commission local artists to address community health problems
• Barz (2006)
• Watters & Hill (2012)

Question 22

shalom [rest/play] activity

Answer 22

special event to play traditional games

Question 23

shalom [reconciliation] activity

Answer 23

“alternatives to violence” workshop

Question 24

justice [social justice] activity

Answer 24

hold workshops that allow marginalized people to be heard—look for genres with identity/power, cf. Bennetta (1985)

Question 25

justice [education/literacy] activities

Answer 25

* commission an alphabet song * commission local visual art for books/literacy materials * promote literacy through local arts presentations * integrate local arts into methods for teaching reading * turn orature into literature * integrate arts into educational curricula * Saurman (2010) * find ways to take a traditional concept and integrate other subjects (e.g., stitching: reading, writing, science, math)

Question 26

integrate local arts into methods for teaching reading - source and content

Answer 26

Saurman (1993)—music combined with lyrics is the most effective verbal tool for accurately retaining/recalling information

Question 27

turn orature into literature - source and content

Answer 27

Wendell (1982; updated 1997)—4 levels of materials, based on closeness of cultural background/experiences

Question 28

scripture sparking activities

Answer 28

* use of arts in translation * (1) understanding types of texts (songs, stories, poems, proverbs) * (2) producing oral translations/versions of the Bible * Scripture translation workshop * commission an oral narrative performance of Scripture

Question 29

church life sparking activities

Answer 29

* hold a corporate worship workshop (Krabill Krabill (2013)—use especially “foundations” section) * help preachers and teachers incorporate more local arts into what they do (special attention to art forms with significant verbal content) * hold an artistic genre workshop * hold a composition workshop on worldview themes—specifically addressing the ways the Bible is challenging current cultural views * organize an all arts celebration, showcasing gifts of artists within the Christian community * study the Bible in more than one form as a group—print Scripture, song, poetry, drama, recordings (Hill and Hill 2010) * improve a current church ceremony, ritual, or practice * hold a contest for new ways to memorize Scripture (Hill & Hill 2010) * commission arts for community events

Question 30

personal spiritual life activities

Answer 30

* encourage Christians to commune with God through multiple arts (retreat form) * mentor someone in integrating long church traditions of arts into their relationship with God * commission a verbal art form of resolve that will help people apply Scriptural truths to their lives